Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1913-06-27

distant guns had ceased by the time
they attained heir new position, and
they could distinguish the Indians
mere black dots against the brown
slopsradvancing In a semicircle to-
ward the silent stage. Evidently they
were puzzled. fearful OF some trickery,
for occasionally a gun would crack
viciously, the brown smoke plainly
visible. the advancing savages hating
to observe the effect. Then a bright
colored blanket was waved aloft as
though Id 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-stif1ed sob. but the Ser
geant watched grimly. his yes barely
above the ridge. What would they do
whom they discovered the dead bodies?
when they realized that others had
eluded their vigilance during the
night? Would they be able to race
them. or would his ruse succeed? OF
course their savage cunning would
track them as far as the rivervthere
was no way in which he could have
successfully concealed the trail made
down b gully, or the marks left on
the sandy bank. But would they mag
Inc he had dared to cross the broad
stream, burdened with the girl. on
fronting almost certain death in the
Q~uicksand? 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 II
they suspected a crossing, would any
warriors among them be reckless
enough to follow? Would they not be
more apt to believe that both ~fugitives
had been sucked down into the treach-
stream? Almost breathless Ham
lin watched, these thoughts coursing
through his mind, realizing the dead
ly trap in which they were caught, II
the Indians suspected the truth and
essayed the passage. Behind them
vas sand. ridge after ridge, as far as
the eye could discern. and every step
they took In flight would leave its
plain trail. And now the test was at
hand.
He saw them crowd ABOUT the coach.
leaping and yelling with r. Matched
them jerk open the { .|rag
forth the two dead Z mrn u
about them. like So pSVVM.r. ben
brandishing their at
they were buncf@ ~ lid
yelling shril witty EssdE sic some
among them cfUks-a ifng low
as they circled in against the blur.
They knew already that there had
been others in the stage, others who
had escaped. They we're seeking the
trail. Suddenly n 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 . shout and the wave OF a
blanketed arm. scattered, running
west toward the gully. There was no
hesitancy now; some savage instinct
to tell them where the fugi-
tives had gone. They dragged the dead
warrior from the ditch, screaming saw
agely at tho discovery. A 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 of
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
~ opposite studying the marks we
left on the sand of the bank. Yes.
they look across here, but the chief Ii
we have gone the other way; he
IL waving his hand up the river now,
and talking. Now he 10 getting on his
horse: there are ten or twelve OF
them. One fellow ID pointing across
here. but no one agrees with him.
Now Roman Nose II giving orders.
Hear that yell! They're on now. rid
Ing up stream. lashing their ponies In
TO = run. All. OF themf No; quite Z
bunch : going back to the coach. I
don't believe they are going to hang
around here long. though. Tor they are
driving In AL their ponies"
But won't those others come back
whom they discover VI have not gone
up the river?"
I wish l could answer that" he re-
piled earnestly. ssBut Il all depends