Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-04-18


sith only their heads in sight. The
clouds increased overhead, and az
the men slowly passed down stream,
their hope grew. Their aim was to
90 90 far that when they left the
river they would be beyond the In
dian lines. They heard through
the oppressive stiffness the sounds
of horses hoofs. the occasional en-.
change Of signals, and the various
noises which showed that she dusky
foes we're on the alert for all at
tempts Of that nature.
Since every rod passed added
vastly TO their advantage. the scouts
Kept mp their stealthy. silent ad.
vance until fully three miles below
the island. With such extreme
care did they move that half the
night was gone when they turned
to shore and stepped ont. They
we're now in the rear of the Indian
lines and headed for Fort Wallace !;
but the rowing hostiles we're on
every hand and likely to be met at
any hour of the long journey. The
prairie grass was too short To hide
their bodies when walking, and
great as was the need of haste, both
knew it was impossible to travel by
daylight they must lie by until
darkness.
When it began growing light in
the east, they we're some ten miles
from the river. They had to seek
cover without delay and turned
their steps toward q spot where the
grass was slightly taller and thick
er than that over which they we're
treading. As they reached it the
cause became plain. The white
bones of q buffalo showed that his
body had SO fertilized the ground
that for q space OF few square
Yards the grass was ranker. Bv
Lying down they could hide them
selves from the sight of sny one
passing Eot too near.
The sun had just appeared on the
rim Of the horizon when they "a.
down and ate the lunch with them.
They had not reached their shelter
a minute too soon. for when they
peered out between the blades of
grass they saw horsemen moving
here and there, while from the d.
rection Of the Repu blicsn the vicious
reports Of rifles showed that the be-
siegers and besieged we're at it again.
Since the scouts must stay where
they were until nightfsll. it was
agreed to take turns in sleeping
and keeping watch, the term being
three hours each. Trudeau had
the first watch. but Stillwell, using
some Of the buffalo bones for Q pill
Low, was no more than fairly asleep
when the sentinel touched him.
"Wake mp, Jack. but don't rise. +"
"What 10 it ?" asked the other,
opening bis eyes without stirring.
"There's o band OF twenty In
dians riding this way, and if they
don't make q turn mighty soon
their ponies will step on u.s."
Stillwell noiselessly turned on
his side, and parting the blades OF
grass with his hands, peered cauti.
ously out. His companion was
right; fully q score of Indians
/ we're coming slowly toward them.
a. il with no particular object in
view. They were headed for the
very spot.
"All We can do 10 TO lie low, "
whispered Stillwell, "and il it's to
be q fght-weIl, you know we
come high"
"You bet," grimly responded
the other, slightly shifting the
grasp upon his Winchester.
The growth Of rank grass vas
less than twenty feet across at the
longest part. A horseman fifty
yards of could see both of the men,
il he looked closely, or If they
made the slightest movement or
disturbance Of the grass. IL was
almost at the point named that the
Indian horsemen made o slight
change Of direction, but as it was
it must bring them within less
than 9 hundred yards. The men
hugged the ground closely, press
ing against il With their ears. &C
that they plainly detected the faint,
dull humping Of the ponies hoofs
even while they we're beyond sight
Ii was ct this trying momen,
that both heard a sudden. suitefuI