Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-09-05
Again at the Cabin.

Evidently the Indians were so trou-
blesome as to interrupt all traffic with
Santa Fe and the more western forts
The slowness of their progress was
on account of the General. whose con-
dition became worse in spite of Fair
bain's assiduous attentions. With no
medicine the doctor could do but little
to relieve the sufferings of the older
man, although he declared that his
illness was not a serious one. and
would yield quickly to proper medical
treatment They constructed a rude
travels from limbs of the cottonwood.
and securely strapped him thereon.
one man leading the horse, while the
doctor tramped behind.
Keith, fretting more and more over
this necessary delay, and now OBJ
sessed with the thought that Hawlev
must have rejoined his party on the
Arkansas and gone south with them.
finally broke away from the others
and rode ahead, to gather together the
necessary horses and supplies in ad-
vance Of their arrival. He could not
drive from his mind the remembrance
With Hope, when he had her, as he
then supposed. safe in his power once
before in that lonely cabin on the Salt
Fork. Now, angry with baffied ambi-
ton. and q victim of her trickery.
there was no guessing to what ex-
tremes the desperate might resort
The possibilities Of such situation
made the slightest delay In rescue an
agony almost uDbearable. Reaching
Carson City. and perfectly reckless as
TO his own safety there from arrest
the plainsman lost no time in perfect
ing arrangements for pushing for
ward. Horses and provisions were pro
cured. and he very fortunately discov-
cred in town two cowboys belonging
TO the Bar X" outfit, their work there
accomplished and about ready to re-
turn to the ranch on the Canadian,
who gladly allied themselves with his
party, looking forward to the posi-
bilities of a fight with keen anticipa-
ton. Keith was moro than ever de-
lighted with adding these to his outfit.
when. on the final arrival OF the 9TH
ers, the extra man brought from Sher-
idan announced that he had had
enough. and was going to remain
there. No efforts made revealed any
knowledge OF Hawley's presence in
Carson City; either he had not been
there. or else his friends were very
carefully concealing the fact The ut
ter absence OF any trace, however, led
Keith to believe that the gambler had
gone elsewhere-probably to Fort
Larned-for his new outfit. and this
belief left him more fully convinced
than ever of the fellows efforts to
conceal his trail.
The party escorting Waite reached
the town in the evening, and in the
fOrded the river, and mounted on fresh
horses and fully equipped, headed
forth into the sand hills. The little
company now consisted OF Keith, Fair
balm, who, in spite of his rotundity
of form had proven himself hard and
fit, Neb, having charge of the single
packhorse, the scout Bristoe, and the
two cowboys of the Bar X" rough,
wiry fellow, accustomed to expo
sure and peril. It was emphatically
fighting outfit, and to be trusted in
emergency.
They followed the cattle trail south
toward the Salt Fork, as this course
would afford them camp at the only
water-hole IN all that wide desert Iy-
ing between. With this certainty of
water. they ventured to press their
animals to swifter pace, although the
sand made travelling heavy, and the
trail itself was scarcely discernible.
1t was a hard, wearisome ride. hour
after hour through the same dull.
dreary landscape of desolation, the
hot, remorseless sun beating down
upon them, rejecting up into their
bliStered faces from the hot surface OF
sand. There was scarcely a breath OF
air, and the bodies of men and horses
were bathed in perspiration. Not a
cloud hung in the blue sky; no wing
of a bird broke the monotony OF dis
lance, no living animal crept across
the blazing surface of the desert DC
casionally a distant mirage attracted
he eye, making the dead reality even
!lure horrible by its semblance to wa
ter, yet never tempting them to stray
aside. After the first mile conversa-
ton ceased, the men riding grimly,
silently forward, intent only on COW
ering all the distance possible Late
that night they camped at the water
hole, sleeping as best they could.
scourged by the chill wind which
swept over them and dashed grit into
exposed faces. With the first gray OF
dawn they swung stiffened forms into
the saddles and rode on, straight as
the crow flies. for the Salt Fork They
attained that stream at shutdown, gray
with sand dust, their faces streaked
from perspiration, feeling as though
the sun rays had burned their brains,
with horses fairly Keeling under them
According to Keiths calculation this
cattleford must be fully ten miles be
low where the cabin sought was stu
ated; two hours rest, with water and
food, would put both horses and men
again in condition. and the travelling
was easier along the bank OF the
Fork. With this in mind, cinches were