The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1895-07-11
CHAPTER XVII.

~ was WITCH bIONh
reached the scene of the capture, and,
taking the plain trail left by the In
dams, he followed it to the river bank.
Pushing forward, he forded the stream,
regained the trail on the opposite side
and dashed away into the sandhills in
eager pursuit Of the captors of her
whom he so dearly loved.
He formed no definite plan of action.
His every effort was bent in the direc-
ton of locating the Indians where they
would camp for the night before dark
ness should blind the trail. He was
thoroughly familiar with the country,
having often secuted it with his troop,
and knew that at the Dripping Springs,
about forty miles from the river, ia
vorite camping ground of the tribe was
located. There he hoped to find the
camp of the band, of which the captors
of Alice were but fragment,
On and on he sped through the hills
which border the river, and out into
the great tornado del Muerto, or Jour
ney to DEATH that great desert once
a terror to those who were obliged to
traverse its dreary, waterless wastes
beneath the burning suns of summer.
Far ahead in the distance the San
Andreas range doomed up before him,
the eastern side of the great frame of
mountains which inclosed the desert.
The shades of evening were rapidly
eclipsing the light of day as he en-
tered the first range of foothills and
sped along the trail into the bosom Of
the mountains. Dark, threatening
clouds began to gather over the tower
ing peaks as he neared the Dripping
Springs, and distant growlings Of
thunder presaged a coming storm.
Dismounting from his horse he
crawled to the brow of hill from
which view of the spring could be
secured, and his heart gave a great
throb of satisfaction when the smoke
from a number of camp fires met his
eyes, Grouped about near the springs
was village of about twenty lodges,
and near by Il herd of ponies roamed
over the hillside cropping the sparse
grass which sprouted out from between
the rocks.
His searching eyes failed to discover
the presence of a guard on any of the
surrounding hills, and he rightly in
terpreted this to mean that the In
dams, having travelled with great speed
to their present camp, knew that they
need fear no pursuing party before the
following day. Even had the capture
been discovered shortly after the poor
girl was seized, the cavalry horses
could never carry their equipment
laden riders more than half the dis
lance from the fort to the mountains
before darkness came upon them, and,
not being able to follow the trail, the
troops would camp until daybreak.
Fully satisfied that there were no sen.
tinels to discover his presence, his hope
of being able to gain an entry in the
village was greatly strengthened.
He must now wait until darkness
should come to conceal his movements,
Lying down upon the brow of the hill
he eagerly scanned the distant camp
Dusky forms moved to and fro about
the pickering fires, but the one beloved
form for which he sought with aching
eyes appeared not. Although the ap'
preaching storm materially aided il
driving back the gray light Of day, ts
his anxious, impatient soul the night
4 L. III t.
The great black clouds rolled rapid
II toward him, at times splitting out
vivid flashes of lightning followed by
peals Of angry thunder. These premo
nitions of the coming storm filed hi
breast with unspeaksble satisfaction
and he almost shouted with JOY wher
the storm burst upon him in all it
fury. The inky darkness which &C
eompanicd it would hide his move
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