Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-09-05
CHAPTER VIII.
THE LONELY FIGURE AT THE
FORD.

occasional jingle coming from a heavy
bit, uptossed by an impatient steed
Gong to her outer window, and peering
| through the blinds, she saw the troop
OF Seminoles beading southwestward
and riding at trot. At their head was
| Harding, and with him were all of the
rancho Englishmen, except Glynn, who
| remained to see that the days work
was done. They climbed hill smartly
and then dropped over its summit, a
long line that grew rapidly shorter un-
til the last rider was hidden from sight
| All through that day the ranche-house
had its usual quiet. The rough riders
were never about the place in the light
| hours at any season. Lessons went on
| in the school room, the mistress kept
| to her shaded room, with novel in
| hand and scent bottle close by, and
| the servants came and went with as
| little noise as possible. At the dinner
| hour, however, the continued absence
| of the males made itself felt. For the
| first time in many moons Mrs. Glynn
did not dress for the function. Her
meal was served in her apartment. Lois
and the children dined in the nursery
and told each other stories until bed
| time.
| Meanwhile the ranchmen and regu-
lars had pursued a course parallel with
the river for ten miles and then swung
| in toward it. They reached their des-
tination by 10 o'clock and went into
ambush The place was well chosen.
! Ragged hills rose all around them on
which grew mosquitoes and huisaches
so thickly that passage through them
was made with difficulty. A quarter of
Ia mile from them was the ford. At the
| base of the hill behind whose summit
they were encamped ran narrow trail,
not more than ten feet wide, twisting
about among the hillocks. leading to
the river The troops commanded a
view of this trail for hundred yards
to the eastward and for nearly four
hundred yards to the westward, while
they were invisible to any one riding
or walking along it. To make assur-
ance doubly sure. two of the black
scouts waited until dark and then test
ed the ford They found narrow
ridge of rock and sand traversing the
| stream from side to side and nowhere
more than three feet under water. They
returned and reported and Harding
smiled. The horses had been herded
q half-mile away all day. and were
driven to the camp when the sun had
set and the swift twilight closed. No
fires had been built for the cooking OF
dinner or supper. 1t was understood
by the officer and the ranchmen that
the Mexicans would cross before the
moon rose at IL o'clock, attempt to
ride out into the country, gather such
| cattle as they wished to steal and seek
| to re-cross into their own country be-
fore daybreak. 1t was Harding's plan
to permit them to come over and ride a
little way past the ambush. then charge
| down, get between them and the river
and endeavor to secure the entire band.
Maude suggested that they be first per-
mitted to gather the cattle and be at
tackled on their return. as their fight
would then be impeded by the steers
in their front, but the Captain did not
like the plan. He feared that the
smugglers might after all, re-cross by
another ford. and IL they did they
would get safely back into Mexico with
all of their booty.
At Q o'clock. there being no moon
and light haze having covered the
stars. the night was SO black that only
the outlines OF trees near at hand could
be distinguished. Looking down into
the hollow was like looking into bot
tomless pit. 1t was sea OF ink from
which no sound arose Occasionally q
horse ridden by an Englishman would
snort or move its feet restlessly, but
the trained steeds OF the Seminoles
stood as II carved from stone.
The riders and horses showed like
dark statues dimly. They were used
to the work. Sitting erect in his sad
die and listening intently. Harding
drew a cigar from his pocket, bit on
the end. held his large sombrero close
" before his face. struck match be-
hind the shelter. blew out the match
before replacing his hat and held the
lighted end of his cigar concealed In
bis hand.
Il must smoke" he muttered apollo
getically. "Damme. I'd rather fight for
a long day than sit here for two hours
without tobacco | guess they're not
looking for us hard enough, however
to make II dangerous
There was little talk between The
white men, and among the Seminoles
not loud sigh or whisper. An hour
passed In this way-Sn honr Ohlcn
seemed three hours long. Upon more
,han one occasion the troops had sat
thus through a whole night with moth
ing bagged at the end Of It.
Suddenly from their right, In the
direction OF the river, slight splash
Ing was heard. Each man unconscious
" Strengthened little and each right
hand cropped TO the right side to feel
for the revolver in It's holster. There
was simultaneous movement also OF
each right knee, the leg being depress-
ed strongly for the comforting touch
Of the carbine running along under
he stirrup-leather.
At the far end OF the trail where II
,ebouched into the river appeared q
shadow, something hacker than the
eight and this shadow grew in length
Is the column climbed the bank and
stretched out along the hollow. They
| .oaa fearlessiy at a slow trOt evidently