Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-11-09
Chapter XVI-Continued

LIZ TIC SlCdlcSI SiIlSliC-
ton when he learned that we had ac-
counted for four.
CHATS something like 1njun fight
ing" he observed, though these are a
pore, spiritless lot. The whole bag
amt worth more than one Of them
good hosses."
We did no more gold washing that
day, but remained close in camp, con-
sumed with anxiety for our compan-
ions. From time to time we fired a
rife, with the idea Of warning them
that something was amiss. The re-
manning half dozen horses we ran into
the corral.
Night fell. and still the hunters did
not return. We were greatly alarmed
and distressed, but we could not think
Of anything to do, for we had not the
least idea in what direction to look.
"Bagsby and Yank are old hands,"
specialized Missouri Jones consolingly.
"And the fact hat Injuns is abroad
would make them slow and careful"
None Of us felt like turning in. We
all sat outside on the ground around a
little fire.
Toward midnight we heard voices,
and a moment later Yank and Bagsby
strobe in out of the darkness.
where's McNally?" Yank instantly
demanded. Hasn't he come in YETI"
We told him we had seen nothing Of
the missing man.
"Well, he'll drift in pretty soon," said
Bagsby. We lost him i'll the darkness
not two hours back"
They set to frying some yenison
steak. ENcitcdly and in antiphony
Johnny and l detailed the days ad-
venture. Both the backswoodsmen
listened i'll silence. but without sus-
pending their cooking.
''They didn't bother McNally," Bags
by decided. They'd drive those bosses
stop. And McNally vas with us just
a little piece back. He'll be in by the
time the veni;On is cooked
But he was not, nor by an hour later.
Then we decided that we must go out
to look for him.
NC al L SGC llolul1l Ill d1y 1ISul,
said Bagsby, but we can get started
back for the last place we saw him."
1t was now about 1 o'clock in the
morning. Bagsby appointed Vasquez,
Missouri Jones, Buck Barry, YaEa and
myself to accompany him. Don Gas
par was suffering from a slight attack
of malarial fever, and Johnny, to his
vast disgust. was left to hold him COM
pany. We took each a horse, which
we had to ride bareback and with a
twisted rope war halter"
We proceeded thus for a long time
five or six miles, l should think. BY
the underlined feeling of dark space at
either hand l judged we must be atop
q ridge. Bagsby halted.
sit was somewhere Oh this ridge we
left him." said he. 81 reckon now
we'd just better set down and wait for
dawn"
Accordingly we dismounted and drew
together in a little group. Over the
top Of the great ranges a gibbous moon
rose slowly. By her dim light I could
make out the plunge On either side our
ridge and the other dark ridges across
the way. Behind us our horses occa-
sionally stamped a hOof or blew
through their noses.
I lay fiat on my back and idly count
ed the stars. Happening to glance
sidewise, l caught the flicker of q dis
tant light.
"Bagsby," l whispered, there's a fire
Its not McNally," he pronounced
after a moments careful inspection,
"for it's too big a fire, and it's a lot
more than half u mile away. That's q
good big fire. 1 think it's Injuns."
"Probably the same gang that lifted
our hosses!" cried Buck.
probably" agreed Bagsby. He sat
upright and peered at us through the