Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-05-14
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
! A PLAN
/ FRUSTRATED
The Story of Whites AMI
Indians IN Former Days.


...,rn horizon when one day, despite an
s,rous warning from the veteran guide.
y-arson Blake and Edna Fentonf rode in
's.sncs Of the train. Side by side they
STAINED away over the rolling prairie, lit
y. seeding how fast or how Tar they
went.
- tho rich color upon her cheeks told
saw well she enjoyed the pleasure Of a
-. dash across the open prairie. At 4
ssaIlenge from her companion de horses
s~.rs mat TO their utmost speed. nd away
they dew, neck and neck.
Tbsv knew not how far they lad gone
~hen they drew rein and. while their
h.-ees reeained their wind. loot ed back
aver the course they had come.
A, exclamation burst from Blake's lips.
AZ the train was not In sight. but away
- ,he distance came a dozen dark horse
,rcn and even as the young man looked
back an exultant shout came family to
Ma ears. Almost through his clinehed
teeth Blake Kissed:
sRedskins, by Jovei Miss Fenton, we
,nust fly for our liyes!
Edna uttered little cry of alarm, and,
xxbeelinr their horses. they dashed away
10 escape the red demons in pursuit.
Already were their horses breathing
beavily from their rapid race a short time
before, and now they were fleeing before
The red Bedouins OF the plains. every one
AZ whom was mounted upon a feet horse.
Far away, directly In the path OF the
furitiyes, Il seemed. hung the sun, a huge
round bali OF Ere suspended but a short
distance above the horizon.
.Oh. sir. do you think we can escape
those terrible crcatures?" anxiously in
ouired the frightened maiden.
Before replying Jackson Blake took one
Ing look back over his shoulder.
II think we can" he answered. 1--WE
hare fair start, and the sun Is low. IL
cur horses hold out till IL becomes dark,
ve may succeed In Guiding them"
@Heaven grant we may" was the
prayer that Edna softly repeated
Away across the plain raced pursued
and pursuers. and slowly the sun sank.
Every minute seemed an hour to the IA
tigued and terrified maiden.
CHANGING back occasionally. jackson
Blake could see that the savages were
slowly but surely gaining.
Finally the sun reached the horizon and
gradually sank from view.
'We shall elude them. Miss Fenton."
were the encouraging words that the dark
mustnched man uttered. in the dark
ness we can circle and snike back for the
train"
Slowly dusky gloom gathered over
the plains. Looking upward. Jackson
Blake laughed with satisfaction.
"There will be no moon during the first
part Of the night" he observed. "and
therefore IL will be comparatively dark"
His words proved true. Night settled
over the Dakota plains. and darkness
yelled the fugitiyes from the eyes of their
pursuers. In the gloom the man and girl
gradually drew TO the left, hoping that
the redskins would pass them in the dark
ness.
Finally Blake drew rein.
listen"
They remained perfectly silent and lis
tened intently. A faint breeze famed
their faces. and the distant bark OF a
coyote came family TO their ears. Then
all was still.
"We have eluded them" declared the
man. "Now we must double back. For
tune may direct us to the train"
Softly the maiden breathed prayer
that the kind Father might direct them
Alright. and. trusting all to her companion.
she followed him through the darkness.
Slowly the painting. foam heeked horses
walked onward. guided by their riders.
The poor animals were nearly exhausted,
bat 1t wouldn't do to give them breath
Ing spell even now. First they must be
sure that they were out of danger.
II seemed that for hours they passed
onward. Edna was completely bewildered;
She could not tell where she was going.
However. she began to feel that their
pursuers were eiuded and was mentally
thanking the all wise Being who had
SLOWED them TO escape when suddenly.
all around them. number OF dark forms
seemed TO spring up out OF the very earth.
Then through the night rang out yell
OF triumph from the threats OF dozen
Sioux, and ere they could resist both man
and maiden were dragged from their
horses.
Then Edna became unconscious. She
khew nothing OF what happened until her
senses returned. and she found herself
lying upon the ground with both her
hands tightly bound. Near at hand a
campfire was feebly burning. and by its
iight she saw that she was surrounded by
the forms of many sleeping Indians. They
We're In little cottonwood grove upon
the bank Of stream.
realizing sense OF the full horror or
her position caused a sickeninG sensation
TO creep over her. and for moment she
came near fainting again. She was
captive in the hands OF the bloodthirsty
redskins.
nut where was her companion. Jackson
blakef She asked herself the question,
aud then shuddered with horror as an an
sWer arose in her mind. He had been
murdered! As she looked upon the sleep
ing ing forms she half expected to see Jackson
Stakes scalp attached to a savage's Cir
ule But although no sight met her gaze
sne stlll felt sure that her companion had
been slain.
ny the haring light OF the campfire she
saw that beneath the rude rawhide
nongs that held her wrists together a
SUE handkerchief had been placed, evil
oently to keep the bands from cutting
auu enahng her tender flesh. The hand
Aerehlef, she thought. had been taken
iEDtI the h0slv IF har norm "a a nfnr1 hut guFh