The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-07-28
n the march; and when that was spent

on the march: n when that was spent
or spoiled we did as we could. being
never comfortably filled, l think. and
oftener~ haggard and enfeebled for the
want Of food. Since we dared not stoI
to go aside for game, the Catawba
would set overnight snares for rab,
bits, and for another shift we cut
knobbed sticks for throwing and rar
keen-eyed along the trace, alert to muir
der anything alive and ft TO eat. In
this haphazard hunting nothing ever
fell to Jennifer's skilleSs clubbing. or tC
mine; but the old borderer and the In
dian We're better marksmen. and now
and then some bird or squirrel or rab-
bit sitting on its form came to the pot.
though never enough Of all or any to
more than sharpen the famine edge Of
hunger.
For all the sharp privations of the
forced march there was no hint on any
lip of turning back. With Margery's
desperate need TO key us to the UNI
go on while there was strength to set
one foot before the other. But for the
old borderer and the Indian there was
no such bellows to blow the fire Of
perseverance. None the less. these two
did more than second us; they set the
strenuous ace and held us to it: the
Catawba ~partan-proud and uncom-
plaininp, tho old hunter M whit loss
/ iireless and enduring Ar This far-dis-
tant day | can close my eyes and see
the gaunt. leather-Clad figure of Epll-
RAIN ieates. striding on always in the
lead and ever pressing forward, tough,
why, and iron to endure, and yet Withal
SO elastic that the ~shrewdest discour-
agement served only to make him re-
. l,nti md aud o tri l. tho tn rIAy GOOD
stuff and true there was in that old
man; and had Richard or ! been less
determined, his tine II noble heroism
in a cause which was not his own would
nave shained US INTO following where
he led.
we had been ten days in this starry
ing Wilderness. driving onward at the
pac" that Kills ana making the most OF
eN1y noul VI uhyI'sht. before leh'es
anu u hHtah peSah 70 give us nope
ma we "'te ''idits closihs III upon
ou' qua'ry'
Inc dragging length of the chase
grew upon two conditions. From the
beginning the RldnapperS were able to
increase their lead by stretching out the
lays ana borrowing from the nights:
also they We're doubtless well proNis-
toned, and they had horses for the cap
tiVes and their impedimenta. But as
- 49, NO'N' 49, Of.s ~ 'H''
daylight let us see the trail; and though
we ran well at first, the lack Of proper
food soon took toll Of speed.
So now, though the hoof prints grew
hourly fresher, and we were at last so
close upon the heels of the kidnappers
that their night camp fires We're scarce
ly cold when we came upon them. we
ran no lonSer-could hardly keep a
logged DOT pace for the hunger pains
that griped n bent us double.
was furnace hot MS were al tho fair
Weather DAYS of that for
gotten summer with a stiu air IN tho
forest thar hung thick and ufaless lika
the atmosphere OF an oven. this though
we we're we'll among he mo,1ntains and
rising higher With evary adIad mila of
westerine
u. 80. -
IN sun a passeu ne nleliu'al,
anu W Meie 'o.'lns' s"ea.s "ehh' up
a io.h-'.ieNn ihoun,aii 9uue' Mheh d
.,lhs octurreo " rouse US roughly from
shE ia,hi,e S.upor anu Sc. US "a'ch-
NY alei'. ~ .ie 'sepe pa VI ~
ascent where tne "ood scahted OIL root
ing ssou'iu py 'he tnlckls so"h stre".
ing oi pouiue's, VAS open ana Tree oi
hPhraiin 1eates matted
suddenly, signed 10 us win upnuhs
mana ana dropped Dehind a Tree as one
siot' ana III the same nreath lhe "a
taWpa, running at ieates heels.
lurched aside ana vanished as II the
earth had gaped apq swaJloWed aim:
a later the twang
or bow string buzzed
upon the breathless noontide stiffness,