The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1920-12-16
o01

and The moment they gained posses
sion Of her they had hurriedly depart
ed. II had all been carefully planned
with Nacklin . choose the time. anc
then executed quietly. Their only mis-
take was IN leaving him behind alive
But for that one error no one ever
would have known what had occurred
or dreamed Of her fate. And now. as
sured OF safety. believing the dead
would tell no tales. that they had left
behind no evidence OF their crime. the
outft was riding carelessly across the
lonely prairie. seeking somewhere .
safe rendezvous
Shelby refined his horse 20 the left.
and sought = water hole he remem.
bered, himself drinking first. and then
standing by while the animal ~quenched
its thirst Leaving the buckskin there
with rein trailing on the ground, he
climbed the steep side Of a butte. and
swept the distant horizon with a field
glass. II was a trackless waste. dreRr
and deserted Of all life. Not a thing
that moved crossed his range OF
vision and. az last. he snapped The
field glasses back into their case.
slipped down the steep face OF the
butte. and silently remounted
The sun was some time past the
meridian. and he felt convinced those
he followed could not be far from the
trail he was endeavoring 10 locate. He
came upon II in less than an hour.
leading straight down a narrow val
ley whose general course was directly
west he dismounfed. and studied the
fracks t.ih cure This was his party
heyoud q lnuhf five horses one with
+ split Ilnt
81 tu a,f ~ Found where the
r' 3 fire among
,i food He
care hoping
for some message OF guidance from
her hui there Was none. Either She
had been too carefully watched by her
captors or had given up in despair
any thought Of rescue. Doubtless she
believed him dead also perhaps had
: en witnessed the blow struck. but II
not would assuredlS have been in
formed Of what had happened The
stamping Of the ponies hoofs lndi-
Gated that the party had remained In
that spot FOR some time IN no hurry
TO proceed Shelby studied the foot
prints. satisfying himself that -four
were Indian, and one white unques-
tionably Macklin with only i've
horses this meant that the girl rode
with one Of the men. probably the Kid.
He discovered where she probably
was sitting during the meal, a torn
piece Of crumpled sacking bearing
mute testimony that her hands had
been bound. aud released 80 that she
might eat. The fellows were evident
ly unafraid Of her any longer. and
had not tied her up again when they
resumed the journey.
II was nearly shutdown when the
trail be followed swerved To the right
up a steep bank. where the ponies
hoofs slipped 10 their struggle tn at
tain the top. Shelby gave the buck
skin his head and the game little
devil went %scrambling up. until they
came forth on a fat plain above. Shell
by dropped his rein. and climbed 10
q higher point Of rock, lying concealed
behind its summit. while he swept the
below through the field glasses.
never had been there before. yet
he knew about where he was this
must be Dragon creek. and not far
below would be Wolves hole. Of which
often had boards famous hiding
place for cattle thieves and border
These fellows evidently were
heading for there. but would they try
10 complete the Journey His hope
conferred on their camping somewhere
until morning n sufficiently assured
n safety this would probably be their
Through the field glasses he
the course ~ the stream, and
The little patches Of wood ~lntently. At
last he was rewarded faint spiral
N blue smoke arose above some dis
ant trees the evidence Of a camp
He lay there ~motionless. silent.
his eyes glued 10 the glass. planning
bis action. and waiting for the night.
~ the gloom slowly deepened Shell
BY was able 10 distinguish the flicker
n that far-oh FIRE. hut the distance
TOO great 10 permit any knowl-
Of It's surroundings. The trail
down vas narrow. and rock
and be determined 20 Try The
rassage while q faint glimmer Of twi
ighf vei fingered Leading the buck
kin and moving with the utmost eau
D. began the descent
The gloon 90 no, greatly retard bts
nov ements for through the glasses
ie hhd mapped out the salient lea
ures and ~ impressed them np8n bis
memory % 70 30 forward now ron
The camp IRE vas located 10
~ third grove - trees and there
we're ~ signs Of human presence be
ween However. he took no chance
.uf advanced quietly on foot leading
is horse and using every ~precaution
.-ansf discovey.
IL 1919 So So 1880 a-Err