Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1901-04-02

self and made a pitiful attempt to smile.
81 guess I'm jest Il fool" she said. Il
been dreamin' about them lilies. You
wouldn't believe it, Mike, but l used to
help fix 'em in the church when l was a
kid" Then after q moment she added,
Il don't suppose l will ever see one
again. That's what kinder broke me up"
When the boys turned in Mike made
Meg comfortable for the night, but in
the morning it was Diggs who built the
fire and brought her breakfast. He ex-
planned that Dummy had gone down the
gulch prospecting for bear.
The bears were safe enough, however,
from the silent partner" for when morn
ing dawned he had reached Willow
Creek. where he exchanged his wornOut
burro for n claybank horse of Roylston' S
and pushed on, after u snatch of break
fast, for the fort.
Roylston called out after him to keep
his eye open for Indians. 1t was laugh
ingly said, and Dummy waved his hand
in reply.
Claybank. tough and tireless, struck
the old trail to the fort at a jog which
promised to be perpetual. His rider was
preoccupied, thinking rather about the
end of the journey than the incidents OF
| the way, or he might have noticed spy
! on his movements; one who lay on the
ground when he passed, daubed over with
| clay and so covered with the sage brush
! that there was hardly anything but his
wild black eyes to tell that he was hui
man.
As Mike disappeared on one side the
redskin rose, shook off his disguise and
! gave a grunt of satisfaction, as he NOV
| ed swiftly in an opposite direction.
! There was one man less at the gulch
| one horse less at RoylSton's.
! -Four hours later Mike diSmounted al
! the post. The pOSt-rider knew him well
! having sold him many pound of tobac
| co with more prOsaic stores of bacon and
| corn. But he grinned and looked at Mike
| as though he had heard a great joke
when the latter stammered his commits
sion.
"'Fraid them amt in my line, DUN
my"
What's the matter with gettin' then
at the fort. I'd do it myself If had your
pull"
Mike pulled ont bag OF dust" anC
held il before the other.
y reckon my pile is big enough to max,
il worth your while"
Simpson said All right" and wen-
out In half an hour he had returned
with a package that he transferred I,
| Mike for the dust. Ten minutes late
Mike had turned Claybank up the trai
toward Willow Greek. The trail raj
through the valley. From Roylston'S I,
the fort there was a clear view with ;
glass.
The sun was we'll down the west whel
Claybank logged into ROylstOn's. Mix
shouted. but, hearing no answer, dis
mounted and turned toward the hut
There was blood on the ground and
mans hat lay near Il place where moe
casined feet had trampled the ground
Dashing 20 the door he found Roylstol
in his own room. dead. and mutilated in
manner tGo horrible TO describe.
In a moment he saw the whole truth
i The ssvages had refrsined from hrin
the cabin because it was in view from
the fort. Smoke would draw s. trool
down on them. He knew, too, that b
must have been noticed and that the trai
10 the camp was we'll guarded. Ha
they attacked the camp? His hear
stood still as he asked the question.
Great heaven, how could he warn then
and signal the fort for aid? Mike coul
| think faster than he could talk. In fiy
minutes he had a fire blazing under tn
hut-a FIRE that sent up black cloud o
smoke. He knew that he had not don
; this thing unseen, and must not hngel
He threw himself on Claybank and lash
ed the tired and frightened beast u
the trail for twenty rods. He then sud
, denly dismounted at the crest behind IN
! willows. and. giving The horse a partin
! thwack. plunged on foot into the under
, growth.
Sounds carry far in that air. Digs
; said that he heard shots in the distanc
fhas night CLOSED in and no oae cam,
: At 10 o'clock, however. Jimmy, who wa