The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1913-10-28

| than he had supposed; the excitement
yielded him new measure OF
strength, yet he went forward very
slowly, feeling along, inch by inch,
planting his feet with exceeding care
The earth was hard-packed and would
leave little trail; there were no leaves,
no dead grass to rustic. Beyond the
protection afforded by the stage he
felt the full sweep Of the wind and
permitted her head to rest lower on
one arm 30 that he could look about
more clearly. She had not even
moaned, although he had felt her
breath upon his face. Once he STUN
bled slightly over some fallen earth
and farther along a foot slipped on Q
treacherous stone. but the slight noise
died unnoticed In the night. II was
farther to the gully than he had sup
| posed; his heart was in his throat
fearing he had missed 1t, half-believine
the depression failed to extend to the
base of the bluff. Then his foot. ex
ploring blindly, touched the edge OF
the bank. Carefully he laid his bur
den down. placing his battered cam
paign hat beneath her head. He bent
over her again, assuring himself that
she breathed regularly, and then crept
down alone into the shallow ravine.
His nerves were like steel now, his
hand steady, his heart beating with.
out an accelerated throb. He knew
the work, and rejoiced in 1t. This was
why he was a soldier. Silently, swift
/ To-, h. h,a T. IA, ha1 o., ka a ,
It across the straps 80 as to hold can
teen and haversack noiseless, and
then, revolver In hand, began creep
ing down under cover of the low
banks. He must explore the path first
before attempting to bear her along
In his arms; must be sure the passage
was unguarded. After 1t swerved to
the right there would be little danger,
but while 1t ran straight, some eau.
tious savage might have chosen 1t to
skulk in. To deal with such he need.
ed to be alone, and free.
He must have crawled thus for thir.
ty yards, hands and knees aching hor
ribly, his eyes ever peering over the
edge of the bank, his ears tingling to
the slightest noise. The tiny glow OF
the fire far away to the left was alone
visible in the intense blackness; the
wind brought to him no sound OF
movement. The stiffness was pro
found, almost uncsnry; as he paused
and listened he could distinguish the
throb of his heart. He was across
the trail at last, for he felt and traced
the ruts of wheels, and where the
banks had been worked down almost
to level with the prairie. He crossed
this opening like a snake. and then
arose to his knees beyond, where the
gully deepened. He remained poised
motionless, scarcely daring to breathe
Surely that was something else-that
shapeless blotch of shadow, barely
topping the line of bank! Was II ten
feet away? Or five? He could not
tell. He stared: there was no move
ment, and yet his eyes began to dis.
Germ dimly the outlnes-the head and
shoulders OF a man! The Sergeant
crep. forward inch, Two inches, q
foot TIL Co. 80 80 stir. Now
he was sure the fellows head was
by feathered war bonnet The
strange posture, the utter lack OIL
movement, seemed proof that the
tired warrior had fallen asleep or
watch. Like cat Hamlin crept VI
slowly toward him, poised for spring
Some sense of the wild must have
stirred the savage into semi-conscious
! no agrfn In ha
gun in his hands. Yet even as his
opening eyes saw dimly the SeTgeant's
menacing shadow, before he coult
scream his alarm, or spring upright
the revolver butt struck with dul
thud, and he went tumbling backward
into the ditch, his cry of alarm ending
in hoarse croak, From somewhere
out of the dense darkness In front {
voice called, sharp and cultural, as 4
its owner had been startled by the
mysterious sound of the blow. 1t was
the language of the Arapahoes, ant
out of his vague memory of tn,
tongue, spurred to recollection by thu
swift emergency, Hamlin growled {
hoarse answer, hanging breathlessl.
ilbONt TIC buuJ NI'
''ugh!" of the fellows response proved
him without suspicion. He waited
counting the seconds, every muscle
strained with expectancy, listening
He had a feeling that some one wal
crawling over the short grass, wig
, sling along like snake, but the fain
sound. II sound 1t was, grew less dis
tinct. Finally he lifted his head abov,
( the edge of the bank, but saw moth
o ing, not even dim shadow.
q "They are closing In, reckon" h,
8 thought sober,y, land 1t isn't likel!
I there will be anymore OF these gentr!
3 as far back as this; looks as though
k his gully turned west just beyond
}, anyhow I've got to risk H."
n He returned more rapidly, KNOWN
; the passage, yet with no less caution
Q finding the unconscious girl lying eS
n actly as he had left her. AS he claspe
o her form in his arms, her lips uttere
!. some incoherent words. but otherwis
y she gave no sign of life.