The Republican journal., 1903-09-17
ASK YOUR DEALER FOR LAUNDRY SHAPE

he had made under the logs, and was
outside in a twinkling. So Haze was
the only "rat" found in the trap Mi
chaud waited only long enough to hear
a short scuffle, and to know that Fen
ton had been secured and was beyond
| his present assistance; then he sped
away among the bush and rocks No
| one pursued, however, or came out to
look after him. If the outlaws knew
of his presence-and he felt sure that
Haze would not enlighten them-they
did not consider his escape as danger
Gus to their enterprise. Michaud did
not believe they would kill Fenton if
| they could in any way use him.
The Canadian posted himself upon a
| height where he could overlook the
shack, and waited for daylight. There
was no stir among the men until about
sunrise, when the whole party marched
out, Haze FentOn among them, each
man bearing pack of beaver upon his
shoulders. Mchaud at once made an
accurate guess at their plans. He wait
| ed until they were well out of sight and
| hearing, and then descended to the de
| serted cabin.
The marauders had taken nothing
| but the more valuable bales of beaver
and otter peltres in packs of some 60
pounds each Michaud furnished him
| self with blanket, as much meat as he
could easily carry, and leisurely set out
upon their trail.
He had little difficulty in overtaking
| them, loaded as they were. He was
very wary in his approach watching
! them from cover and at distance. AS
the country was exceedingly rough, he
! ,aI l.. in lyao Of
sight Once he got the general direction
| of their course he had no need to trail
them.
They travelled to the northeast, and
| Michaud knew they had come without
ponies. They were packing their booty
| to the big lake of the Yellowstone,
where they had canoes hidden, or ii
not. could hew them out of logs Once
| on the great Watercourse, they could
easily drop down to the Missouri and
sell their plumber for enough to give
each of them some six or eight hundred
dollars.
All day Michaud followed, at one
! time getting close enough to see that
Haze Fenton, with hands tied behind
him was packed like burro, his sturdy
| shoulders bent under the weight that
was strapped upon them. Mlchaud
| hoped for no greater success than TO
set the unwilling toiler free. To that
end he was ready to incur any personal
! risk which did not involve obvious fool
| hardness. That night he watched as
QueZ's camp as an owl watches the our
rows of whistling rabbits.
But the men slept III a row, with their
feet to their campfire. Haze lay IN
| their midst, and a man, gun III hand,
stood guard. Evidently they were run
ming no unnecessary risks. In the
| morning so near was Michaud that he
could hear the mems voices as they
cooked a breakfast of young 'fool
hens which they had knocked over the
evening before. He could see the grin
ming face of their black Mexican lead
er who appeared to be in high good
humoT.
Again the Canadian followed through
a DAVIS slow march. Another night
passed, and the vigilance in the camp
proved unremittlng.
On the following forenoon the route
lay across long stretch OF rough, ex-
ceedingly tumbled bench lands which,
from the description Mlchaud gave me,
| think must ha We been ancient lava
beds
In crossing these arduous stretches,
the outlaws followed on old elk or BUT
falo trail, and toward noon their line
had become stretched out over a con-
siderable distance along the path. A
high wind was blowing nearly in their
faces. Here Michaud saw his oppor-
tunity for bold stroke.
With the stealth of an Indian and the
daring of Boone, he went swiftly for
ward, keeping under cover OF rocks and
crawling rapidly over exposed hum
mocks, until he had overtaken the rear
straggler. Keeping softly behind until
the man descended little pitch, Mich
aud sprang upon his burdened should
ers and the fellow went down with
smothered yell.
He was quickly convinced of the
uselessness of struggle, and a gentle
prick from Michaud's knit. brought
his hands across his back, where they
were tied with the strings of his own
| pack. Michaud then tied the mans
legs, smashed his gun upon rock, and
sped on.
He caught the next man carrying his
load upon his head, and gave him a
stunning blow in the back of the neck
TO tie him and break his gun was the
work of moment.
Then seeing fellow, who was but a
|
little ridge and drop his pack to rest,
Michaud covered him with his rifle and
advanced rapidly along the trail. The
man did not happen to turn around i'm
mediately, and when he did so was
looking into the muzzle of the Cana
dams gun at less than dozen steps.
His own rifle-like those of his fellows
was slung under his arm. He sprang
to his feet stared wildly at Michaud for
an instant, and then put up his hands
in token of surrender. He was made
to lie upon his face while Felix, with a
knife in his teeth, made him fast as he
done the others.
Michaud now carried two cooked
rifles, one in either hand, as he hurried
forward on the trail. He hoped to
Overtake Haze Fenton next.
The ground was very rough in front
and he could see nothing of the men in
1 II r bat oil n