A Cry In The Dark

Not an Indian had ibeen seen all the affcernoon- no igns had been met Wit. The ride had led over ground so Bterile that even sage-brush could not grow ttore - acro3s dry ravineg - over outcrop ol flinty rock- from one ridge to another, xintil at last we carne to the Ivoup River and 'Went into camp ín a catt?red grove. No siga of an Indian thiosre. As the setting pun ilodded the earth with its golden light we could see ifor miles and miles in every direction. No sign of danger. Night comes down as softly as a child clsoos its eyes in sleep and the light breeze ïrom the north brings a film of white cloud to hide a portioin of the stars. A sentinel is posted om the biuik 'Of the stream, a secouid to the eatst, a third to the west. It eeems almast absurd to take these percautíeme. The crickets sing under the stonee, field-mice run about in the grass, the waters of the Loup sing a peaceiul song as they ilow past, wur camp. Xo IniLians - no Bigns. It is such cal in, qulet jiights ae-this vMi;h have' lulled tfié tired emigrant to hifi last leep on earth. Seeing no Indians, he has argued that none were lurkiug and watciiing. AVe who have ïought the red man from Fort Kearnej7 to the source oï the Powdcr River, know him better. The very absence of hls foolprints is a menace. The quietnts.s of the niglit is a warning to be heeded. At ten o'clock everybody but the sentinels is ïast asleep. Same of the horeca are lyiiig at full length, so buried in sJumber that their heavy breathing can be heard for yards away. At eleven o'clock all is qulet. Ewn the crickets have almost given o're their noise. Fleecy clouds now cover the whole heavens, niaking night no darkiT, but more uncertain. As the eye looics o.i over the level plain the shadows take on a different shape and have more life. Midnight! ïhe three sentinels soitly enter camp, bend over the sleepers, and live minutes latei the guard has been changed. Tiioe who slept are now as watchful as ïo:es; those who watched are in the land of dreams. Hali uast twelve o'clo'jk! No sound mw but the puriing waters, and their mono tony would close the eyes oí a senüael who listened long. One o'ckick! Men and horses seem to be dead. The sentdnel to the east easb givea a sudden start. He would deny ie on his oath, but tor an instant he slept. He shakes himself and looks over the camp. All is peace, but he luis received a shock whioh makes his heai-t beat faster. His stand is at the toot oï a cottonwood. He sinks down on hia knees and peers out from eithej side oí the trunk. Nothing in Kight- nüthing but the dark shitdows caet by the clO'Uds. '■Chirp! Chirp! Chirpl" A cricket begins his song again after a long silense. It seems loud enough to waken every sleeper, but t is no't. It is very low and quiet. t reaclws the ear o! only one senti1-1. "Watch! Watch! Watch!" His hearb leaps to his mouth. The vords come to him as plain as if poken by some human b3ing. Watch what ? Watch where ? Watch for whoin ? "Watch! Wátch! Watch!" The sentinel's eyes feil upon a dark spot on the ground ;i hundred ïeet away. It is the sh'adww of a eloud. The danger spot In the center Is a rock lit'tüis lts head out of the earth. He uoticed it befare the darkness ame. He can see no'thiiifí moving- here is no danger. ■ "Iooic! Look! I.ook!" His u-art jumps again nnd his eyes u bak to the dirk spot. They ling there ïor two or three minutes, uring whleh time the cricket is abolutly tiilent. Eid something move? s the black spotnearer than it was ? Creeping! Crawling! Coming:" So shouts the cricket, and now the ■ntinel is sure that the dark spot has advaneed. Of course it has! It lias il ( changed the line of advance. A'i;h bated breath he waits and wauli.s. The man wlio disturbs camp without g'o.;l eause wlll be taunted with cowardice. Ah! it do?s move! The black spot N not now over tlfty feet away. oot! Shoot! Shoot!" The Bentinel soítly pulls back the iiüinm'i' of his heavy carbine, raises the weapon quietly to lii-i shoulder, and th loud report is followed by a cry bo lóng-drawn, bo wild and wcird and lull af death .that no one forgets it íor a month. There is wild eonfnsicm in a moment, and then everybody is ivady. "AVhat is it ?" Thn'c or tour men advance to the davk spot, bo ïind the body of au Indian Btratched ;t i'nil length on Ui ' earth, shot through the breast. EHghty roda away are halt a hundred ;':,■■■ warriors, waiting in the darkHiga ■■ . ■ t'ha ;-: . I return and reAl this sound of his death-ery int their ponies and ridé away. ' If you waait $10 for $1 Take The Courier.