Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-04-11
CHAPTEI, v.

knowledge Of the mountains enabled
them 70 regain the truck uuOe niure.
When morning broke. suene OF mar
velous though savage beauty lay before
them. In every direction tho great SNOW
capped peaks hemIned them III. pecp-
ing over each others shoulders 10 the
far horizon. ST. steep were the rocky
banks Oh either side Of them that the
larch and the pine seemed to be sus-
pended over their heads and TO need
only gust Of wind to come hurling
down upon them. Nor was the fear EN-
.irely un illusion, for the barren valley
was thickly strewn with trees and
bowlders which had fallen in Ia similar
manner. Even as they passed great
rock came laundering down, with q
hoarse rattle which woke the echoes in
the silent gorges and startled the weary
horses into gallop.
As the sun rose slowly above the EAST
ern horizon tho caps of the great noun
tains lit up one after the other like
lamps at @ festival until they were all
ruddy and glowing. The magnificent
spectacle cheered the hearts of the three
fugitives and gave them fresh energy.
At wild torrent which swept out Of a
ravine they called halt and watered
their horses while they part0ok Of u
hasty breakfast. Lucy and her father
would fain have rested longer, but JEFF
ferson Hope was inezorable. They
will be upon our track by this time, "
he said. Everything depends upon our
speed. Once safe in Carson we may
rest for the remainder of our lives"
During tho whole of that day they
struggled on. through the detiles, and
by evening they calculated that they
were more than 80 miles from their en-.
emies. At nighttime they chose the
base of beetling crag where the rocks
offered some protection from the chill
wind, and there, huddled together for
warmth, they enjoyed few hours
sleep. Before daybreak, how wever, they
were up and on their way once more
They had seen no signs of any pursuers,
and Jefferson Hope began to think they
were fairly out Of the reach of the ter
rible organization whose enmity they
had incurred He little knew how faI
that iron grasp could reach. or how
soon it was to close upon them and
crush them.
About the middle Of the second day
Of their flight their scanty store Of pro.
visions began to run OUT This gave tho
hunter little uneasiness, however, for
there was game to be had among the
mountains, and he had frequently be.
fore had to depend upon his rife for the
needs Of life Choosing sheltered nook.
he piled together a few dry branches
and made blazing fire at which his
companions might warm themselves,
for they were now nearly 5000 feet
above the sea level and the air was bit.
ter and keen. Having tethered tht
horses and babe Lucy adieu. he threw
his gun over his shoulder and set out in
search of whatever chance might throw
in his way Looking back. he saw the
old man and the young girl crouching
over the blazing fire, while the three an.
imals stood motionless in the back
ground Then the intervening rocks hid
them from his view.
He walked for couple Of miles
through one ravine after another with
out success, though from the marks
upon the bark of tho trees and other in.
tlications he judged that there were
numerous bears in the vicinity. At last
after two or three hours fruitless
search, he was thinking of turning back
in despair when, casting his eyes up
ward, he saw sight which sent a thrill
of pleasure through his heart, On the
edge of jutting pinnacle 800 or 40G
feet above him there stood creature
somewhat resembling sheep in ap-
pearance but armed with pair OF
gigantic horns The bighorn--for SO it
Is caled--was acting probably as a
guardian over flock which were invis-
ihlo to the hunter, but fortunately it
was heading in the opposite direction
and had not perceived him. Lying on
his back, he rested his rifle upon a rock
and took Is long and steady aim before
drawing the trigger. The animal sprang
into tho air, tottered for moment
upon the edge of the preciplce and then
came crashing down into the valley be
Meath
The creature WAS too unwieldy &c
lift, so the hunter contented himself
with cutting away one haunch and part
of the flank With this trophy over his
shoulder he hastened to retrace his
steps, for the evening was already draw
ing in, He had hardly started, howove,
before he realized the difficulty which
faced him ln his eagerness he hat
wandered far past the ravines which
were known to him, and it was no easy
matter to pick out the path which hs
| had taken. The valley in which hs
| found himself divided and subdiyidet
into many gorges which were SO lik'
each other that it was impossible to dis
| tinguish one from the other He follow
ed one for mile or more until he came
to a mountain torrent which he was
sure that he had never seen before. Con.
vinoed that he had taken the wrong
turn. he tried another, but with the
same result. Night was coming on rap.
idly, and it was almost dark before he
at last found himself in defile which
was familiar to him. Even then it was
no easy matter to keep to the right track.
for the moon had not yet risen, and the
high cliffs on either side made the OBJ
scurity more profound. Weighed down
with his burden and weary from his ex'
ertions, he stumbled along, keeping NJ
his heart with the reflection that every
step brought him nearer to Lucy, and
that he carried with him enough to in
sure them food for the remainder ot
their journey.
He had now coine to the mouth o1