The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-12-15
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Who saw the Signal?


At sunset coming to a ranch we turn
ed in and were invited to spend the
night at the house by Manuel Pardo,
the owner. There were a. number of
men in the yard, all jingling spurs, and
n of Their, was pointed out to me as
a trailer. His name was Sancho, and
my informant told me that If he were
dropped down anywhere within fifty
miles Of the ranch on the darkest of
dark nights he would feel the bushes
and tell within a, thousand yards Of
where he was. These trailers were al
ways rare and are now we'll nigh ex-
tinct.
l only SAW one woman about the
house, Prado's daughter, about sixteen
years old. She was as pretty as a lit
tie picture. Her black hair seemed to
indicate a trace of Indian blood, and in
the center of her brown cheek was a
dab Of verh.illion. AT supper she hand
ed us coffee and during the evening
entertained us w~ith@songs, accompany
ing herself on the guitar.
After a good sleep l arose and threw
open my window. The yard was full
Of men, plainly in a state OF excite
ment. Praio was there swearing like
a pirate, occasionally stopping to give
an order. Sancho was leaning against
the porch, apparently the only uncon-
cerned man Of the lot. Prado every
now and again would go up to him and
say something, to which Sancho would
Invariably shake Ills head. Meanwhile
go 371n h.ovaoo. ~,onn holrrk lod A,ovo <bo
| stables.
Dressing hastily. I went down to,
learn that during the night some fifty
horses had been driven away from:
their range. A party was being made
up for pursuit. We were invited to
Join and, after a hasty breakfast,
mounted oar horses. When all were
ready l was surprised to see Sancho
sitting on the porch, evidently not go
ing. Prado went up to him and said
something we could not hear, but 1t
was like electrifying a corpse. Sancho
jumped up and ran back to the stables.
| When he returned he was splendidly
mounted. On his head was a sombrero,
from under which fell long black In
dian hair: around him was a gaudy
blanket; under his right knee his Win
chester. I'rado gave the word, and
we were off. Looking back, I saw
something white waved from an upper
window. If any Of the party except
me saw IT, they paid no attention to 1t.
| Nevertheless I believed it was an
"adieu" to uome one of our number and
that some one saw 1t, but would not
admit the fact. Which one Of the wild
kept secret.
The stolen horses had left q broad
/ trail, which Sancho, riding in front, fol-
lowed. On we rode mile after mile,
keeping. the steady ranch horse trot.
The horse thieves had nearly twelve
hours the start Of us. and we were
obliged to 60. faster than they could
drive the horses. At noon we rested
for an hou., then started on, and rode,
till night was coming ION, when the
broad trail suddenly disappeared. San
cho said that they had scattered the
horses.
We ate q supper of bacon and hard
tack, then started on under the light Of
a full moor Sancho still kept the lead,
leaning far forward in his saddle.
watching what was now a single track.
Sancho gave a grunt Of satisfaction.
Before us again stretches the wide
track made by the fugitives. Midnight
comes and passes. A faint streak In
the east broadens, and before 1t the
face of tho moon in the west crows
ashen. Than the sun rises, and we take
a few hours rest.
A cup Of coffee, and we were of on
u relentless pursuit. We had gone
but a few miles when the broad trail
gave place to aasingle one, then disap-
peared altogether. Sancho was puz-
zled.
ugh" ho said presently, "they have
driven wild cattle across their trail" Z
The next sign was q heavy cloud of
smoke. Ssncho said that they were
burning the dry grass through which,
their trail lay, hoping to destroy 1t.
Prado, realizing that the horse
thieves were near, gave the order to
push on more rapidly, and In another
hour we came up with them. There
were the herd Of Prado's horses, nib
bling at the grass, unconcernedly as
II they had wandered away of their
own accord. Some Of our party push
ed on, hoping to catch the thieves, but
y after several hours hunt returned with
out having even got a glimpse Of them.
Then, after half a days rest we made
our way slowly back to the ranch,
driving the horses before US.
When we rode up to the ranch house
there again for a moment flashed some
thing white. We were all facing It, and
Hooked from one to the other for some
telltale color on the cheek or lash in the
eye to indicate that 1t was for him. I'd
looked in vain. We dismounted in the
yard and all went in to supper, which
was the first square meal we had had
since we STARTED