White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-03-02
INSTALLMENT 33.

hectares ue HellllCI olCpl SOI oehS
down, but kept his watch with per-
petual and straining vigilance, and 1t
was even with unconcern that (when
he saw by the stars his time was up)
he drew near the fire to waken his
successor This man Git was Hicks the
shoemaker) slept on the lee-side of
the circle, somewhat further off in
consequence than those to windward,
and in a place darkened by the blow
ing smoke. Mountain stopped and took
him by the shoulder; his hand was at
once 9smeared by some adhesive wet
ness; and (the wind at the moment
veering) the freight shone upon the
sleeper and showed him, like Pinker-
ton, dead and scalped
1t was clear they had fallen in the
hands of one of those matchless Indian
braves, that will sometimes follow
party for days, and, in spite of indie
fatigable travel and unsleeping watch,
continue to keep up with their adj
vance and steal a scalp at every rest
ing place Upon this discovery, the
treasure-seekers, already reduced to
poor halfdozen, fell into mere dismay,
seized a few neceSSaries, and desert
ing the remainder of their goods, fled
outright into the forest. Their fire
they still left burning, and their dead
comrade unburied.
All day they ceased not to flee, eat
and since they feared to sleep, con-
tinued to advance at random even in
the hours of darkness. But the limit
of mans endurance is soon reached;
when they rested at last, it was to
sleep profoundly; and when they woke,
it was to find that the enemy was still
upon their heels, and death and mutt
lation had once more lessened and de-
formed their company.
The mercy the trader extended to
Secundra explains on the ground that
the East Indian was thought to be in
sane, partly from the fact that,
through all the horrors of the flight
and while others were lasting away
their very food and weapons, Secundra
continued to stagger forward with a
mattock on his shoulder; and partly
because, in the last days and with
great degree of heat and fluency, he
perpetually spoke with himself in his
own language. But he was sane enough
when it came to English.
You think he will be gone quite
away?" he asked, upon their blessed
awakening in safety.
81 pray God SO, believe so, dare
20 believe So" Mountain had replied
almost with incoherence as he de-
scribed the scene to me-
And indeed he was so much distem-
pered that until he met us, the next
morning, he could scare be certain
whether he had dreamed, or whether
it was a fact, that Secundra had there
upon turned directly about and re.
turned without word upon their
footprints, setting his face Off these
wintry and hungry solitudes, along a
path whose every stage was mile
stoned with a mutilated corpse
THE JOURNEY IN THE WILDER
NESS.
(Continued)
Mountains story, as it was laid
before Sir William Johnson and my
lord, was shorn, of course, of all the
earlier particulars, and the expedition
described to have proceeded unevent-
fully, until the master sickened. But
the latter part was very forcibly re-
lated, the speaker visibly thrilling to
his recollections; and our situation
then on the fringe of the same desert,
and the private interests of each, gave
him an audience prepared to share in
his emotions. For Mountains intelli-
gence not only changed the world for
my Lord Durrisdeer, but materially
affected the designs of Sir William
Johnson
These / find l must lay more at
length before the reader. Word had
reached Albany of dubious import; it
had been rumored seem hostility was
to be put in act; and the Indian diplo-
matist had, thereupon, sped into the
wilderness, even at the approach OF
winter, to nip that mischief in the
bud. Here, on the borders, he learned
that he was come too late; and diff
ficult choice was thus presented to
man (upon the whole) not any more
bold than prudent
II have come too late" he said
more than once, and would fall into
deep consideration, and myself, sit
ting close round small fire, which
had been made for privacy in one cor
ner of the camp.
MY lord, to be quite frak with
you, find myself in two minds" sad
he. 81 think it very needful l should
go on, but not at all proper should
any longer enjoy the pleasure of your
company. We are here still upon the
waterside; and l think the risk to
southwark no great matter. Will not
yourself and Mr.. Mackellar take a
single boats crew and return to AL
bany?"
r IL