The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-09-19

pore. Spiritless lot. The WhOle DaB
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 fred q
rifle, with the idea of warning them
that something was amiss. The re-
naming 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,"
speculated Missouri Jones consolingly.
"And the fact that 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 q moment later Yank and Bagsby
strobe In out of the darkness.
"Where's McNallyT Yank instantly
demanded. Hasn't he come in yetT
We told him we had seen nothing Of
the missing man.
"Well. he'll drift In pretty soon," said
Bagsby 1--WE lost him in the darkness
not two hours back"
They set to frying some ventson
steak. Excitedly and in antiphony
Johnny and detailed the days ad-
venture. Both the backswoodsmen
listened in silence, but without sus-
pending their cooking.
"They didn't bother McNally," Bags.
by decided. They'd drive those hosses
away FIVE or six miles before they'd
stop. And McNally was with us Just
a little piece back. He'll be in by the
time the venison is cooked"
But he was not, nor by an hour later,
Then we decided that we must go out
to look for him.
1--WE can't see nothln' till daylight"
said Bagsby but we can get started
back for the last place we saw him"
1t was now about o'clock in the
morning. Bagsby appointed Vasquez,
Missouri Jones, Buck Barry. Yank and
myself to accompany him. Don Gas
par was suffering from slight attack
of malarial fever, and Johnny. to his
vast disgust, was left to hold him com
pany. We took each horse, which
we had to ride bareback and with Il
twisted rope "war halter"
We proceeded thus for long time
FIVE or six miles. | should think BY
the underlined feeling of dark space at
either hand judged we must be atop
a ridge. Bagsby halted
"It was somewhere on this ridge we
left him." said he. 81 reckon now
we'd just better set down and wait for
dawn"
Accordingly we dismountcd and drew
together In n little group Over the
top of the great ranges gibbous moon
rose slowly. by her dim light | 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 hoof or blew
through their noses.
l lay fiat on my back and idly count
ed the stars. Happening to glance
sidewise, | caught the flicker OF dis
tant light.
"Bagsby." whispered. there's erA
barely more than half mile away"
He, too, lay down In order to get my
angle OF view.
"It's not McNally," he pronounced
tn.. At.Nf ,.f, al To-,
"fOr it's too big fire, and it's lot
more than half mile away. That's a
good big fire. | think It's Injuns."
"Probably the same gang that lifted
our hossesr' cried Buck.
probably" agreed Bagsby He sat
upright and peered at us through the
dim moonlight. "Want to get after
them?" he inquired
"You betv said Buck emphatically
''They may have McNally. and IL they
haven't they've got our horses"
'There's six of us, and we can shore
make 1t interesting for that lot" agreed
Yank. "Can we get to where they
are2"
~ think So" said Bagsby.
We rode for another hour. slanting
down the mountain side toward tho
Hickering fire. Every time horse roll
ed rock or broke dried branch 1t
seemed to me that the mountains re-
verberated from end to end. | don't
believe allowed myself to weigh over
six ounces all told. Finally we left
the slope for the bottom of the valley.
"I'd rather be below their camp than
above It. It's going TO be hard to get
out this way" complained Bagsby,
but it's the best we can do" lie dis
mounted us. and we crept forward nn'
other half mile. leading our animals.
"Thls Is as close as | dare take the
hosses," whispered Bagsby. "VasQuez
you stay here with them" he said in
Spanish, "and when yell twice quick
and sharp you answer, so Wen know
where to find you. Come on"
We raised our pieces, but before the
command to Gre was given one Of
the slocpers threw aside his blanket
stretched himself ana arose. 1t was 1
white mani
confess that for moment turnet