Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-05-01

had been welded at the camp OF her
father TO tn, Jaguar, chief of the peace
full Nez PerccS.
The latter was to convey her to tho
reservation of his tribe, and left the wig
wan of Shadow Snake loalcd down with
COLL and ewes.
Dyke Dcspard and his men were to
convoy them TO their destination.
Instead, h ro,bed then killed the
Jaguar, as White Fawn believed, and
imprisoned her in the cave whence Oar
rel had res 'ucd her.
Here she had boon guard d by one Of
DcSpard mon until the return of the
latter from Ten Spot Thcn he had at
tempted to XIII her, a has boen seen.
Darrcl aSke the Indian girl why She
did not go to her father with her story
"NOt til White Fawn is certain the
Jaguar is dead, and until she has killed
Black Crow" she replied, OminouSly.
She listcrc1 intontly as Dlrrel re ated
his own adventures with tho bandit
Then she sa d; "Whitc Fawn knows
where ack Crow has gone"
"YOu do?"
"YcS"
"Whcre?"
"To Lone Canyon"
as it far from hCrc?"
"a nights iOurne T."
"And you will guide M th,ther?"
eyes"
Before an hour had passed Darrcl
knew that the intrepid " hitc kawn wa
a valuable and dauntlcSs ally to his
cause.
She seemed inspired with but one idea,
and that was to cOnfrO the man who
had wronged her so terribly.
White Fawn understood the country
thoroughly, but they may slow pro yress
Many times they 90 recalled themselves
to avoid passing savagcS, and it was
night when they came to the canyon
where the stronghold of the bandits was
located,
They skirted the gu'c ca where the Lone
CANYON tavern was situated, and de-
sccndel into the wild gully beyond, that
was desoatc and iSo ated in the ex-
trcme.
Th, moonlight showed the river with
the towering hills on either side.
"Look!" said White lawn. "YOndcr
is one of the hiding places of the pale
faced rcnagad S"
Tarrel saw dlapidatcd log structure
viii II seemed to be bui ont from an
imm nse cave in the mountain side.
"You think Dcspard is thcro?" no
asked.
"YeS"
"And the girl?"
ais his prisoner there, or near by. Re-
main lere. White Fawn will soon re-
turn"
"Whcrc arc you gong?" asked Darrei.
"To find out how many there are-to
learn how we may reach them."
She was gone like fash. The mo-
mcnts spe by and Darrel anxiously
awaited Ler return.
He was standing on a ledge of rocks
which iutted out over the river, and
vainly scanned the scene for some indi'
cation of The presence OF his foes
Suddcnly, TO his right and inland, ho
saw a light fash.
He began walking toward it, clam
bered over a huge 10 lder, and was
anna ed 10 view a natural basin In tho
landscape which reScmblcd an immense
pit
Its sides wcre almost perpendicular,
and were Ovcrs2rcad with vines and
bushes.
The light moved across the open
space at the bottom OF this indentation.
Apparently, it was a lantern carried
by some person.
Darrell observed that the place was
directly back of the ovation in VIII ch
the log cabin was LOCATED 1t was evil
dently part of the abode of the bandits.
As he stood regarding tho lantern curl
ously it suddenly disappeared.
At the same moment, in leaning too
far over the edge Of the pit, h lost his
balanrc and fell forward Down, down
he went. slightly breaking a very heavy
fall by uichng at the vines and shrubs.
He landed at the bottom Of the pit,
badly bruised and half stunned.
There was no way Of climbing out OF
the place, and as lc recovered his senses
lie endcayorcd to find some other out ct
from his strange lace Of imprisonment.
He finally gro ,c1 his WY to an opening
that seemed to lead INTO the mountain
side.
Undoubtedly. he reasoned the man
with the lantern had disappeared by this
cgrcSS
lie crCp along narrow passage-Way,
and saw, some di tancc ahead. glim-
mcr of light. Darrc auScd, as against
it's radiance he made out large, cave.
like apartment Two men were stand
ing within it.
One was Dyke Dcspard, The other
was a man bearing II lantern in his
hand.
"Wen," the former asked, dis every
thing all right?'
"leS, Cap ain
"No spies or visitors since VIC left?'