The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-11-07
CHAPTER VII.
ON THE TRAIL.


Of all their eventful lives
CHAPTER vm.
ON THE TRAIL.
The night was bright as day as Oar.
rel and Ranger Ralph rode from the
little town at Miners Gulch toward the
hills to the east in the near distance.
As nearly as possible, the former In.
formed the scout Of The course Despard
had taken in carrying away the recapt-
pred maiden, Inez Tracey.
They soon found themselves threading
. rocky defile, along which the practical
eve Of the scout discovered evidences Of
recent travel.
aThey have come this way" he said
to Darrell.
Then we may overtake them"
mot so easily as you think.
4Why not?"
~They have fair start Of US, and
once In the mountains it will be difficult
to follow their trail"
The landscape became wild, and at
times almost impossible, as they pro-
ceeded on their way. At midnight the
scout came to q halt, utterly at fault.
I'VE are in quandary now," he re-
marked
sHow?" asked Darrell.
aHere the course diverses The out
laws may have gone down the valley to
the wilderness beyond, passed through
the gulch yonder to the outlaw country,
or struck direct through the hills for the
Indians"
For nearly an hour they reconnoitered
. short distance in each direction. The
scouts face showed satisfied express
sion as he returned to the head Of the
canyon.
slave you learned anything?" asked
DaIrel, eagerly,
GYeS?"
s.Whst is it?a
ksThisa
The scout showed q ribbon, which
Darrell recognized as belonging to the
dress worn by Inez Tracey.
s@Do you recognize it?" asked Ralph.
ssYes"
I. sThen the Indian country is our des-
tination. They are carrying the girl to
4heir old-time allies, the Modocs.".
Darrell looked deeply concerned, but
the scout Seemed more encouraged and
yigilant than ever, and urged his horse
% more rapid rate Of speed.
The morning light brought them en-
couraging traces of the persons they
sought They were toiling up steep
ascent, when Darrell found piece Of
bride rein. 1t evidently belonged to
Despard's band, and they pressed on,
confident that they were on the right
trail.
Beyond here the mountains come to
& STOP" remarked the scout =! =,
sand beyond that?"
~Prairie and forest, and the camping
grounds Of the marauding bands Of saw
ages Ha! smoke!" -
As Ranger Ralph spoke, his COM
psnion discerued slight volume of
smoke emanating from some rocks be-
yond them. -;
They drove along as rapidly as the
broken roadway would admit. At a
turn scene OF wondrous beauty and
extent held them momentarily spell
bound.
The mountain Of stone shot down
sheer thousand feet perfectly perpen-
) dicuIar, and beyond it stretched wood
cd plain far as the eye could reach
There seemed nomeans Of reaching ii
except by toilsote ride to where there
was more gradIs;l descent
aLook, spoke he scout suddenly.
Darrell tbrilled5Go keen excitement as
he glanced at o Soint some distance be-
low them.
A body Of horsemen were just disap
pearing into dense stretch Of timber.
GDespard and his men!" he cried.
1T must be them."
Then they have escaped u.s.
Not necessarily, the trail will be bet
ter on the lowlands than here. think
know Despard's plans"
@Whst are they?"
sTo rejoin one Of his old allies in stage
robbery and war on the settlements.
IAN Indian?"
~Yes"
sWho Is hep"
~shadow Snake, the Modoc warrior
What Is that?"
Directly before them, emanating from
. rocky defile, smoke ascended-the same
shey had observed few minutes previ
ous!Y
Can It be o party Of 1ndians?" askeS
Darrel.
Il think not. It is probably the de
serted campfire of Despard's band"
Both men halted perp.exed and be vii
dcrcd, as they traced the smoke to IT.
source. At cave-like aperture ip th'
r2cks, . large amount of bushes ant
reeds and leaves were piled. These hat
been recently ignited, and dense volume
OF smoke issued from the heap.
The two men gazed at one another II
tSo pcofoundest wonder.
What does it mcan?" asked tfvs nys
titled Darrell.
u do not know"
.You think Despard's men built the
hre7"
sYes; for they must have recently
passed this spot
IFor what purpose71
SThat cannot tell
SThen let Us Ascertain
They dismounted and approached tn'
cave. Both started ss @ low wall, ik'
that of q person exhausted BY pain
seemed to emanats from the smoking
cave
aDo You hear thsts' cried Darrell e1
citedly.
Eyes"
sSome one Is in therel"
"Probably wild beast that they tr'e'
70 smoke outi" -.