Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1905-08-10
risk than that we ran by sleeping UNI
sentried within rifle shot for aught wa

risk than that we ran by sleeping un-
sentried within rifle shot, for aught we
knew, OF the camp of the enemy.
But touching this. tbs only on the
mimic stage of the romances that the
players rise to the plane of superhuman
sagacity and angelwit, never faltering
in their lines nor betraying by slip or
tongue-trip their kinship with common
humankind. Being mere mortals. we
were not SO endowed: we We're but four
outwearied men, well spent in the long
chase, with never leg among US fit
to pace sentry beat nor a decent
wakeful eye TO keep 1T company. So.
as l have said, we took the risk and
slept: would have slept as soundly, l
dare say, had the risk been twice as
great.
We were astir at the earliest CRAVING
of the dawn, Richard and l, and Wee
the laggards of the company at that,
since the old hunter was already out
and away, and the Indian had lindled
a fire and was grinding more of the
parched corn for the morning meal.
Dick sat up in his leaf litter, yawning
like sleepy giant.
Lord, Jack" said he. IF ever we win
out of this coil with full day to spare,
l mean to sleep the clock hands twice
around at stretch, l promise you.
Twas but catch. this cat-nap: no
more than enough to leave u bad taste
In the mouth
Aye, but the taste may be washed
out" said l. II am for dip in the
river; what say youo'
He took me at the word, and we had
an eye-openng plunge in the spring
cold flood of the swift little river at the
mouth of our raNlne. Twas most mar
Vicious refreshing, and with appetites
sharp set and whetted by the stripping
and plunging we We're back at the fire
t.. 4. .t,,,.
Yeates. at that moment returned with
the headquarters of a fine yearling
buck. fresh killed, across his shoulders.
Seeing the deers meat, we would
think the old hunters thrift of the
dawn sufficiently accounted for, but
when the cuts We're a-broi we We're
made to know that the buck was mere
ly a lucky incident in the early morn
ing scouting.
Taking time by the forelock, the old
borderer had swept a circle of recon-
naissance around our halting place. Ito
get the p'ints of the compass" as he
would say. HIS first discovery was
that the ford we had fonnd in the dark
ness served as the river crossing of an
ancient and we'll used Indian trace.
/ Along this trace from the eastward the
powder train had come, no longer ago
than mid-afternoon of yesterday, and
arguing from this that the night camp
of the band would be but a short march
to the westward. Yeates had pushed on
to feel out the enemN's position.
For a mile or more beyond the ford
he had trailed the convoy easily. The
Indian trace or path. we'll trampled by
the numerous horses of the cavalcade
followed the upstream windings of the
swift river straight into the eye of the
western mountains. But In the eye ii Z
self, rocky defile whore the slopes
\ on each hand became froMnng battle
ments to narrow valley and stream, the
one to darkling gorge. the other To
a laundering torrent, the trail WAS lost
as completely as if the powder con-
voy had vanished into thin air.
! Here WAS fresh complication, and
one that called for instant action. We
had counted upon IA battle royal in amy
attempt to rescue the women bu, that
l1alconnet impeded as he was by the
slow movements of the powder cargo
could slip Away, was a contingency foi
which we We're wholly unprepared.
So, as you would guess, the hunter
breakfast was hur:iedly dispatched
and by the time the sun WAS shoulder
high over the eastern hills we had bro
ken camp and crossed the river. ant
We're pressing forward to the gorge o.
disappearance.
Continued Next Week.l