THE PURSUIT.
The young Texan had not dreamed of being followed so soon by Persimmon
Bill and his Indians, and he had lain down to sleep as honestly and
confidently as Willie Pond, when he dropped down by the saddles and
pack.
He was aroused by a touch on his shoulder, when he awoke and was
surprised to find Bill and Addie Neidic standing by his side.
"Where are your Indians?" was the first question the Texan asked, as
Bill whispered, in a low tone:
"I am here. I have followed the trail a little sooner than I thought I
would. The Indians are in the ravine waiting for my signal to come in
and let their horses feed and rest before we attack. Where is your
friend?" continued Bill.
"Sound asleep under that tree up there. He sleeps like a log, and will
not wake till I shake him up. I never saw such a sleeper. Yesterday he
spent most of the day snoring."
"It is well. There is no use of alarming him before we are ready for
work. I will give the signal, and let my warriors file in."
The outlaw waved a blanket in the air, and the Indians silently filed
into the valley. At another signal they turned their horses loose to
graze, and then gathered in groups out on the plain to take food and
rest themselves while their leader conversed with the Texan, whom having
seen before, they knew as his friend.
Meantime, the Texan motioning Addie Neidic and her lover to take seats
on his blanket, conversed with the latter in a low tone on the plan of
attack.
"I shall not make it until just as day dawns--for two reasons," said the
outlaw. "First, then they will keep the most careless guard; second,
when light is coming, we can see how to kill, and how to save the two
whose lives are to be spared. We will do the work in a hurry when it is
done. I have given my warriors their orders; most of them know Wild Bill
and Captain Jack, for both have been on the reservations often when they
have been in. For these reds can go where I cannot, and get arms and
ammunition where I would not dare apply for them."
"Shall I not make you and Addie some coffee?" asked the Texan. "I can do
it without danger, for I have a small alcohol lamp in my pack, which I
had to keep for use when I could not get fuel.
"It will be refreshing, indeed, if there is no risk in making it," said
Addie Neidic.
"There is none, and I will soon have it made," was the reply. Shaded
from even Indian observation by the blanket he raised on some bushes,
the young Texan speedily made a quart cupful of strong coffee, and
shared it between the lady and her outlaw lover. It and some cooked meat
he had gave them strength, and then all three lay down like the others
to rest for an hour or two, the outlaw bidding one of his warriors keep
watch, and to wake him when the morning star was seen over the trees in
the east.
And little dreaming that their intended victims were far away from their
camp, the Indians and their leader took rest preparation to their deadly
work.
When his warrior sentinel awoke him, Persimmon Bill found that the
morning star was well up, and it was full time to be moving toward the
scene of action.
"You will stay here in the valley, dear Addie, till we come back," he
said. "We will steal away quietly, and not wake that sleeping stranger
if it can be helped, for he might, in his terror, fire his gun, or in
some way give an alarm. Should he wake, hearing firing over there, keep
him quiet with persuasion or your revolver until we return, and then if
he is obstreperous, I will quiet him."
"Let me go with you, Bill," she said. "I am not afraid."
"It must not be, dear Addie, There is no need of your being exposed
_there,_ and it is well to have _him_ watched here. Our main certainty
of complete success is in a surprise. The least alarm may prevent it."
"I will remain then," she said. "And you need not fear for any alarm
from him--for I know I can keep him quiet should he wake. I have a keen
persuader here, if I have to use it."
And she touched a poniard in her belt, which also contained two good
revolvers.
"An outlaw's bride," she added, smiling, "must be prepared to take care
of herself."
The Indians now began silently to form their march, as they saw their
white leader mount, and the young Texan also get his horse. The Black
Hawk seemed uneasy that his master was not at hand, and the Texan was
obliged to tie him by the side of the horse ridden by Addie Neidic
before he would be quiet.
"It is strange that Mr. Pond does not wake with all this noise," said
the Texan, as he rode off with Persimmon Bill. "But as I told you, he is
the soundest sleeper I ever traveled with."
The Indians now filed away out of the valley as silently as they entered
it, for, knowing the close vicinity of the other camp, they were aware
how necessary it was to be cautious.
And now Addie Neidic stood alone, while the morning star rose higher and
higher, gazing at what she supposed was the sleeping man on the knoll.
The moon had got so far around that she could see his hat, the rifle
against the tree, and the outlines of his form, as she believed.
"I will move up and secure his rifle," she thought, after the band had
been gone some time. "He might wake; and in his first alarm use it
foolishly."
So she moved with a noiseless step within reach of the gun, and the next
moment it was in her possession. Then she looked down, to see if he
showed signs of waking. To her surprise, she saw no motions of a
breathing form under the blanket. A closer look told her that if a form
had been beneath the blanket, or a head under that hat, it was gone.
And, feeling with her hand under the blanket, she, found it cold; no
warm living form had been there for hours.
"He has been alarmed, seen us, and crept away--perhaps is hiding in
terror in the brush," she muttered.
She did not even then realize that he might have fled away to alarm the
other camp. She did not even understand several shrill yells, which
reached her ear from over the hill. She had not been with the Sioux long
enough to know their cries. These yells were the signal cries of scouts
sent in, who had found a deserted camp. She only wondered, after hearing
the yells, that she did not hear firing--the sounds of battle raging.
While she yet wondered, day dawned, finding her standing there by the
empty blanket of Willie Pond, holding his rifle, and looking up the hill
to see if he would not creep out, now that light had come and the
Indians had gone.
A shrill neigh from the black horse called her attention toward the
animal, and she saw the Texan riding into the valley on a keen run.
"Where is Bill?" she asked, as she ran to meet the rider, with Pond's
blanket, hat, and rifle in her hand.
"Gone at full speed with his warriors on the trail of the Black Hillers,
who have been alarmed in some way, and, have got at least two hours
start. He sent me back to bring you and Pond along."
"Here is all of Mr. Pond that can be found," said Addie, holding up what
she had found. "I went to the nest, the bird had flown, and the nest was
cold."
The Texan rode quickly to the spot, and in a moment saw the trail over
the ridge made by Pond when he had escaped.
"It was he who gave the alarm--him whom I believed so sleepy!" he
muttered. "He must have seen Bill and the Indians when they first came,
arranged his blanket and hat as you found it, and crept over the hill.
When I cautioned him to keep quiet, I told him how near and in what
direction they were. I see it all. Green as I took him to be, he has
outwitted us all!"
"It is so. This is his horse--a noble animal, too. We will take that
with us."
"Of course; and we must hurry on, for Bill is miles on the trail
already. He will be even more surprised than we when he knows how the
Black Hillers got warning. I'll not give much for Mr. Pond's hair," said
the Texan.
In a few seconds the horse which Addie had ridden was saddled and ready,
and, leaving his pack-horse behind, but leading the Black Hawk, the
young Texan, with Addie Neidic by his side, dashed at full speed over
the valley, and out of the ravine.
Once out on the open plain, they could see far away to the west a cloud
of dust. It was made by the Sioux under the White Elk, who were pushing
the horses to their wildest speed on the trail of the fugitives. This
trail the Texan and Addie Neidic followed at their utmost speed.
The double trail made by the Black Hillers and the pursuing Indians
would have been plain indeed to follow had not the column of dust served
as a guide.
With their horses at full speed, and better than the general run of
Indian ponies, the Texan and his fair companion gained slowly but surely
on the Indians, and within an hour had passed the rear of their column,
and were pressing well to the front.
Yet it was noon when they ranged alongside of Persimmon Bill himself,
and reported the discovery Addie Neidic had made.
"One more scalp ahead of us," was all he said, when he heard the report.
And he pressed on still faster.