The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1913-05-23

DluHs beyond. The popping of those
Instant guns had ceased by the time
Cney attained heir new position. and
they could distinguish the Indians
mere black dots against the brown
slope-advancing in a semicircle to-
ward the silent stage. Evidently they
were puzzled, fearful OF some trickery,
TOT occasionally a gun would crack
vlciously, the brown smoke plainly
visible, the advancing savages hating
TO observe the effect Then a bright
colored blanket was waved aloft as
though in signal, and the entire body.
converging toward the deserted coach,
leaped forward with a wild yell, which
echoed family across the water.
The girl hid her face in the sand.
with a half-stitled sob, but the Ser
geant watched grimly, his eyes barely
above the ridge. What would they do
when they discovered the dead bodies?
when they realized that others had
eiuded their vigilance during the
night? Would they be able to trace
them, or would his ruse succeed? OF
course their savage cunning would
track them as far as the river-there
was no way in which he could have
successfully concealed the trail made
down the gully, or the marks left on
the sandy bank. But would they imag-
inc ne had dared to cross the broad
stream. burdened with the girl, con-
fronting almost certain death in the
quicksand? Would they not believe
rather that he had waded along the
waters edge headed west, hoping thus
to escape TO the bluffs, where some
hiding-place might be found? Even if
they suspected crossing, would any
warriors among them be reckless
enough to follow? Would they not be
more apt to believe that both fugitiyes
had been sucked down into the treach-
erous stream? Almost breathless Ham
lin watched, these thoughts coursing
through his mind, realizing the dead
ly trap in which they were caught. if
the Indians suspected the truth and
essayed the passage. Behind them
was sand, ridge after ridge, as far as
the eye could discern, and every step
they took in fight would leave its
plain trail. And now the test was at
| hand.
He saw them crowd ABOUT the coach.
leaping and yelling with fury; watched
them jerk open the door. and drag
forth the two dead bodies, dancing
about them. like so many demons.
brandishing their guns. A moment
they were bunched thus, their wild
yelling shrill with triumph; then some
among them broke away. bending low
as they circled in against the bluff
They knew already that there had
been others in the stage. others who
had escaped. They were seeking the
trail Suddenly one Strengthened up
gesticulating. and the others rushed
toward him-they had found the
"sign!" They were silent now, those
main trailers, two of them on hands
and knees. Only back where the
bodies lay some remained yelling and
dancing furiously. Then they also, in
response to a shout and the wave of
blanketed arm, scattered, running
west toward the gully. There was no
hesitancy now; some savage instinct
seemed to tell them where the fugi-
tives had gone. They dragged the dead
warrior from the ditch, screaming saw
agely at the discovery. dozen
scrambled for the river bank, others
ran for the pony herd, while one or
two remained beside the dead warrior.
Even at that distance Hamlin could
distinguish Roman Nose. and tell what
were his orders by every gesture or
his arm. The Sergeant grasped the
girls hand, his own eyes barely above
the sand ridge. his lips whispering
back.
mo, don't move; I'll tell you every
thing. The stage has been Quilted and
set on fire. Now they are coming with
the ponies. Most of them are direct
ly opposite studying the marks we
left on the sand of the bank. Yes,
they look across here. but the chief is
sure we have gone the other way; he
is waving his hand up the river now.
and talking Now he is getting on his
horse; there are ten or twelve OF
them. One fellow is pointing across
here, but no one agrees with him.
Now Roman Nose is giving orders.
Hear that yell! They're off now, rid
ing up stream, flashing their ponies In
to a run. All of them? No; quite a
bunch are going back to the coach.
don't believe they are going to hang
around here long, though. for they are
driving in all their ponies"
"But won't those others come back
when they discover we have not gone
up the river?"
81 wish | could answer that" he re-
piled earnestly But it all depends
on what those devils know or the
whereabouts of troops. They are North
ern Indians, and must have broken
through the scouting details sent OUT
from Wallace and Dodge. Some OF the
bovs are bound to be after them, and
there is more chance for them TO ge'
back safely along the mountains than
in the other direction. don't sup
nose an Indian in the bunch was ever
south of the Arkansas. Wait! THOSE
fellows are going to move now; going
for good. too-they are taking the
dead Indians with them"
They we're little more than DiacS
dots at that distance, yet the sun was
- h., this Tina and his keen YlslOG