Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-04-17
BY WELDON J. COBB.
CHAPTER Y.
TIE MOpOC CAMP.

camp-Gres and wigwamS, and the war
paint of the Indians and the general
hustle and activity told that some move
i,ent Of Importance was meditated by
LAe blO0d-thir,ty hOrdcS.
IT was destined that Ranger Ralph
should soon learn all the plans Of th2
Indians and their renegade white allies,
anI that he should be plunged into ac-
tive contest within very short time
When he 50 summarily sprang into
the tree whore Darrcl had been com
PEELED to leave him, he lost sight Of his
companion amid the excitement Of the
hour.
lie saw the Indians sCOur the vicinity,
secure The horses. and lead them away;
and then all became still in his immcdi'
at ncighborhOod.
"Thcre'S perfect nest Of them around
here" h muttcrcd, grimly ats going
to be no easy task to escape ! wonder
what has become of young Grey? lie
isn't any TOO familiar with this kind OF
work. The Indians seem to be starting
out on some kind Of an expedition, and
while I'm in the corral of their camps l
intend TO find ont what it is. >"
Ranger Ralph was al expert scout,
and was thoroughly familiar with from
tier tactics of craft and warfare. lie
descended from tho tree and began to
lcconnOitcr his position.
lie made out that the man camp OF
the Indians was directly acrosS and
down the stream a little distance.
Making sure that he was uAObservc !,
the scout forced and swan the river,
landed on the opposite bank and then
gradually and stcalthily began approach
ing the camp Of the ModOcS.
lie at last gained point OF espionage
most favOrabc c to his plans, small
knoll of bushes and stanted trees en-
a5ling II m to completely survey tho
camp and its inmates.
SHADOW Snakes band" he muttcrcd
cOlcernedly. as his eyes swept the scene;
"and in war-paint, too. 1t means trouble
for tho settlements la, 1t is as
Thought, Dcspard has come to his GA
friends Then the girl Iccz must Ce
here also"
The scouts face darkcncd and he
frowncd OminOUSly as h recognized, as
Darrel had done, the form Of Dyke Dcs-
pard in the thrOng about the campfire.
As he disce.ncd the number OF his en-
en- cs and realized the hazards OF &p'
proacing them any nearer h. reflected
deeply.
lie was plunged deep in h 5 mcdita-
tionS. when the sound OF afamiiar voice
near at hand started him and cncha.ned
his attention
"D,spard," he m1rmur2d cXcitedly;
"and DantOn is with him."
II was indeed the ont aW leader and
h $ chief associate.
They paus ,d in careless stroll IRON
the camp and sat down on log near
the very spot where the scout was Sc
cretcd.
The latter thrilled with the kecneSt
satisfaction at this oppOrtunt' OF over
hearing the plans of his enemies
"YCu wanted to soc me alono?' were
DantOn's first words.
"NcS"
"What about?"
oar own affairs; we'yc got among
friends, but amt satisfied"
"Why nOt!'
@Tm uneasy The old chief Shadow
Snake Is reckless and revengeiu; ana d
ne shOu d suspect US
"About tn, g.ri?" asked Towncr'
"White FaW" yes
GLOW can he?"
"Should he meet any of the Ne:
Pcrce5 reservation Indian he would
learn Of our trcachory."
"IIow?'
"Thcy would tel hin that the gir
nevcr reached them"
"That'S true
$50. whatever we do, we must az
quickly"
"But we agreed to accompany Shadow
Snake on the raid on the emigran
train"
"No; gave him tha Information Of it:
whcrcaboutS-that is all"
"But H. expects us 20 go with him"
ave will have to disapp0int him
Here we are safe from pursuit from
tho vigilantcs. That is why l came
here.
"What do you propose TO 90?
"To remove the girl down the vale
to night"
"AlOnc?" .,
"No. You and one of the others vii
take her away from here about mldnl mt
will remain with Vance and guide tn
Modoos across the country to the ira
and rejOin }oI later"
"And the rest of our band?"
care at DamOn'S Bend. | will sen
them forward to meet yOu. GO 10 th
o d rendezvous and walt Tor me-. TO-
see. the Snake agrees TO divide ht
orally for my share in the present Ven'
nc Once | get that, WI leave TN
camp. for n will soon inI out aoou
White Fawn."
~And then?" Qucric canton.
I'VE will carry out our plan to find th
hormit who has Incz Traccy'S fortune
eocrrc it. and, leaving the boys to thci
own plans, go East and ENJOY GU
wca TIN. " .u
The old scout lCotcd grim as he over
bcarI the p ans of the 'oaSpirators.
lie knew now how to act, if he cOul
cvode the savagcs and oloW on IN
trail of Despard'S men.
The two men left the spot and re
turned to the camp, and Ranger kaIp p
hocan TO determine how he would max
. dctour and reach o point down IN
valley where lie might Intercept d.
rard's mcn. who would leave for III
bandit rendezvous that night
up began 10 cautiously work his wa
Iocl; TO the river, believing escape b
tb.t avenue more easy than by the lanC
lie crcpt from thickct to thicket an
from covert to covert, gradual y ncarlh
thc stream, and meeting with none
his enemies. ,. ,
At last he came to point whore !
ro.scd in diSmay. Since he had la
brcn there a campfire had been built /
n lite coterc of Sava5cS, directly III Il