A Waif of the Mountains, Edward Sylvester Ellis [reading a book .txt] 📗

of them had what seemed to be extra clothing and perhaps they had food, though I couldn't make sure of that. You know there has been something in the sky that looked like a coming storm, and I thought it was on that account that the clothing was took along. Then, as the leftenant had knocked off work, it might be he was not feeling very well."

"The scoundrel made that very excuse for leaving me," bitterly commented Captain Dawson, "but he wouldn't have taken the clothing as part of the same design for there was no need of anything of the kind. They laid their plans carefully and everything joined to make it as easy as possible."

"Your thoughts were precisely what ours would have been," said the parson, drawn toward the messenger unjustly accused by the captain in the tumult of his grief;" if we had seen the two start, we should have believed it was for one of the usual gallops which the young lady is so fond of taking; but, Vose, if we would have certainly gone astray in the mountains, without your guidance, how will it be with them, when she has never been over the trail and he has ridden over it but once?"

"They are sure to have a tough time of it which will make it all the harder for us."

"How is that?"

"Some good luck may lead them right; more than likely, howsumever, they'll get all wrong; therefore, if we stick to the path we may pass 'em a half dozen times. You see it's the blamed onsartinty of the whole bus'ness."

"I would not question your wisdom on such matters, Vose, but when I remember that each of them is riding a horse, and that the two must leave traces behind them, I cannot apprehend that we shall go very far astray in our pursuit. The most likely trouble as it seems to me is that they will travel so fast that it will be almost impossible to overtake them."

"If they can manage to keep to the trail, it is going to be hard work to come up with them. You haven't forgot that when I'm pushing through the mountains I sometimes have to hunt a new trail altogether."

"That is due to the trouble with Indians?"

"Precisely; sometimes it's a long, roundabout course that I have to take, which may keep me off the main course for a couple of days, or it may be for only a part of the day, but Injins is something that you must count on every time."

"And they are as likely to meet them as we?"

"More so, 'cause they're just ahead of you. Oh, it was the biggest piece of tomfoolery ever heard of for them to start on such a journey, but what are you to expect of two young persons dead in love with each other?"

This was not the kind of talk that was pleasing to the father, and he became morosely silent. It was equally repugnant to Ruggles and the parson to hear Nellie Dawson referred to as being in love with the execrated officer. Ruggles was grim and mute, and the parson deftly drew the conversation in another direction.

"I would like to ask you, Vose, how it was that Lieutenant Russell did not take the other horses with him, so as to make it impossible for anything in the nature of pursuit?"

"There might be two reasons; he may have thought it would be mean to hit you below the belt like that; he was too honorable--"

"It warn't anything like _that_," fiercely interrupted Ruggles.

"Then it must have been that if he had took all the animals with him, even though they was a considerable way down the gulch, the thing would have been noticed by others, who would have wanted to know what it meant."

"No doubt you have struck the right reason. Had the start been in the night time, he would have made sure that not even the mules were left for us. But, Vose," added the parson gravely, "we would be much better pleased if when you referred to the lieutenant, you said nothing about 'honor.'"

"Oh, I am as much down on him as any of you," airily responded Vose; "and, if I git the chance to draw bead on him, I'll do it quicker'n lightning. Fact is, the hope of having that same heavenly privilege was as strong a rope in pulling me up the trail after you as was the wish to keep you folks from gettin' lost. But, pards, Hercules is rested and I guess likely your animals are the same, so let's be moving."

Although Captain Dawson had been silent during the last few minutes, he did not allow a word to escape him. He knew Vose Adams was talkative at times, due perhaps to his enjoyment of company, after being forced to spend weeks without exchanging a word with any one of his kind, but there was no overestimating his value, because of his knowledge of the long, dangerous route through the mountains. When, therefore, the party were about to move on, the captain said:

"Vose, from this time forward you are the guide; the place for you is at the head; you will oblige me by taking the lead."

Vose accepted the post of honor, which was also the one of peril, for it is the man in his position whose life hangs in the balance when Indians are concerned. But there was no hesitancy on his part, though he was well aware of the additional risks he incurred.

"There's one good thing I can tell you," he said, just before they started.

They looked inquiringly at him and he explained:

"The hardest part of the climbing is over,--that is for the time," he hastened to add, seeing that he was not understood; "you'll have plenty more of it before we see Sacramento, but I mean that we have struck the highest part of the trail, and it will be a good while before there's any more climbing to do."

"That is good news," said Ruggles heartily, "for it has been mighty tough on the animals; I 'spose too, the trail is smoother."

Adams laughed.

"I am sorry to say it's rougher."

Ruggles muttered impatiently, but the four took up the task, Adams in the lead, with the rest stringing after him in Indian file. The declaration of Vose was verified sooner than was expected. While the mule was so sure-footed that he seemed to meet with no difficulty, it was excessively trying to the horses, who stumbled and recovered themselves so often that Captain Dawson began to fear one or more of them would go lame. Still in his anxiety to get forward, he repressed his fears, hoping that there would be some improvement and cheering himself with the belief that since all had gone well for so long, it would continue on the same line.

* * * * *


Once, however, his horse made such an abrupt stumble that the captain narrowly saved himself from being unseated. On the impulse of the moment he called to Adams in advance:

"Vose, I am afraid this won't do!"

The leader did not look around and acted as if he had not heard him.

"I say, Vose, isn't it better that we should wait till our horses can see the way?"

Since the leader took no notice of this demand, the captain concluded his fears were groundless and said no more.

"If he thinks it safe for us to keep on, I shall not oppose."

But Captain Dawson might have opposed, had he known the truth, for, strange as it may seem, Vose Adams did not hear the words addressed to him, because he was asleep on the back of his mule Hercules, as he had been many a time while riding over the lonely trail. In truth, there was some foundation for his declaration that he could sleep more soundly on the back of his animal than while wrapped up in his blanket in some fissure among the rocks. Fortunately for him, however, these naps were of short duration, and, while indulging in them, he relied upon his animal, which had acquired a wonderful quickness in detecting danger. The slightest lagging in his gait, a halt, a turning to one side or a whinny was sufficient to bring back on the instant the wandering senses of the rider. In the present instance his slumber was not interrupted until Hercules, seeing exactly where he was, dropped his walk to a lagging gait.

On the very second Vose Adams opened his eyes. So naturally that no one suspected anything, he checked his animal and looked around.

"Pards, we've reached a ticklish spot, and it's for you to say whether we shall wait for daylight afore trying it."

"What is its nature?" asked the captain, as he and the two behind him also reined up their animals.

"The trail winds through these peaks in front, and instead of being like that we've been riding over all along, keeps close to the side of the mountain. On the right is the solid rock, and on the left it slopes down for I don't know how many hundred feet, afore it strikes bottom. Once started down that slide, you'll never stop till you hit the rocks below like that mass of stone that tumbled over in front of you."

"How wide is the path?" asked the parson.

"There's more than a mile where it isn't wide enough for two of us to ride abreast, and there are plenty of places where a horse has got to step mighty careful to save himself. Hercules knows how to do it, for he larned long ago, but I have my doubts about your hosses."

"It might have been better after all if we had brought the mules," said the captain.

"Not a bit of it, for Hercules is the only one that knows how to git over such places."

"How do the others manage it?"

"They've never tried it in the night time; that's what I'm talking 'bout."

Adams's description enabled the others to recall the place. It was all that had been pictured and they might well pause before assuming the fearful risk. One reason for wishing to press forward was the knowledge that at the termination of the dangerous stretch, the trail was so smooth and even that for a long distance it would be easy to keep their animals at a gallop, while still further the peril appeared again.

Captain Dawson once more struck a match and looked at his watch.

"Half-past three; in two hours it will begin to grow light; if no accident happens we shall be at the end of the ugly piece of ground by that time, where the traveling is good. It is a pity to lose the opportunity, but I will leave it to you, parson and Ruggles; what do you say?"

"Our horses have been pushed pretty hard, but they are in good condition. I hate to remain idle."

"Then you favor going ahead?"

"I do."

"And you, Ruggles?"

"I feel the same way."

"That settles it; lead on, Vose."

"I'm just as well suited, but keep your wits