Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1902-10-23

we're provided with dried meat and
compressed bread and bareback.
The four Indians selected for Paul's
party were stout young fellows, in
ured to hardship and danger. They
were strong, brave and faithful. The
| instructions given them by the old
missionary were carefully listened to
and they promised to carry them out
| to the letter.
There is always something en-
| chanting in a great. deep forest, with
its tall trees clothed in moss and
solemn depths which seem to speak
of divinity. At night in the forest
adds to the gloom, the solemnity and
awfulness Of the scene. A camp fire
in the great northern woods. with its
rocks and cliffs. its moss-covered
trees, has something grand in it.
Gathered about a camp fire built
at the base of the mountain range
were five persons-Paul Miller and
his four Christian Indians.
| 1t had been a long, hard days
travel, and the poor fellows were
almost exhausted. II was only Paul's
| indomitable will driving him on to
more than super-human energies that
kept him on his feet. He had aban-
doned all hope of finding the men
who had robbed him, and now he
| longed to get back to the Klondyke,
| take another fortune from the frozen
earth, and return to Laura and his
mother.
The faces which ever seemed to
smile at him from the smoke and
darkness gave him courage and hope.
1T has been a long time since |
wrote to them" he though. They
have no doubt given me up for dead
| How sad to cause them grief. and all
| through a mischievous yet truthful
message itten in fit of delirium!"
| He was suddenly reused from his
painful reyerie by the falling and roll
| ing of a great stone down upon
and across the camp fire, scat
tering the burning brands in every
direction. The great. round bowlder
| passed within a few inches of where
Paul sat and between two of the In
dams, but fortunately did not touch
any one. The stone was heavy
enough TO crush out life or break
bones had it struck one.
Paul leaped to his feet and the In
dams started up with EXPLANATIONS
of fear.
From whence came that stone?"
cried an Indian. .a
Paul's first suspicion that some con.
vulsion of the earth had shaken the
stone loose from the mountain side
and sent it laundering down the cliff
| upon them, but there had been no
perceptible Quaking.
While he was still trying to dis
| cover the cause, there came another
object rolling down the steep descent
mingled with dirt, fine stones and
snow. 1t seemed a great dark ball,
from which there issued human cry.
1t rolled to Paul's feet and stopped.
He seized one Of the burning brands
| and held it so the fame threw the
| light upon the face of the stunned
and half-insensible man, who sat
stupidity gazing about him. The sud
den and unexpected advent of this
stranger was enough to startle the
campers and disturb their wits. The
Indians, starting to their feet, stared
at him in amazement. Paul was
first to recover his speech.
He cried:
Throw the wood on the fire."
They obeyed, and the light flashed
up, throwing out broad red glare on
the scene which illumined the dirt
be-grimmed face of the man who
had tumbled down the cliff. Paul,
starting back. saiu:
1T is the escaped prisoner, the alb
ductor-the robber-and perhaps
murderer" He seized one of the In
dams muskets and raised it to brain
the scoundrel, but two stout Meta.
kahtlas seized him and said:
Nay, brother. Thou shalt not
kill"
The man who had so suddenly fall.
en- into their midst was rapidly re-
gaining his faculties and by this
time able to speak. He growled an
oath and rubbed the side Of his head.
Where did you come FROM" ask
ed Paul.
From alott on the Cliff" he an.
swered.
What were you doing up there?'
"Tryin' to cross. Was any harm in
that?"
Il recognize you as one of the men
who robbed me-"
Mate yer off yer course when ye
accuse me O. doin' that"
You are one Of the two men who
seized your captain a few years since
and have made away with him."
Yer on the wrong tack again
mate. ! hain't done nothin' o. the
kind, tell ye."
Where is your captain
Don't know"
Paul determined to keep a close
watch on the rascal and conduct him
across the mountains to the camp or
the Klondyke. where punishment
would be melted out to him according
to frontier ideas of Justice. .
Paul bound his arms behind his
back and told him to sit in front Of
the fire.
The night passed guarding the
prisoner by turns. and when the day
dawned he was still among them
Breakfast over and they began tc
prepare to ascend the mountain.
1t had showed considerable during
the night. but toward morning II
changed to a rain and later in the day
a sleet. .....
: The ascent became every moment
; more and more difficult. About every