The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-07-21

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wild animal, shocked the young man
| but he had committed himself too far
10 withdraw.
They had been riding for several
hours in silence through the snow,
unbroken by aught save the scattered
pines that here and there dotted the
mesa. Before them lowered the
noun ntains, through whose passes the
nan whom they were after would
have TO pass in search for safety in
hAlf-settled wilds beyond. As the two
men rode along, scanning in
each direction the snow-covered mesa,
Lansing suddenly wheeled his horse
to the right, and when Crandall join
ed him he pointed to narrow trail
where two horses had passed through
the snow.
That's him. He's driving one
horse and leading another, and he
hasn't passed by very long, either.
See, the snow hasn't had time to
drift in," said he.
With the discovery his whole de-
meanor had changed. A new look
came into his eyes and his voice
sounded strange. He even grasped
his weapons in a manner different to
that he had heretofore displayed.
Hes right ahead, and we want to
look out " the older man continued
as they began to follow the trail.
As they approached the summit Of
each hill they would stop their horses,
and Lansing would dismount and
crawl to the top, so that he might
look, without being discovered, into
the valley beyond, in order that they
might not come on the fugitive too
suddenly. They had travelled this
way for several miles, when, refining
in his horse Lansing pointed to what
seemed an old road leading of to the
right Of the one they were following,
and said
That's the cutoff into the basin.
/ thought he would take it, but he
probably doesn't know the country.
You had better take it and ride on
ahead until you strike the road we're
on again. Then il you can't find his
tracks, you had better ride back to
meet me until you do. will follow
the trail up"
The young man tried to expostu-
late with Lansing for the great risk
he was assuming in thus following
the trail alone, but his companion
was obdurate, and cutting the argu-
ment short, by again warning the
young man to be on his guard he rode
on, following the trail in the snow,
while the younger man, finding OBJ
lection useless, took the cutoff"
road. He had no difficulty in follow
ing it, and he wondered why the man
they were in pursuit OF had not taken
advantage OF il. The whole pursuit
seemed almost like a dream to him.
The snow, unbroken save by his
horses football, stretched away mile
after mile in every direction, with
here and there pine, through whose
branches the wind seemed to sob and
sigh, making the only noise that
broke the stiffness OF the wintry
afternoon. 1t added to this feeling.
Not thing in sight. He began to
depict in his own mind the manner
OF man they were pursuing. He had
almost forgotten his name. After all,
what had the man done that he,
Frank Crandall, should be seeking
his blood Perhaps, like himself, the
man had mother and sisters to
grieve over any misfortune that
would overtake him. These and Il
hundred kindred thoughts passed
through his mind.
The sun was fast declining as he
passed from the "cut-of into the
main road again. The air was get
ting chilly with the coming evening,
and the snow in the distance took on
colors of pink and purple where the
rays OF the setting sun touched the
mountain peaks. He scanned the
main road eagerly 10 see if the man
they were in pursuit OF had passed,
but the snow that covered il was un-
broken. Then he rode back on the
main road, in the direction from which
! he had come, TO meet his comrade
and the fugitive. He had just as
cended one OF the many rolling hills
when, in the distance, he discovered
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another. At the sight his heart al
most stood still. He dismounted
and, leading his horse to one side,
concealed him in clump OF young
pines. Then he returned to the
roadside and waited. The man was
urging his horses forward, but they
seemed TO be wearied and made but
slow progress. Crandall felt his
heart beat faster and faster at the
length OF time il took the man to
reach him. He examined his revolver
and rifle, cooking each to see that
they were in order. 1t seemed TO re-
lieve the tension OF his nerves. After
he had done this he knelt down so
that he could fire with surer aim, and
waited. He did not care much now
whether the man resisted or not. II
the fugitive resisted he would have to
stand the consequence OF resistance.
Ii was nothing TO him.
The setting sun shone full in the
mans face, but Crandall forgot to