The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-10-07

AEN3 SIOFy LudL lieHt. pleuWaTe
had reiterated i'll accents Of
abject terror. Surely this
was the last wagon" in that train which
Red Kimball had attacked the morning
before. Impossible as 1t had seemed to
the highwaymen. Gledware must have
been warned Of the attack in time to
turn about and lash his horses out Of
danger of discovery. At this spot Gled-
ware had cut loose the horses. mount
ed one with his stepdaughter, leaving
the other to go at will This, then.
was tie mother of that child whose
nrm had lain in warm confidence about
his neck On hands and knees Will
lock crept to the other mattress and
lifted the margin of the large white
cloth
His hand moved stealthily, slowly.
Catching sight of something that faint
ly cleaned at the collar Of the dress,
he hesitated. His determination to ex-
anime the countenance was as firm as
ever. but his impulse to put it off az
long as possible was even stronger. He
bent down to look closer at the orna-
ment. 1t was a round breastpin OF
onyx and pearl set in heavy rim OF
gold. The warm wind. tempered by
approaching night to a grateful baimi-
ness. stirred the cloth between his fin-
gers. He stared as If lost in profound
meditation That pin resembled one
| his mother used to wear. and some
| how the soothing touch Of the wind
reminded him Of her hand on his fore
head. He might have gone back home
| If she had not died long ago.
He searched the wagon for spade.
1t was found in the box fastened to
spade in the gathering darkness he
| dug a grave near the mountain side.
| When the sand was smoothed over the
| place he carried thither quantities OF
heavy stones and broken blocks OF
granite to preserve the body from wild
beasts.
1t was dark when the heap Of stones
had been arranged In the form Of a
low pyramid; but, though he had not
tasted food for twenty-four hours. he
fingered beside the grave, his head bent
as if still struggling with those un-
wonted memories of the long ago. At
last. as If forced by mysterious pow
er against which he could no longer
resist, he sank upon his knees.
20 God" he prayed aloud. take caro-
Of the little girl!''
He waited. but no more words would
come.
1t came over him with disconcerting
deal of time and that every moment
spent in the covered wagon was
fraught with imminent danger. 1t was
not in his mind that the band of high
waymen might discover his hiding
!, place. Knowing them as he did, he
was sure they would not come SO far
from. their haunts or from the Santa
Fe trail In pursuit of him. But the
Indians roamed the Panhandle, as
J much at home there as in their reser.
vations, and here they were much
more dangerous. Had no savage eye
E discerned that wagon during the bril-.
liant August day?
-. II WAS ulSQuleiluS lduCS. "lHoSn
: told himself that had such been the
: case his scalp lock would not still
adorn his own person. For all that
= he was eager to be gone. Instead o.
eating in the wagon he wrapped VI
y some food In q bread cloth. placed thi
= with few other articles In tarpau
= lin, among them powder aud shot, and
having lifted the keg of water to on
,e shoulder and the rope bound tarpauli
&c to the other, he left the wagon with
loaded gun in his hand.
Twilight had faded to starlight, an
!. the mountain range stood blackly d
. fined against the glittering stars.
was easy to find his way, for on tt
:, level sands there We're no impediment
!. and when the mountain was reache
=. low divide offered him easy passa:
!. up the ascent. For the most part Il
slopes were gradual and in steep
- places lodges Of granite, somewhat Ill
giant stairs, assisted him to the big
est ridge From this vantage point
Continued on Page Four.