Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-02-01

ture upon 10 shoot game, for fear of betray-
ing his hiding place, and though hungry e.
nough, he was fam this time to go to bed
supperless." He thought of home before
sleep came, of course, and wished himself
there most heartily, that he might attact the
we'll stocked poultry, the contents of which
danced in most tantalizing visions before
him during the whole night This was too
much common predicament, however, to
make any very strong impression upon him
otherwise
He was mounted and off very early the
next morning. and was by no means de-
lighted to petcaiye that his horse was con-
siderabIy gahned by the yesterdays hard
work and thd somewhat narrow commons
of the night. However, he moved on now
with something less Of hurry, as there
were no indiCtions Of pursuit apparent
Following thenvulet, he soon reached the
West Branch, and turned up this with a
brisker movement, spurred by the cheerful
hope of soon njoining his comrades and
guiding them afe. In an hour he was in
sight of the frund, and put his horse into
a swift gallO1 il his eagerness to pass over
the interval huckly. On coming up, he
saw, instead bflis comrades, the dead body
of our Indian Warrior, lying across the very
ashes Of thei camp fire, all gashed and
hewed with bovle-knle cuts. All around
the earth wab deeply broken up, with the
evidences of b desperate and hand to hand
struggle, TAf LEeech of rifle, which he
recognizedyaI i aumber of arrows, with
a broken land ind shield, were scattered
around. lie If't a choking sensation, and
his blood ran ccld at this sight His com"
rades had been surprised, no doubt, by the
same party Which had pursued him! but
with what result It was impossible for him
to tell certainly, though he had little choice
but to BELLE e and fear the worst. Amid
the multitude Of the tracks of unshod horses
he could Distinguish the few tracks of their
shod horses. CAere was no trace of their
bodies in thcIh,sty survey he had time to
make, and il seemed very strange that this
dead warrior should be left behind, so con.
trary to their we'll known custom He fol-
flowed the trdi for some time, with great
caution, but could make no discovery, ex-
cept a great deal of blood on the ground,
until towards noon, when rising the comb
of a steep rtist, he looked down into the
plain below Ipon large body of Indians,
encamped about a mile distant, This was
a startling sight. and they perceived him at
the same mome1t Now he felt he would
have indeed tomn for his life. One glance,
as he wheeled, vas sufficient to show him
warriors moJhttlg the horses Of his friends !!
lie did not dreld race with the horses of
the Indians so much, because his horse was
more than mitch for the best of theirs,
but the horses Of his comrades were as swift
and in every sense as good as his, now they
we're to be turned against him! He cursed
the rashaess that had induced him to follow
up their trail, alt this was no time to pause
for regrets--he was off, down the hiII at
the best speed his horse, already somewhat
tagged, would raise All depended upon
getting back tothe timber and losing them
He could heariheir pursuing yells, distinct
ly, for a monet, and this was no syren's
music to drallln back! He had a good
mile the start but this was no great matter,
if as he supposed, their horses were fresher
than his n,rr, He had not time now to
caei Va only that there hot
work betoFestd he had it to attend to
His object was get cut of sight as soon
as possible, fthe gained great deal in
compelling then to run on his trail. He
strained his hose tremendously and sue
ceeded, for w0n the sudden burst OF their
voices came totme, proving that they had
reached the comb of the ridge, he looked
back and coui not see it or them. lie
felt little lessdght about the heart now,
and had time tothink something of his best
course. 1t seemed foIorn chance for an
escape he WIS over six miles from tim
Der. He suddenly remembered that he had
observed, for sveral days past, heavy
smoke off towads the south, and looking
now IN that direction, saw it filling the
whole horizon with gloomy masses, which
seemed to be rising but few miles off, OBJ
serving that 1t was not very high. 1t in.
stantly occurred to him in his extremity,
for he felt sure from the action of his horse,
that he would not last much longer in the
hard run before hem, that the safest course
for him would be the most desperate, and
this to make dRscly for the approaching
line Of this fire, and take his chance of be-
ing able to force his way through it alive.
With such barrier between himself and
the Indians, he was safe Acting upon
this stern and strange alternative, he urged
his horse steadily towards the fire, 1t was
not long before he met the dark advance
guard of the smoke, as it rolled along the
grass, and rode beneath its sitting shelter,
the fire being a mile off.
He was now securely enough out of sight
OF the Indians, and springing from his
horse, proceeded to prepare himself for a
trial of the 6ety sea- He cut his blanket
into pieces, with one Of which he bllndfolded
his horse; another he tied in loose bag a.
bout the lower part of its head, enveloplng
the mouth and nosrils. He then envelopeo
his own face in a loose Vizor of the same
material ThFSAIiket was coarse and let
IN air enough 10 barely sustain life for a
short time, while kept ont the smoke
tie coul ID hear The yeIIs of his pursuers
seemingly close al hand. He was now III
utter darkness, and mounting quickly a.
gain, headed his horse directly for the fire.
On he went, not knowing where; the reins
were frightened, and the lash and spur APP
Piled with the energy of desperation Hot
ter and hotter the air became, but on he ca"
reered, blind and headong. The fire has
struck HIM with a roaring surge Ills mar
flames crisply, aud the flesh Of his body
seems to be burning The frantic and
painting horse attempts to shy, but no. the
n n of the agony has turned that RI
derS arm and will to iron 1t cannot shy