The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-08-17

skimper-scam2er race when ii is done.
For, looking it up and down 4 side
to side. we've got to have hosses-sorne
{, their HOSES, at that. I jung. IL we
lcouid jest make outzsonsehow r other to
law our claws on the beasteses afore-
hand
We had reached the cliff and We're
once more peering down at the enemy'ss
camp. Though for the cli~ff-shadowed
valley It was long past sunset and all
the depths were blue and purple In the
changing half lights of the hour, the
shadow veil was but a gauze of color,
softening the details without obscuring
them.s3 So we could mark we'll the
metes and bounds of the camp and
prick in all the items.
The camp field was the largest of the
saYannas or natural clearings. On the
margin Of the stream the Indian lodges
We're pitched in a semicircle to face the
water, Farther back, Falconnet's troop
was hutted in rough and ready shelters
made of pine boughs-these disposed to
stand between the camp of the Chero-,
KEGS n the tepee-lodge of the captivx
women which stood among the trees in
tiAdl2 S0sS VI lIe lOTeSCW nGTnTnlnR the
slope which buttressed our cliff Of OBJ
sereation. z=s4zs
At first we sought IN vain for the
storing place OF the powder. 1t was the
sharp eyes of the Catawba that finally
deserted 1t. A rude housing of pin
boughs, like the huts of the troopers,
had been built at the base Of a great
boulder on the opposite bank Of the
streami and here was the lading of the
powder train.
From what could be seen twas clear
that the camp was no mere bivouac for
the day; indeed, the Englishmen were
still working upon their pine-bough
shelters, building themselves in as il
for a stay indefinite.
"'Tis a rest camp quoth Dick:
though why they should break the
march here is more than I can guess
NO" said Ephraim Yeates. ''Tain't
jest rightly a rest camp, ez I take 1t.
Ez l was a-saying last night, this here
is Tuckasege country, and we amt no
furder than a days running from the
Cowee Towns. Now the Tuckasegea
and the over-mountain Cherokees amt
always on the best O. farms, and
I was a wondering if the hess
captain hadn't sot down here to
wait whilst he could send a peace
offer o. powder and lead on to the
SHtSt ~ olliSOlIl Tic
way"
No send him yet; going to send"
was Uncanoola's amendment. Look
see. Chelakee braves make haste for
load horses down yonder now!"
Again the sharp eyes of the Catawba
had come in play. At the foot of the
great boulder some half dozen Of the
C%herokees We're busy with the powder
cargo, flashing pack-loads Of it upon
two horses. One of the group, who APP
peafed to be directing the labor of the
others, stood apart, holding the bride
reins of three other horses caparisoned
as for a journey. When the loading
was accomplished to the satisfaction of
the horse-holding chieftain, he and
two others mounted, took the burdened
animalsi in tow, and the small cavalcade
filed off down the stream toward the
apparent cul de sac at the lower end
Of the valley.
Ephraim Yeates was in in twinkling,
dragging us back from the cliff edge.
Up with vel" he cried. Now's our
chance to kill two pa'tridges with one
stone! If we can make out to get down
into t'other valley in time to see how
them Varmints come out, We'll know
the way in. More'n that, we can am
bush EN- and SO make sartain sure O.
five O. the six bosses We're a-going to
need, come night. But we've got to leg
1t like Ahinnaaz the son of Zadok!"
Thus the old borderer; and being
only too eager to come to %handgrips
with the enemy, we were up and run
ming faster than yer Joab's messenger
can, long before the old man finished
with his Scriptural smile.
Not to take the risk of a delay on any
unexplored short cut, we made straight
for the ravine Of our ascent, found it
as by unerring instinct, and were pres
emily racing down to the Indian trace
in the little upland valley above the
gorge.
For all the heIte~-skelter haste,
found time to remember that the ro1ge
as we had last seen it had been well
besprinkled with armed Cherokees ly-
ing in wait for us. If they were still
there we should be like to have a hot
welcome; and some reminder of his 1
gasped out to Yeates in mid flight.
Mem mind that; if we run up
aginst EN- anywhere, 'twon't be there
away. They've too the hint and quit;
scattered out to u us long ago."
was his answer, jerked out between
bounds. And after that 1 loosed the
Ferara in its sheath and saved my
breath as 1 might for the killing bust
ness of the moment.
Twas a sharp disappointment that,
for all the haste of our mao scramble
down the mountain, we were too late
to surprise the secret of the enemy's
stronghold. The Catawba was leading
when we dashed down into the valley,
and one glance sent him flying back
to stop us short with a dumb show pur-
porting that the quarry was already
out Of the defile and coming up the
Indian path.
Continued Next Week.)