Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1905-02-02
iDqulrIng what was tn. cause for tie,

Butler would not be long In discover
ing the tracks Of my naked feet in Tie
shore sands where had landed while
searching for my cliff, so prepared to
leave without further ado. though an
I grily tempted TO make a target Of the
phantom group below
So. with a stomach stayed with a
| mouthful Of corn and water. | started
silently westward. meaning to make a
circle and, hiding my tracks. reeross
the river to take advantage of their
sure pursuit by travelling on the Fort
! Pitt trail until again hunted into the
| forest.
| The pursuit began even sooner than
l expected and almost caught me nap
| ping. for. resting a moment to scru.
! tinize a broad stretch of barren ground
around which bad just circled in or
| der to keep cover, saw man creep
ing among the rocks and berry scrub
doubtless nosing about for my TRAIL 4
| moment later another man moved on
the eastern edge of the mountain flank
and at the same time, far up the river.
u saw ilc CdHOS uOdllHS.
That was enough for me. and start
ed on dog trot down the slope and
along the river bed, plunging through
willows and alders till / came to n
bend from which the naked shoulder
OF the mountain could not he seen.
Thayendanegea had taught me to do
what people thought would be likely
to do, but to accomplish it so craftlly
that they would presently think had
done something else.
When at length those who pursued
me should find nay trail on the south
ern border of the open scrub land they
would have no difficulty in following
me down the long incline to the river
where | now stood, ankle deep in lev
water. | had halted exactly opposite
to the mouth of a rocky stream. and ii
was natural that | should ford the
rapids here and continue on the other
bank up that stream to hide my trail
They would expect me to do this. so
this | did, and ran up the bed of the
stream for few rods. carelessly leav-
ing tiny dust line of cornmeal on the
rocks as though in my headlong flight
my sack had started seam.
Then | turned around and waded
down the brook again to the river, out
to the shallow rapids, and so, knee
Jeep, FASTENED southwark again to put
the next bend between me and the
canoe
In this manner l travelled for three
hours without sign of pursuit, and had
1t not been for my pack | could have
logged on till night But my CALLED
shoulders creaked for mercy, and /
struggled out once more into the Fort
Pitt trail and stood painting and alert,
drenched with sweat
The trail had been trodden within
the hour. / saw fresh sign of two diff.
ferent moccasins land of a coarse boot
of foreign style, all pointing south
ward. The moccasins were like one
pair had in my pack. of Albany
make. The wearer of the boots toed in. |
These things / noticed quicker than |
could relate them, and instinctively | |
changed my moccasins for the third |
time and ran on. stepping carefully In
the tracks Of him who wore the Alba
ny moccasins and keeping sharp eye
ahead.
had run nearly half a mile and |
was beginning to look about for a
spot to rest ON when a turn In |
the trail brought me out along the riv-
err. ns IL fs ~
] scanned the stream thoroughly and
discovered nothing to balk at, but ! |
could not see the opposite bank very |
plainly because the forest rose from
the waters edge and all was dusky |
where the low arched branches screen
I'd the shore
1t was clear could not remain in
the Fort Pitt trail with at least two
,f the Butler crew behind me. Should
take to the tangled forest again? My
shoulders begged me not to, and trot-
ted out ON the open trail.
Instantly shot echoed In the gorge,
md the pack on my back jerked.
never made such jump in all my
life before, for had cleared the open
Ike scared fawn and now stood
glued to tree, peering at the blue
loud Of smoke which trailed along the
opposite shore.
There 1t was--there came their ac-
.ursed canoe.
There We're two men In the canoe.
One padded gingerly: the other had re-
oaded his rifle and was now squatting
n the bow. But what astonished and
me was that knew the men
the barber. and Toby Tice--
well. They were. moreover.
enants of Sir William, living with
heir families In Johnstown, and their
nurderous treachery Mortified me.
l had never shot at man. raised /
ny rifle and held them on the sights Z
or moment, but there was no fever 4
I the chase In me now, only q heart
lex horror of taking neighbor's life.
In choked and shaky voice hailed
hem. warning them back. My voice
ave them start, for believe they
bought me hard hit. IL
Suddenly Wraxall fred. Through
be blue cloud saw Tice sweep au |
lrge, and stepped out to the shore