Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-01

mainder of the night.
After her first outcry, Nancy was too much
frightened to utter sound offer any resist
ance. She realized her utter helplessness i'm the
hands of her captives and brought up in the
woods, she instinctively became watchful and
alert hoping that some opportunity might ar
rive whereby she might escape and return to
her people.
A bright fire was kindled, as protection
against the prowling wild beasts around which
the savages gathered to smoke their pipes and
celebrate their victory in deep libations from
Weflled bottle pillaged from one of the wagons
1t was solemnly passed around and received
with silent grunts of approval. Their lack of
noisy demonstration encouraged the child to hone
That the camp of the emigrants might be nearer
than her tired little feet indicated. Besides the
squaws there were only two warriors belonging
TO the party which led her to believe that it
might be only foraging party, which proved to
be correct Soon they were all wrapped in their
blankets and sound asleep-save Nancy
me squaw In whose custody she placed
drunk. from her deep potations of the "fre
water" so generously dispensed, soon relaxed her
vigilance, as was evidenced by her heavy breath
ing.
Nancy then carefully disengaged herself from
her enveoping blanket, and creeping on hands
and knees until she out of hearing, she
cautiously at first, began her journey back to
her people; then rising to her feet, sped with
the feetness of deer back, back over the road
she had Travelled with the squaw, retracing her
footsteps as we'll she could until her strength
was exhausted and she obliged to creep
away into the woods, where hidden under the
shadows OF the low dropping pines she might
lie down and rest. If she had known it, the camp
was not far away as the crow flies, but following
the trail around jutting crags, down into ravines
and up the steep hills multiplied her weary foot
steps many times.
She could not close her eyes-she dared not
relax her vigilance for one moment lest some
prowling wild beast should fall upon her. From
her hiding place she watched the misty shadows
creep up the mountain sides from the gloomy re-
cesses of the valley below where the damp earth
was sodden with rain and melted snow. Above
the sky was in lustrous contrast The full moon
was casting fearsome shapes upon the slopes,
within range of her vision,-with each rustling
of the breeze, which swayed the beeches and
sycamores dsputing possession with the pines
1t had crossed the zenith, and was travelling
through myriads of stars, toward the western
hills. By this sign she knew that she had tar
ried long enough and should be upon her way if
she would join her people at the camp
Surely they will wait for me there" she
thought, "unless-unless?" ?"-she closed her eyes
to drive back the tears as the dreadful alterna-
tive presented itself to her mind; all of them
killed, perhaps-or taken captive and carried
away. She did not hesitate, however or pause
in her purpose. Some instinct urged her to creep
from her hiding place, and take again the road
leading to the place where she last them.
Toiling along the rough way; struggling
against the strong east wind blowing down from
the snow-capped heights into her face she picked
her steps slowly and carefully over the stones
that bruised her feet tender and sore from her
hurried tramp with the squaw in the earlier
hours of the night. Watchful lest a false step
should precipitate her into abyss below, she
staggered on, starting, and terrified at every