The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-12-05


w1tn1n Une nrsJ noUr OF Uravel; a sec
ond and more quiet animal trailed be
hind at the end of a lariat, bearing the
necessary equipment
He had, by persistent questioning,
acquired considerable information, dur
ing that busy hour spent in Cheyenne.
regarding the untracked regions lying
before him, as we'll as the character
and disposition of the man he pur-
sued. Both by instinct and training
he was able to comprehend those brief
hints that must prove Of vast benefit
in the painless wilderness.
The night was already dark, but
stars were cleaning brilliantly over
head, and the trail remained easily
traceable. 1t became terribly lonely
on that wilderness stretching away
for unknown leagues in every direc-
ton, yet Hampton scarcely noted this,
so watchful was he lest he miss the
trail. To his judgment. Murphy would
not be likely to ride during the night
until after he had crossed the Fourche
There was no reason to suspect that
there were any hostile Indians south
of that stream, and probably therefore
the old scout would endeavor to con-
serve his own strength and that of his
horses, for the more perilous travel
beyond.
About midnight, the trail becoming
obscure, the rider made camp. conf
dent he must have already gained
heavily on the man he pursued. He
lariated his horses and fiinging him
self down on some soft turf, almost
Immediately dropped asleep. He was
up again before daylight. and, after
hasty meal, pressed on. The nature
of the country had changed consider
ably, becoming more broken, the view
circumscribed by towering cliffs and
deep ravines.
Late in the afternoon he reined up
his horse and gazed forward into a
broad valley, bounded with precipi-
tous bluffs. The trail led directly
down toward where a considerable
stream of water shone silvery in the
sun, half concealed behind a fringe of
willows And yonder, close in against
those distant willows, some black dots
were moving. Hampton glued his
anxious eyes to the glass. The levaled
tubes clearly revealed q man on horse
back, leading another horse. The ami
mails were walking There could be
little doubt that this was Silent MUIR
ply.
Hampton lariated his tired horses
behind the bluff and returned to the
summit, lying fat upon the ground,
with the field-glass at his eyes The
distant figures passed slowly forward
into the midst of the willows, and for
half an hour the patient watcher
scanned the surface Of the stream be-
You'd, but there was no sign of at
tempted passage. The sun sank lower
and finally disappeared behind those
desOlate ridges to the westward.
Hampton's knowledge of plainscraft
rendered Murphy's actions sufficiently
clear This was the Fourche: beyond
those waters lay the terrible peril of
Indian raiders. Further advance must
be made by swift, secret night riding,
and never-ceasing vigilance This was
what Murphy had been saving himself
and his horses for. Beyond conjec-
ture, he was resting now within the
shadows of those willows, studying
the opposite shore and making ready
for the dash northward Hampton be
lieved he would linger thus for some
time after dark, to see if Indian fires
would afford any guidance. Confident
of this, he passed back to his horses,
rub d them down with grass, and
then ate his lonely supper, not ventur-
ing to light fire, certain that Muir.
ph eyes were scanning every inch
o. skyline.
Darkness came rapidly, while Hamp.
tn sat planning again the details OF
5 nights work. Then, with the two
aaimals trailing cautiously behind, he
cit his slow way on foot down the
teep bluff, into the denser blackness
Of the valley.