illings
and bought a Sharp's repeating rifle, after which he had mounted his
horse and rode off in the direction of Fort Custer. He had remained away
several days when he again returned to the cantonment, and after
remaining there one night, he had started on horseback for Bozeman and
Helena.

This was authentic and gratifying intelligence. Manning had received not
only reliable information as to the movements of Duncan, but the
distance between them had been materially lessened by the fugitive's
long detention at the cantonment. The burglar was now but a few days
ahead of him, and if nothing transpired to delay him, he would soon
overtake the man, who, from all indications, was entirely unsuspicious
of the fact that a detective was upon his track who had followed his
trail as closely and as unerringly as the Indian follows the track of
the beast through forest and stream. As an additional means of
identification, Manning secured a full description of the horse
purchased by Duncan, and with this increased fund of information,
Manning returned to Billings. On the following morning, seated beside
the driver on the top of the stage-coach, and behind four dashing bay
horses, Manning rattled out of the pushing little town of Billings on
his way to Bozeman.

He now indulged in high hopes of soon overhauling Duncan, and all along
their way, whenever the stage stopped to change horses, he was gratified
to receive the information that the man and the pony which he described
had passed over the same route a few days in advance of him.

The road from Billings to Bozeman led them part of the distance along
the Yellowstone river, and through a country wild and picturesque in the
extreme. Sometimes winding around the sides of a huge mountain, from
which they obtained a magnificent view of the rugged and beautiful
scenery below, and again descending to the valleys, they swept along
between the mountains which towered aloft on either hand, their rugged
sides forming a marked contrast with the emerald-hued verdure skirting
their base. Occasional ranches presented the evidences of cultivation
and profitable stock-raising. Broad fields and luxuriant pastures were
spread before the view, and hundreds of sleek cattle were scattered over
the country, either sleeping quietly in the sun or browsing upon the
rich, tender herbage which abounds. At these ranches the horses were
frequently changed, and the mail was delivered, much to the
grati