The record-union., 1895-09-21

! feeding about the springy ground whore
there seemed to be a fair supply of bunch
grass. Here was discovery.
Immediately there w2s a consultation.
| The horses were taken back to dense
thicket and securely tied.
''otay here" said Beaver Skin, to the
| boys. "Moccasin and | will look into
this business. You might spoil it all. If
there should chance to be firm come as
quick as ye please. But we don't intend
they shall see us. Keep out of sight and
stay here till we come back"
The boys saw the force of this speech
and said:
81 guess you know best"
The old hunters at once set about dis
covering the Whereabouts of the owners
Of the horses, which they believed could
not be far away. They were very cauti-
Gus in their movements, knowing the
danger OF being discovered. After an
examination OF the ground they found
a faint trail leading up the mountain side.
The ground was very hard and rocky.
but both agreed that 1t was plain parties
had gone up and down frequently. To-
ward evening they kept back from The
i trail, believing some one would come to
attend to the horses, but no one came in
sight, and they returned to their own
! horses, and the boys, who were very anX-
ious 10 hear their report. 1t was very
/
| were above on the mountain.
Alter dark they watched for fire. GO
ing TO different points in order TO see the
whole surrounding country, but not the
faintest speck showed itself. Beaver
Skin was greatly puzzled. lime was all
important, and they were determined 10
bend every energy to discover the where
abouts OF the party, which, judging from
the horses, must be six.
Under Beaver SKINS direction they sep
arated and carefully went up the noun
tain side as near as they could TO the sum-
NIT, then returned to the starting place.
/ 1t WAS near 8 O'clock.
Suddenly they discovered Arthur was
missing. They waited an hour. Still he
did not come. They were becoming very
anxious, when they heard him picking
! his way carefully down the hill. When
| he arrived at their rendezvous he had
some startling news TO give them. When
part OF the way up, and while feeling
| his way among the rocks, he suddenly
smelt smoke. lie looked carefully about
! HIM but could see no fire. After few
moments he smelt it still stronger, and
| he was satisfied a fire must be burning
very near him. lie felt he must be very
cautious. Ii there was smoke there must
| be ire. If fire, then human beings must
! he near it. Back and forth among the
rocks and hrubbery he picked his way
/
came much stronger than at others, and
soon he found the smoke issued from a
| fissure in the rocks He listened but
| could hear nothing. However, the
discovery was a most important one.
| Alter pilng up some rocks as nigh as he
could, he fastened his handk erchief TO a
stick, stuck 1t into the pile and hurried
! down.
| This news was exciting.
| Beaver Skin thought the best planwould
| be to go up TO the point where the smoke
| came from the assure, place themselves
| at various points near and wait Tor de-
! velopments. If 1t was necessary to wait
| until morning they would do il. OF
! course there was cave near, he said, but
/ some one would be sure to come out in
| the morning.
! They adopted that plan and worked
/ their way slowly up the mountain side
again.
Beaver Skin had urged both Clinton
/ and Arthur to be very cautious. There
was much need lor it, he said. not only in
/ climbing over and among the rocks in
the dark, but III betraying their presence,
/ a2 he well knew Il they were discovered
1t might complicate matters greatly II not
( lose them the chance OF Lucy's rescue.
/ kirk was desperate, and no one could
say, under certain circumstances, what
! dreadful thing he might do. The boys re-
gretted very much that Tom Carter could
not be with them, but he was at that mo-
ment at Highland Flat.
Arthur led the way up. Not a word
/ was spoken. After q long search the lit
! tie heap OF stones was found, and the
smell of smoke was quite strong.
! After a time the moon came up and
gave them a good view of the whole
mountain side. They distributed them
selves al points not Tar from the smoke
/ fissure and waited, though both Beaver
! Skin and Moccasin stole about among the
! rocks occasionally to look for an entrance
/ TO the cave. Every foot OF the ground,
seemingly, within several hundred feet in
almost all directions about them was eX-
amIned, but no opening found.
When Arthur found himself alone be
! thought over the whole situation. Lucy
might be beneath his very feel. Would
she think of him in her distress? What
| her feelings toward him were he could
not guess. lie was not demonstrative.
! If he had been he would know more OF
( that now. Tom, with his good looks and
/ winning ways, his earnesLness and energy
would. II she escaped from kirk, win her
/ while he looked on. lie had no doubt OF
/ it; but he would strive to release her from
/ the grasp OF that mend, Kirk. bght for
/ her il required, die for her though she
might never know Of his love for her.
CHAPTER VIII.