News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1893-09-07

tered away in pursuit of the herd.
Brewster knew them at a glance-Ster-
rett's ambulance mules. Indee', the
broken pole was still daneli-g- -bSeween
the two in rear and bounding with them
over the frozen turf.
And that swerve, that sudden halt and
turn to the south end, had cost the band
their liberty. Darting along abreast of
them, but nearly half mile away to the
south, the warrior on the dun colored
pony had shot far out beyond them, and
now, sweeping around in a wide circle
to his right, rode between them and the
broad wastes to the west. Two other In
dians were circling in their front, bar
ring the way to the low hills to the
south. Others still, struggling far out
eastward, reined up so as not to inter-
fere with the rounding" of the herd,
snd in moment or two moro these
three experts had turned their runaway
property in wide sweep back into the
shining track of the sun, and in a very
few minutes the matter was settled; the
ponies were sulkily trotting along the
bank beyond the bend, headed for home
and hard work again, with the ambu-
lance mules braying at their heels. Here
the younger Indians, the boys, took
charge, and from the distant slopes,
from south and east and from the prai-
rie to the west, the others came canter-
ing toward that sharp angle half a mile
away and gathered in eager consulta-
ton about one who seemed to be their
leader
All this, and much more, Brewster
and his men were watching with bound
ing pulses, in breathless excitement,
Brewster with feelings of mingled hope
and despair Now he knew that the
ambulance must be somewhere near at
hand, possibly up that long ravine on
the south side that slanted in from the
prairie not a hundred yards away below
them. Surely the banks looked as though
there were a good ford at that point
Might not that be the very one of which
Ellis spoke? Now, if it were but possi-
BILE to drop back out of the drifts in
which they were hiding and recross the
stream, they might yet creep unobserved
into the mouth of that gully and feel
their way afoot until, somewhere in the
sure they must, the stormbound wagon
with its precious contents. From their
crouching place it was impossible to see
across the ridge that separated them
frorn the ravine REFERRED to: INIT to the
southeast the prairie lay before them,
and the keenest eye could detect no sign
of hollow between that which lay so
near them and that from which those
vagabond mules had emerged far out
upon the plain. Somehow Brewster felt
certain that now at last he was actually
within pistol shot of the ambulance,
within speaking distance, almost, of the
girl he so fondly loved, whose very life
at this instant depended not only on his
courage, but also ON his Judgment. One
false move would ruin all.
So long as the Indians kept up their
powwow at the bend, so long was Wini-
fred safe. The longer they delayed the
nearer would it bring Murphy and the
men from the main crossing three miles
away up stream. Then, six to six, he
could laugh at the Sioux. But any one
who knew Indians at all knew that the
discovery of the mules would only set
them to work to find the snow camp
from which the animals had broken
away. Aye, even as these things flashed
through his mind, Brewster could see
that they were signaling "halt' to the
herd guard, and that two of the young
sters were lashing their ponies out in
front of the band and gradually bring
ing it to a standstill. Almost at the same
moment, too. those in consultation sepa-
rated, three riding swiftly after the
herd, while the other three, slowly and
cautiously, began to advance toward the
hollow whence the mules had emerged.
Evidently they expected to find the white
mans wagon there
"Now is your time, men," muttered
Brewster. Quick! Off with your side
lines and double them about your horses
fore feet so that they can't even hobble
out of the drift. Keep them here. Take
your lariat and hopple my horse, one of
you. Throw him if need be. I'll watch
those beggars down stream. All,
thought so" he muttered, "they've
grabbed the mules and are examining
the harness; that will tell them easily
enough they were cut loose after break
ing the pole. Quick, men! throw snow
by the bushel all over your horses. Roll
in it yourselves. Get all the white on
you can; then run down the gully as
soon as you have your horses hidden
and watch for my signal. The moment
say go, bend donble and scamper to.
the ice yonder, then make for the bluffs.
I'll follow instantly"
Meekly the two troop horses, after
having been led to deeper point down
the coulee, bent their heads and sub
mitted to the lashing together of their
fore feet, but Brewster's "BlaeS Jack"
was of different mold. He would not
yield.
"Over with him, Morse. No time to
lose now. Lash him tight or he'll break
away" called Brewster And poor
Jacks plunging availed him nothing.
A moment more, with a dismal groan he
was on his side in the soft, cold bed, the
lariat was being lashed and knotted so
that even furious struggles could not
free him, and then, to add to the indig-
aity, his erstwhile friends and comrades
were heaping new insult and storm Of
snow upon him. Jack couldn't under
6ldHu IL.
"Ready, men! They're just peeping
over in the hollow now. The moment
they're fairly in it, give the word"
Twenty-thirty seconds of breathless
silence. Then quick gesture; a quick.
low toned, but imperative "Gol"
Go they did, skimming over the pool
above the rapids, leaping the narrow
chasm where the black waters, dancing
End frothing, had defied the ice king;
lucking under the opposite bank; car
bines in hand. revol Ters at the hip, car
tridges cleaning in every belt; and after
them, leaping, yet bending low, went
Brewster. Another moment and they
reached the mouth of the ravine, burst
through the powdery drift, and then,
Brewster leading, eyes everywhere, al
most on all fours, they scurried along
half way up the opposite s., pc, keeping
well under the crest and just at the edge
If the deep drifts to their right. tifty-
gixty yards they made their rapid way,
and then around little bend and among