Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-09-22
cHAprER xXx.-continued.

M FOADe ANAg &N
battery the old hunter lost no
time In retoining the women n IN
Fastening with them OF the valley.
Had these three been afoot we might
nave overtaken them; but Yeates had
been lucky enough TO stumble upon the
black mare peacefully cropping the
grass In q little glade; and with this
mount for Margery n her tire-wom-
an he had easily outpaced us.
All this I had from Yeates what time
Margery was pouring the wine ana OIL
of womaEly sympathy into Richards
~woundings; and / man confess that
whilst the ear was listening at the
huuter's tale, the eye was taking note
of these tender ministrations, and the
heart was setting them down TO the
score OF a great love which would not
be denied. Twas altogether as / would
have had II: and yet the thought came
unbidden that she might spare a mig
gard moment and the breath to ask
me how / did. And because she would
not. / do hin my burns smarted the
crueler.
IL was TO nave surcease OF these ex-
ira smartings that / turned my back
upon the trio under the fiaring torch
and took up with Ephraim Yeates the
pressing question OF the moment.
L taxi IL. we may not lingar
here" I said. Have you marked out a
AHiE Vi IElIEdLt
The old borderer was busted with his
loot of the Indian camp-'twas not in
his nature 20 come off empty-handed.
however hard pressed he had been for
time. In the rattle of IL, guns and pis-
tolls. dressed skins and warrior finery,
ne came upon my good blade n Rich
ards great claymore-trophies claimed
by the head men of the Cherokees after
our taking, as we made no doubt.
ffFOund ipm hanging IN tho lodpa that
usen TO belong TO the Great Bear" said
the hunter, and then with grim humor'
Lowed TO keep EN- TO ricollect We by
IL so be we foreordained and predestin-
ated TO go up in a fiery chariot, like
the good cid Elijah" The weapons dis
posed OF. he made answer TO my query.
Tex for making tracks immejitly, II
not sooner, / allow there amt M two
notions about that. But I'm dad-dad-
died IL / know which-a-way TO put out,
Cap'n john, and that's the gospil fact"
Why not strike for the Great Trace.
and so go back the way the powder
convoy Gamer" / asked.
1t could be done, he said, but the
hazard was great. Twas out OF all
reason TO hope that there were nc sur
viyors left In the sunken valley to carry
the news of the earthquake massacre.
That news once cried abroad In the
nearby Cowee Towns, he entire Tuck
asege nation would turn out TO run us
down Moreover, the avengers would
look to find is in the only practicable
horse-path leading eastward.
II I'm telling you right now, Cap'n
John, we made n more blunder in
this here onfall of our'n. OWN to our
having ne'er a seventh son of q sew
enth son amongst US to look q little
ways ahead. Where we flashed in the
pan was in not making our rendyvoo
down yonder where you and Cap'n
Dick got I'm Ever last one of 'em able
10 crawl Is a-making straight for that
vcrivvis dodge-hole right now, and IL we
was there we could 10 'em like the
Gileadites did the men o. Ephraim at
the passages o. the Jordan"
Fresh as I was from the torture fire.
II could not forbear h shudder at this
old mans savagery.
''Kfll them In cold blood?" / would
say.
aAnan?" he uueried, as NOT under
standing my point OF view; and / let
the matter rest. He was n those who
Stay and spare not where an enemy is
concerned.
But when we came to consider OF 1t
there seemed to be no alternative To
The eastward by way OF the Great
Trace. To the west and south there
WAS only the trackless wilderness; and
~ w ~ ~ kt w NAhAk 1880
ser than that OF the er-mountainf folk
on the Wntauga. I asked IL we might
hope to reach this.
!" 'Tis q long fifty mile ez the crow
flies, over e%'enabout the mountainousest
patch o. land that ever laid out 30
doors, was the hunters reply. And
there Amt ne'er a deer track, ez ]
knows on. TO pint the way.
Then we must ride eastward and
run the risk of pursuit by the Tucka-
scgcs,v said /.
Il 1 reckon, that's about the long
and short OF II. And / do ever
lastedly despise TO make that poor lit
tie sal jump her boss and ride skim
per-scamper again, when she's been
fafr living a-ilorseback Tor a fortnight
She will not fail you / ventured to
say, adding: but Jennifer is in poor
fettle for making speed"
Its ride or he skulped for him, and
1 allow he'll ride" quoth the old hunt
er. Fastening his preparations for the
start. Reckon we can get him on a
boss right now
I went to see. Margery rose at my
approach. and even In the poor light
could see her draw herself up as II she
would hold me at my proper distance.
your patient, Mistress M~argery-we
must mount and ride at once. is he
lit"
mo.
'But we nus be far to the eastward
before daybreak."
II cannot help Ii. II you make him
ride tonight you will finish what those
cruel Savages begun. Captain Ireton."
1--WE have little c~hoice-none. l should
"On. you are hitter hardl' she cried.
though wherein my offending lay just
then I was wholly at a loss to know.
'Tis your privilege to say SO" / re-
Joined. .But as for making Dick ride
that will be, but the kindest cruelty.
We are only a little way from the near
est Indian towns. and IL the daylight
find US here Y
spare me- she broke In: and with
that she turned shortly and asked
iEphfalm Yeates TO put her in her sud
die.
Richard was still In the fever stupor,
but he reused himself at my urg-
ing and let us set him upon
his beast. Once safe In the saddle, we
dashed him fast like a prisoner. with q
forked tree branch az his back to hold
him erect. This last was the old hunt
erss invention and twas most ingenious
The forked limb, in shape like a X. was
set astride the cantle, with the lower
ends tfopged stoutly to Dicks legs and
10 the girthsi Thus the upright stem
or the inverted Y became an easy back
rest for the sick man and when he was
securely lashed thereto there was lit
lie danger for him w In some stumb,
ling OF the beast he rode.
md our way down from the mountain
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