The Red Cloud chief., 1907-05-17
CHAPTER I.
boy sat up and rubbed his

III sore anu II Nttlc emily. IncTe
was no man servant arrang-
N; his bath and clothes, no pleasant
sucV of ~coffce-lIonc of the small lux.
aricS So which he was accustomed. ON
x,c contrary, he had slept all night
p,,nu u bed of hracken with no other
covering than the stiff pine needles
from the tall black trees, whose
strange, r%ustling music had lulied him
10 Sleep.
He sat M and remembered sudden
~ where he was ana how he had come
Nicrc. He yawncd aud was on the
point of struggling to his feet when
H. became aware of certain changed
conditions in his surroundings. Some
instinct OF simple curiosity perhaps,
nut of far reaching effect. led him 10
crawl back into his hiding place and
watch.
Last night two things alone, after
many hours of painful walking, had
impressed themselves upon his con-
sciousness-the dark, iilimitable forest
and the double line of rails which with
the absolute straightness of exact sci
ei,ce had stretched behind and in front
tili the treetops I'm the far distance had
seemed to touch and the rails them
selves to vanish into the black heart of
the close growing pines. For miles he
had limped along the painfully rough
track without seeing the slightest sign
of any break in the woods or any hui
man being. At last the desire for
sleep had overtaken him. He was u
l,rHx, unsYpr LnpltShpnnn and "a niuht
out Of doors in the middle of June
under these odorous pines presented it.
self merely as a not disagreeable adj
venture. Five minutes after the idea
had occurred to him he was asleep.
And now in the gray morning he
looked out upon a different scene.
Scarcely a dozen yards from him stood
a single travelling coacn of dark green.
drawn by Il heavy engine. At inter-
watts OF scarcely twenty PAGES up and
down the line as far as he could see
soldiers were stationed like scntries.
They were looking sharply about in all
directions, and he could even hear the
footsteps of others crashing through
the wood. From the train three or
four men in long cioaks had already
descended. They were standing in the
track talking together.
The young man behind the bracken
felt himself In somewhat of a diem
ma. There was a delightful smell of
fresh coffee from the waiting coach,
aud there seemed to be not the slight
GSt reason why he should not emerge
from his hiding place n claim the
hospitality Of these people. He was u
quite harmless person. with proper Gre
dentiais and an adequate explanation
OF his presence there. On the other
hand, the spirit Of adventure natural
10 his years strongly prompted him to
remain where he was and watch. He
tclt certain that something was going
TO happen. Besides, those soldiers had
exactly the air of looking for some
hody to shoot.
While he was hesitating something
did happen. There was a shriil whis-
tie, a puff of white smoke in the dis
lance. and another train approached
from the opposite direction.
1t drew up within a few feet of the
one which was already waiting. AL
most Immediately half a dozen men,
who were already standing upon the
platform of the car, descended. One
of these approached rapidly and salut-
ed the central figure Of those who had
been talking together In the track.
After a few moments conversation
these two, followed by n other man
only who was carrying a writing port
folio, assembled the platform Of the
train which had arrived first and dis
appeared inside.
The young man who was watching
these proceedings yawned.
"No duel, them" he muttered to him
self. 1--WE half a mind to go out"
TYen he caught sight Of a particularly
hece looking soldier with his finger
already upon the trigger of his gun.
and he decided to remain where he
was.
In about half an hour the two men
%reappeared on the platform OF the car.
simultaneously the window of the car
mage in which they had been sitting
was opened, and the third man was
visible, standing before a small table
aud arranging some papers. Suddenly
he was called from outside. He thrust
his hat upon the papers and FASTENED
10 obey the summons.
4 little gust Of breeze from the open
ing and closing of the door detached
one Of the sheets of paper from the re
straining weight of the hat, 1t fut
tered out of the window and lay for
moment upon the side of the track. Ne
enc noticed 1t, and in a second or two
A. 49,. .-A-~aaAl ALa I.,n ~