The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-11-26
Yes; they are coming
1s

yes; they are coming
'WhoP y
odd Cross.Fire and three others
sAnd Rosel'
She's safe enough, riding the little white
pony, and Old Cross-Fire is leading i,
along
Lewis, III shoot the impudent scoun.
drel. if | die for it, muttered the youth;
and he clenched his teeth with rage.
Hush. Ellit. hush! Do as tell you and
all will be well. Crouch down as low as
you can get. and be quiet
The old red-skin wretch growled the
young hunter.
BE easy, boy!' said Wetzel; she is not
to be shot tell you. I'll attend to him.
Ellit, you are getting feverish; | see 1t on
you already. Keep. cool-keep COLOR
you can never shoot to kill
The eye of Weizel was quick TO per-
ceive that his youthful comrade was la
boring under some nervous excitement,
occasioned by the novelty and probable
danger of the situation in which he was
placed.
IN be cool presently he replied.
'Only do as tell you, Ellit. Lay low
draw your breath easy; and don't whisper
another word as you value your life and
Roses too
Some time elapsed before either made
the slightest motion. At length the tramp
ling OF the pony, approaching the creek.
was distinctly heard; Ellt made a motion
towards raising his head to obtain a sight
Of Rose, but his purpose was promptly
thwarted by the brawny arm Of his com.
%panion, who brea,hed, rather than whisper.
ed. in his ear, his ~favorite injunction, BE
quiet!'
Wetzel's head was placed behind a
cluster OF green leaves, through the inter-
stices of which he was enabled TO obtain a
view of the shore of the creek; opposite
the place at which the canoe was sunk
He observed Old Cross-Fire conduct the
pony to the margin Of the bank, at which
place he lifted his captive to the ground.
The sobbing OF Rose at this time was quite
audible. AS the sound fell upon Elliot's
ear he trembled with emotion-and might
have infringed Wetzel's order, had not the
latter, anticipated something OF the kind.
turned his face towards him, and frowned
him into silence.
Old Cross-Fire, setting no store on
Roses saddle, merely stripped the pony
of its bride, which he slapped across the
animals back, and, with a second swing.
threw it on the beach below him. The
pony cantered into the bushes, where it
soon commenced feeding upon the wild
grass at its feet. In another moment the
Indian had lifted Rose down the declivity,
and their whole party appeared on the
beach. Two Of them waded into the
creek as far as the twig which had been
observed by Wetzel, where they plunged
their arms into the water, and drew forth
a wooden fork. Their canoe Immediate
ly rose to the surface. Dexteriously throw
ing out the water it contained, they push
ed it to the shore, where Old Cross-Fire
and the other warrior had renamed to
stand guard over Rose. The fair captive
was then placed in the bow of the canoe,
one OF the Indians seated himself in the
centre; whilst another drew forth the pad
die, stood erect in the stern and pushed
off. The old chief and one Indian re.
manned on the beach, probably TO await
the return of the canoe.
All of these motions were distinctly OBJ
served by Wetzel. who quickly matured
his own plans. The moment the canoe
was pushed off, he made signs to Elliot to
be in readiness.
8 sAim!' said he, in a scarcely audible
whisper, sat the fellow in the middle Of the
canoe Pint directly at his body, and
don't pull till | give the word
Elliot directed the the muzzel of his
gun towards the water, and just then had
the first view OF the enemy. The sight o.
= Rose Slightly disconnected him. but sum
moning all his manly energies into action
, he cooked his rifle and took accurate aim
, at the designated object.
WetzeI, meanwhile, graduated his piece
3 in nearly the same line Of sight; and a
f the instant the canoe reached the mouth
Of the creek, he gave the word in a cleal
whisper-'Pull!'
+. Both rifles firing precisely at the same
: moment. blended their reports so admira
bly, that the ear could not have distinguish
} ed two separate discharges. Both Indian:
fell: the one in the centre Of the Graf
dropped on its bottom; but the other, who
t had been standing upright in the stern
capsized the canoe in falling over. Ihi!
was a contingency which Wetzel had per
haps, not contemplated. lie was prompt
however in meeting il.
, plunge in!' he whispered to Elliot, who
l had made up his mind to do so. regardless
of consequences. The youth dropped hi
t rifle, and at one bound was over the bank
!. and at another in the water. He Piled hi:
l limbs with almost super-human strength
, A shot was fred from the shore, but hi
scarcely heard it, so eagerly was he ben
upon saving Rose from the hightful dealt
D hy uh;ch che was threatened For