The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1900-09-20

! suppet aIrost ready. lifted her bead aud
G gave 3 nsish. 20 ctr ,use sna prolonged
b .hsl they sll started snd looked 81 her
: She sss trembling ard staring cat ibtc
q the dnsk With tofiided eyes.
. Nerves. s.ii the ppneber who bad al
ready delivered bic opinion. Had en oil
day
Dry upl said smother Of the men. polite
Iy, That's nj the Kind OF nerves you
can bay st M.dissb's saloon. Hill Look
At that. will jour
He pointed toward 40 arroyo thai lay be
tween him aud the hills. They could zee
bat indislinolly, but even 10 that uncer
tain light, men used to the warfare OF
the West, where any stranger might be .
foe. snd the red man was slusyssn object
Of suspicion. could mate no mistsks
White horse-.hieves did not vesr iesihers
knew ii. said Acy, strokius the mares
neck, She never gives me false slsrn,
Now there's no telling whst they will do
fret, bat it's easy guessing what they sl
low to do last. He made quick circu
lar motion about bis head. Drive ell the
horses you can 10 between the wagons,
there's eight OF you. two to eide, to keep
watch. Take turns until you get yonr cup
per. They won't do anything till after
dark, likely. and there's no telling when
we'll eat again.
The men followed instructions, making
IS complete bsrricsde as possible. They
worked silently, remembering that two
weeks before party like their own lad
been left on the plains. stark aud cold.
not fifty miles from the fort.
As the stars came out and the new moon
lent her feeble light, they saw they we're
completely surrounded. The circle clos
ed, the Indians began slowly riding round
aud round their prisoners, their purpose
bsiug, with the smallest peril to thec
selves, to prevent escape. As they drew
closer. chanting their weird and hideous
wsrsons, volley from the little fortress
sent them again ont OF rifle shot, and Acy
called council Of war.
No use, boys, he said. There's hun
dred OF them II there's one. and there
may be more coming up The fort has
got to be reached
The men sssented silently. Any Of
them would have been willing to go, sl
though the chance OF getting through the
line OF Sioux was small; aud once past il .
without horse, flight would be so slow ss .
10 be almost useless.
lreckon times the essence OF this con
rsct said puncher. But You can't
make time without horse, and you can't h
get horse past them Indian. Ualess
hat mare OF yours can fly. q
Acy rubbed her forehead gently. She's h
10 flyer, be said, bat she can trail, which :,
8 more like 1t. This is my plan. I'm go a,
ng to strike out for the fort. I'll have to :,
rawl past the line OF Indians. reckon IL g,
'ill take oil OF two hours, and will make n
close to one o'clock. By half past al
weve you set the mare loose on my h,
rail. Don't have bride or saddle on her, =;
ut Just tie rope round her neck and let n,
ef 60 II she gets come up with, they'll n,
nink shes broke loose. II she gets past w
sfs, she'll ind me, and I'll get help to -,
on by noon tomorrow. You must try and =,
old cut till then. a.
The little 'un's sll right, said the punch
: who had doubted her nerves. I'll see -,
lat her halter's broke srtistic, and reck a,
0 the Lord that taught her to smell In cb
JAMS will get her by EN-, r.,
1t did not sound irreversnt ss be said it, 40
I'd 1t was his nearest approach to pray ho
10 many years The muttered "You N
1t! OF the other cowboys stood for q fer Al,
mt amen. =
Hold the fort, boys Acy said. as be M
rigeled out Of sight in the sage brush. W
old the fort
The little bay pony whinnied softly. N,
AT bali past twelve o'clock she started mr.,
ter Acy. With her soft black muzzle In.
ose to the ground, she cautiously picked nis
Z way down the slight decline. The ros
dians were perceptably closer. and the kn
,ht msn who watched her from the va
mp felt sickcning fear at their hearts ask
len two or three braves gave chase, tbi
1t mus sng with only broken rope
out her neck was hardly worth while, va,
Ie Sioux expected to have saddles and
idles aud ponies to spare when they bs,
ould have disposed OF the men who sul
re waiting for them in the shsdow OF Y
, covered wagons. I
Acy was past the ine OF Indians. and
} night was growing darker. Sweetheart nel
lowed his trail uncertainty; be could
rely see quarter OF q mile away. The has
I'd blew ti,fully. Now be could besr
, wild cries OF the Indians now they
re swept the other wy. The mare
nsed, and Aey, watching her brestbless Il
msde up bis mind quickly. Asa gust Q v
wind blew toward her be called her tbs,
ne in high, clear note. She jumped: seq.
u. with her nose close 10 the ground, tens
rted toward him. 10 9 few moments sub
broke into run. fhd vas upon him sbo
,ost before be could ee, out Of her way the
cty. Wbo.l 10 90 instant be wss on deb
back. and they we're flying away over fesr
plain toward the tort. fem
i 3 O'clock /. VAS 90 dark tbey had TO der
p aud pick their way csrreiully, Tor nors
irie dog ,osns we're numerous Aey she
he'd beside her, saving her streceth Tor visiI
fual run. At four o'clock the black ty 0