Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1894-06-08

fence formed tho dividing line be-
tween the Gregg and Boznrth farms,
but still had not found my man.
Climbing the fence of the Gregg farm
into great cornfield, again moved
along the line of the central fence. j
had gone about ten 1ods when / was
brought to halt by the voice of my
cousin, the light of whose lantern L
had long been straining my eyes to
zee.
"Well, which way?" said he. 1
looked about me on all sides, but in
the dim starlight could see no one.
where are your" l asked.
Here. said my cousin, "sit down"
STOPPING, l peered into fence-cur-
ner and found my man lying among
the grass and weeds. "What are you
doing here in the dark?"
"Wuiting. My lantern went out
just here"
"Well, why don't you come up TO
the camp and get another? II the
child is not soon found she may chill
to death"
go, no-she has on over her dress
good thick cloak Her father told
me that. She's nil right. She's
found"
"Found Where is she?"
"Not fnr away. She is taking an
other bit of nap just now"
Good Lord ] and You lying here to
let her take nap while her father.
mother and all her people arc wild
about her. Where is the Door little
thing?"
Somewhere out in this cornfield.
have not yet seen her."
"1f you haven't seen her, how do
you know where she is?"
"I'll tell you how l know. I tracked
her out of her Uncle Johns cornficld
to this cornfield on the Gregg farm.
She first went little way into the
prairic--l don't know how far--but
turned aud came back to the fence, MS
L was sure che would, for the rise in the
prairie Just there would make all be-
fore her the same as blank. She would
turn about i'll search of some object
familiar to her, and seeing the fence,
would come back to it. Just ahead was
the cvoss-fence OF this field, which would
bar her way. 80 | came on and soon
fonnd where she had crawled through
it, leaving behind little wooden
mitten. ] trailcd her along tho line
of fence to this spot. Here she turned
into the cornfeld, and I had not fol-
lowed her ten feet before my lantern
went out, SO I just halted hero Oh the
trail and curlcd mp in the fence corner
to wait for daylight"
"But how do you know she's alive
md sleeping?"
"Wcll, half mn hour ago heard her
cry for IL moment, just ms children do
ut times when disturbed in their sleep.
| started mp, but MS she ceased crying
almost immediately, lay down again
with my car to the ground About
daylight, when little breeze starts
up, it will be colder, and she will cry
again. Then [ may get her; if not,
I'll find her as soon rs it is light
enough to see the trail. She is not
two hundred yards from this spot, but
don't know the direction exactly"
"You take things very coolly. Let
me go and get another lantern. Think
of the wretchedncss of the parents.
Besides, the child may chill to death. =
''No fear of her death from the
cold. These little prairie youngsters
nrc very hot-blooded. 1 have not
found it cold lying here in
the weeds and grass. told
the fnther I'd find his child, and I'm
not going TO have all that rabblc rush
ing down here, tearing through the
corn like wild men. Now, go back to
camp. About daylight let tho chld's
uncle, Clark Lewis, come on his horse
to the cross-fence. Then you come on
here, and we will go and get the
child"
"But the father, what shal 1 tell
him ~
GIVE him this little mitten; tell
him that [ have not lost the strait and
that he shall have his child before the
sun is an hour high. But tell him to
keep this news to himself and remain
quietly at camp. If the men up there
want to ride about the prairies, let
them go--l don't want q crowd down
here i'll this corniield."
! went back to camp and, taking
the father aside, gave him the little
mltten and as much comfort nsI could.
A great fear TINT his little girl was
dead Immediately seized him, how
ever. "No," snid I, "she is sleeping
quietly enough"
"Qnietly sleeping How do you
know that?'
For answer I repeated what my
cousin had told me. When mentioned
the crying of the child, the father
wanted to Mt once rush away to my
cousin. "No, let him go on in his
own cool, slow and sure wny. You
will make him nervous and hasty."
Next | sought out Clark Lewis, and
by the time l had told him what was
required of him signs of dawn were
visible i'll the east He wished to set
out Immediately, and while he was
getting his horse, borrowed lantern
containing half candle, in order TO
begin the trailing at once; for until
49,. 4