Semi-weekly herald., 1911-07-31

shore a good fight, fer the scouts got
onto an island an stopped the bucks
Two of the fellers got through to
Wallace yist'day. an courier brought
the news in ter Hays. The Injuns had
them boys cooped up thar fer eight
days before them fellers got out, an
reckon it'll be two or three days more
fore the niger sogers they sent out
ter help ever git thar So thar won't
be no Injuns long this route we're
travelin. fer the whole kit an ca
Doodle are up thar yit after Sandy. -"
And you suppose Hawley knew
about this?"
Why not, Cap? He was hangin
round till after ten o'clock las night,
an 1t was all over town by then.
'Tain't likely he's got an outfit long
with him thet's lost any Injuns. /
don't know whar they're bound, no
morn you do. but I reckon they're
reasonably sure they've got clar
road"
They pulled up on the banks of a
small stream to water their horses.
and ate hastily. The trail led dl.
rectly across, and with only the slight
est possible delay they forded the
shallow water. and mounted the OPP
posite bank. A hundred yards farther
on Bristoe refined up suddenly, point
ing down at the trail
One boss left the bunch here" he
declared positively. Keith swung him
self out of the saddle and bent over
IN ct, DIV tha. t,-ac 10 wa
doubling the evidence single horse
the only one shod in the bunch
with rider on Its back, Judging from
the deep imprint of the hools, had
swerved sharply to the left of the
main body, heading directly into the
southeast The plainsman ran for
ward for a hundred yards to assure
himself the man had not circled back;
at that point the animal had been
spurred into a lope. Keith reioined
the others.
Must have been about daylight
they reached here" he said picking
up his dangling rein and looking into
the questioning faces about him. THE
fellow that rode out yonder alone was
heading straight toward Carson City.
He Is going for fresh horses, figure
1t, and will rejoin the bunch some
place down on the Arkansas. The
others intend to keep farther west.
where they won't be seen What do
you say, Benz"
"Thets the way 1t looms up ter me.
Cap; most likely twas the boss him
self"
We'll, whoever 1t was, the girl Is
still with the others, and their trail
is the easiest to follow. Well keep
after them
They pushed on hour after hour, as
long as daylight lasted or they could
perceive the faintest trace to follow.
Already half-convinced that he knew
the ultimate destination of the fugi-
tives. Keith yet dare not venture on
pressing forward during the night, thus
possibly losing the trail and being
compelled to retrace their steps. 1t
was better to proceed slow and sure.
Besides, judging from the condition OF
their own horses, the pursued would
be compelled to halt somewhere to
lcot thell hlOCh ALSO. lnelT lTdll even
revealed the fact that they were trav-
cling far less rapidly than at first, al
though evidently making every effort
TO cover the greatest possible dis
tance before stopping. Just as the
dusk shut In close about them they
rode down into the valley OF Shaw
nee Fork, and discovered signs of
racant m at ha adU pf ha utr
Here, apparently Judging from the
campfire ashes, and the trampled
grass along the Fork, the party must
have halted for several hours. BY
lighting matches Keith and Bristoe
discerned where some among them
had laid down to sleep, and, through
various signs, decided they must have
again departed some FIVE or six hours
previous. one of their horses limping
as If lame. The tired pursuers went
into camp at the same spot, but with
out venturing to light any fire. merely
snatchlng cold bite, and dropping
of to sleep with heads pillowed upon
their saddles
They were upon the trail again with
the first dimness of the gray dawn,
wading the waters of the Fork, and
striking forth across the dull level OF
brown prairie and white alkali to-
ward the Arkansas. They saw nothing
all day moving In that wide vista
about them, but rode steadily, scarce
ly exchanging q word, determined.
grim, never swerving a yard from the
faint trail. The pursued were moving
slower, hampered, no doubt, by their
lame horse, but were still well In ad
vance. Moreover, the strain OF the
saddle was already beginning to tell
severely on Waite, weakened somewhat
by years. and the pursuers were com
PEELED to halt oftener on his account
The end of the second day found them
approaching the broken land border
ing the Arkansas valley. and Just be-
fore nightfall they picked up lame
horse, evidently discarded BY the
party ahead.
BY this time Keith had reached
definite decision as to his course. II
the fugitives received a fresh relay
of horses down there somewhere, and
crossed the Arkansas, he felt positive
ly sure AZ to their destination. But 1t
would be useless pushing on after
them in the Dresent shaDe of his marty