The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-08-17
THE MASTER OF APPILEERbYY
f- BY Francis Lynde. --2
BY Francis Lynde.


would seem, and led the way in a sill
! ent withdrawal from the dangerous
neighborhood of the adjustment.
When We had pushed OH somewhat
higher up the gorge and stood on the
confines of the upland valley for which
it served as the approach, there was a
halt for a council Of war.
Since it was now evident h a the
powder convoy was encamped in some
hidden gorge or valley to which the
cavern of the underground stream was
one of the approaches, twas plain that
we must climb to some height whence
we could command a wider view.
We were all agreed that the cavern
entrance could not haye been used by
the entire company: this though the
conclusion left the vanishing trail an
unsolved riddle. For II the women
could have been dragged through the
low-springing arch Of the waterway,
we knew the horses could MOTTO say
nothing of the certain destruction Of
the powder cargo in such a passage.
So we addressed ourselves to the as
cent of the northern mountain; though
Richard and would first beg a little
space In which to drain the water from
our boots, and to wiring some pounds
weight of 1t from our clothes. That
done, we fell In line once more; and
being SO fortunate as to hit upon a
ravine which led to the cliff-crowned
summit, the climb was shorn of half
its toll and difficulty. Nevertheless, by
the suns height 1t was well on in the
forenoon before we came out, p%erspiring
like sappers in a steam bath, upon the
mountain top.
AS Yeates had guessed this northern
mountain proved to be a lofty table
land. So far Is could be seen, the
summit was an uncllating plain, less
densely forested than In the valley, but
with a thick sprinkling Of pines to
make the still, hot air heavy with
their %resinous fragrance. AS 1T
CHANGED, u ravine of ascent headed
well back from the cliff edge, so we
must needs fetch a ompas through
the pine groves before we could win
out to any commanding point Of
view.
The old bordercr took his bearings
by the sun and laid the course quarter
ing to bring us out as near as might
be on the heights above the gorge. But
when we had gone a little way, a thin
ming Of the wood ahead warned us hat
we were approaching some nearer
break in the table-land.
Five minutes later we FOUR stood on
the brink of q precipice, looking abroad
upon one of natures most singular
caprices. Conceive If you can a seq
ment of table-land, in shape like a
broad bilged man O. war, sunk to a
depth of, mayhap, six or seven hundred
feet below the general level Of the
plateau. Give this ship-shaped chasm
a longer dimension of two miles or
more, and a breadth of somewhat less
thar half it's length; bound it with
wall-like line Of cliffs falling sheer to
steep, forested slopes below; prick out
a silver ribbon of a stream winding
J. orb cyrocct SD We n G o,1 wall ,o4
groves Of lordly trees from end to end
Of the sunken valley; n you will have
some picture of the scene we looked
upon.
But what concerned US most was a
sight to make us crouch quickly lest
sharp eyes below should descry us on
the skyline Of the cliff. Pitched on one
Of the grassy by the stream,
SO fairly beneath us that the smallest
cannon planted on our cliff could have
dropped a shot into it, was the camp Of
the powder train.