Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-05-04

then, worth hearkening 10, children you win
quickly go different ways to your places Oh sne'-
ter and safety"
"If quit Ellen, at such a moment" excia'm-
ed the youth, "may never
"You've said enough" the girl interrupted,
by again interposing hand that might ooin oy
its delcacy and color, have graced far more
elevated station in life; "my time is out; ana
we must part at all eyenls-So goodnight,
Paul-father--good night.
"Hist" said the youth, Selling her arm as she
svas in the very acl Of tripping from his side
"Hist! do you hear nothing? There are butfa-
loes playing their pranks al no great distance
that sound beats the earth like mad herd OF
the scampering devils!"
His two companions listened, as people in
their situation wouldebe apt 10 lend their iacuI.
ties 10 discover the meaning Of any doubtful
noises, especially when heard after so many
and such startling warnings. The unusual
sounds were now unequivocally though stlli
family audible. The youth and his female COM
panion had made several hurried and vaclliatlng
conjeclures concerning their nature, when a
current of the night air brought the rush oil
,rampling footsteps too scnsibly 10 their ears,
to render mistake any longer possible.
81 am right" said the bee-hunter; va panther
is driving herd before him; or maybe there
is battle among the beasts"
"Your ears are cheats" returned the old man,
who, from the moment his own organs had
been able TO catch the distant sounds, had stood
like statue made TO represent deep attention;
"The leaps are too long for the buffaloe, and too
ocular for terror. Hist; now they are in bot
tom where the grass is high, and the sound IS
deadened! Ay, there they go on the hard earth!
And now they come up the swell, dead upon US;
they will be here afore you can find cover!
"Come, Ellen, cried the youth, Selling his
companion by the hand, "let US make a trial for
the encampment."
"Too late! too la,e'' exclaimed the trapper,
for the creaturs are in open view; and bloody
band Of accused Siouxes they are, by their THE
wing look * the random fashion in which they
ride!'
"Siouxes or devils, they shall find us men!'i
said the bee-hunter, with mien as fierce as
though he led party Of superior stren,h, and
OF courage equal to his own-"You have
piece, old man, and will pull trigger in be-
half of helpless Christian girl"
"Down, down into the grsss-down with ye
bolh," whispered the trapPer, intimating to
them 10 turn aside 10 the tall weeds, which
grew in denser body than common near the
place where they stood "You've not the time
10 fly nor the numbers 10 fight, foolish boy
Down into the grass, II you prize the young
woman or value the gift ofyour own life!'
His remonstrance, seconded as it Was by
prompt and energetic action, did not fail to pro-
duce the submission 10 his order. which the oc-
casion now seemed, indeed, so imperiously 10
require. The moon had fallen behind sheet
Of thin, heecy clouds, which skirted the hori-
4 n
ating light to render objects visible, dmly re-
veaipg their forms and proportions. The trap
per, by exercising that species OF influence over
his companions, which experience and deci
sion usually assert, in cases Of emergency, had
effectualy succeeded in conceaing them in the
grass, and by the ait of the feeble rays Of the
luminary. he was enabled to scan The disorderIy
party, which was riding like SO many madmen
directly upon them.
A band Of beings, who resembled demons
rather than men sporting in their nightly revels
across the bleak plain, was in truth approach
ing, at fearful rate, and in direction to leave
little hope that some one among them. at least,
would not pass over the spot where the trapper
and his companions lay. At intervals, the clat
tering Of hoofs was borne along by the night
wind quite audibly in their front, and then, a.
gain, their progress through the fog Of the au-
tumnal grass was swift and silent; adding 10 the
unearthly appearance of the spectacle. The
trapper, who had called in his hound; and bid.
den him crouch at his side, now kneeled in the
cover, also, and kept keen and watchfnl eye
on the route of the band, soothing the fears Of
the girl, and restraining the impatience OF the
youth, in the same breath
"If there's one, there's thirty of the mis-
creants!' he said in a sort Of episode to his
whispered comments. SAY, ay; they are edg-
ing towards The river-Peace, pup-peace-no
here they come this away again-:he thieves
don't seem 10 know their own errand! If there
were Just six of US, lad, what beautiful ambush
menl we might make upon them, from this We.
ry spo,-it wont 60. il wont do, boy; keep your
self closer, or your head will be seen-besides,
Pm not altogether strong in the opinion il
would be lawful, as they have done us no harm
There they bend Aag'in to the river-no; here
they come up the swell-now is the moment to
be as sill as il the breath had done its duty and
departed the BODY"
The figure Of the old man sunk into the grass
while he was speaking, as though the final Sc.
paration to which he alluded had in his own case
actually occurred, and, at the next instant, a
band Of wild horsemen whirled by them, with
,ho Diditv in - h, ho