The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-03-26

keep his horse as a great prize, ana
reserve him to be tortured to death
when they reach the main band"
Great heavens, what can we do to
save him 2" gasped Hoodville.
Nothing until morning" gravely
answered Carson. 1T would be mere
folly to thread the dark passes at night
in search of what may be large body
of Indians. who could shoot down
their pusuers without letting one Of
themselves be seen. If Mr.. MOultOn
doesn't come in before dayhreak I'll
start out to look him up. and | want
only one man to 90 with me. More
would be hindrance'' -
That man shall be myself then"
said the warm hearted Nirginian. I'D
risk my life a hundred times over to
save Jack from such fate. He's
| first rate fellow, and / begin to think
that I've been in the wrong in all our
petty quarrels"
IL should have sooner said that both
these young gentlemen were men of
means entirely independent of our
captains orders, and had joined rs
merely through love Of adventure.)
The night passed without alarm, and
when the first streak of dawn appear
ed Carson and Woodville, after taking
a hasty breakfast and packing up a
days supply of food, mounted their
horses preparatory to setting out on
their perilous quest.
IF we're not back by this time to
morrow, boys, you'il know we've gone
/ under" observed Carson. as cOOlly as
/ though he were going on picnic.
But | rather think we'll come in.
| Stay right here until to -morrow's suns
an hour high, and if there's no news
of rs then, go ahead on your journey,
for We'll be past help" And away
the gallant fellows went.
Had we been sure of our three com
rades' safe return we should have
greatly enjoyed the rest and recupera-
tion afforded rs and our animals in
this delightful camping place. especi-
| ally as during the day we replenished
our larder by killing two fat buffalo
COWS, If so inclined we might easily
have slain fifty of these-alas! now
extinct creatures, for great herds of
them were constantly in sight on the
plain below us: but we had no heart
for spolt while the fate of our friends
remained uncertain. Let Us now. by
the light of subsequent information,
trace out that fate
1t seems that shortly after leaving
us Moulton had come within range Of
and had killed his elk, and was stOOp-
ing down to cut off the hind quarters
for bringing to camp when, before he
could fire another shot, he was pounc-
ed upon by a score Of Digger Indians,
who gagged him and bound his arms
in the twinkling Of an eye. Then,
loading the whole carcass upon his
horse and forcing him to walk along,
they set off on their retreat, travelling
fast until night when they bivoucked
by a spring and had glorious feast,
the prisoner being in the meantime
secured to tree Through the first
part Of the night he was watched by
a gorged brave. who bad picked up a
muttering OF. English, and Who fre-
quently consoled him by Kissing in
his ear: I'VE no hurt pale face He
make good fire bimeby and heap fun"
an oft-repeated assurance which,
after all, was not so very consOling.
Next morning, after another big
feast, the savages no longer fearing
pursuit, resumed their march in
leisurely manner, and before sunset
again halted for the night at spring,
having quantity of meat still left.
though the hapless captive had been
given barely enough to keep him from
fainting by the way.
In less than half an hour after leav-
ing the main trail Our two adventurous
comrades came upon the spot where
the elk had fallen, when, by signs ut
terly undiscernible by Woodville. Car
son at once read the whole story, de
claring much to Gerald's comfort that
Moulton had been carried off unwound
ed. Then, leading the way with un-
faltering certainty through tortuous
detiles and over stretches of bare rock
on the latter of which his companion
could not see the faintest mark. he
soon came to the spot where the band
had spent the previous night. "All's
we'll so far" he said. after carfuily in
specting the place. The red devils
are keeping their prisoner alive and
unEurt so as to have more sport at his
final torture-a sight they'll never see
[ think"
On and on, but now. of necessity,
slowly, rode the two white men, Car
sons unerring sagacity enabling HIM
to follow the Oft-times invisible trail
as easily as might answer public
highway. Obviously the savages We're
travelling in careless security, for twice
a mile or two apart, the keen eyed
scout picked up, each time, Il button,
which, though his hands were tied,
Moulton had somehow managed to
pluck from his garments and drop IN
| observed.
Sharp fellow thatw approvingly
| observed Kit He expects to be look
ed after. and has been clever enough
TO let us know that we're on the right
track. Such mans worth saving"
Feeling confident of overtaking the
marauders before night, Carson be
came exceedingly circumspect toward
! evening, neither he nor Woodville ever
riding over a ridge without first dis
mounting and taking a careful survey
of what lay beyond.
At last as they peered over the brow
of steep descent, they saw. right on
the trail, and half a mile ahead a
wreath of smoke rising above the tree
tops. "We've got themr' said Carson.
They're camped down at the Blue
Spring | know the place we'll but
the ground on this side is quite open.
Though probably not fearing pursuit,
the reds will be naturally facing this
way. We must make big sweep and
creep up on them from the other side,
for they must not have time to strike
a single blow after our attack. If
they did so it would be to bury toma-
h La,-.l- -, A..