Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-04-16
VOLUME %, NO. 81.

I BE-, they were on loot, ~ that part 0i the
forest was too dense to permit OF tho pass
age Of horse. Apprehension lent speed
to his footsteps. Ho thought that the cap
tor OF his child would naturally be imPeded
in his progress, and that u he could sue
coed in outstripPins him, he might vet save
her.
lie pressed on at the very top Of his speed
for some thirty minutes, until he reached
an opening. the existence Of which no had
heretofore been ignorant of. lie saw st
once that this would be the only means OF
escape from the woods. II was bounded on
either side by deep marsh, through which
no one could pass. Here, then, he deter
mined to post himself, and wait for a 'ime'
trusting to the appearance Of the abduet1r.
That he might bo himself sAle from observa-
ton. be climbed into a tree, and waited with
bea,ins heart and almost crarri brain, for
what might occur.
NJ, long did he have u wait. With the
.,-althy crawl of the panther, thrn-'ing
n.,d, the underwood, and carefully survey
in, every inch ~ ground b'ilri hia. ''t'l
wart Indian, l,,tr,ns a.. NV nnrs''tins
form Of the far Amy. mad hi'hppe'rine'.
II, deposited the cliId among some tangled
wines. directly under the trre who're the
father was stationed. and then sklrIing the
clearing. passed along to the othcr'lde. with
the probable intention oi summonng some
Of hi. fellows. Mr.. Gardiner waited until
the Indian had disappeared then sliding
down from his position, he so'zei his child,
and whispered in her ear
"Make M ou,cry, bat rou.o! 1t syour
father, Amy"
The word. seemed To- recall her % life.
Sho bad evidently lost her consciousness
through terror. But now that a familiar
voice fell upon her ear, she came to h'r''II'
and clung tightly to her parent.
"Quick. tLi, way. dearest. That bad
man will .oon return. and perhaps with ard.
wc must endcayor to rach the cabin before
they reach us"
They now commenced their return. They
had not proceeded FAR, however, ere they
heard the lndi ,ns' cry oidiaPPointmen'r'ns
through the solitude, and awaken the echoes
ot th- forest.
..rb.y hav, Discovered your -''tP', ani
will .o,p b, upon u.. W. mus, pre'' on'
Nmy. or ". shall re Dor. Take e'ur'sr,
pussy, lean on ny arm
A,un ~. chat Drun. rry r'p 't'd.
"Aa. t,ry nuru. Will, ,"rmn'' turn
upon them. + have tt--ynn mast start ''
one, C,r the cabin. Ypu can hni e. .c'ny'a
not? rrn your mother - bring 'hs gun
and an th, amuniti,n q thi' .P't. l vail
.tayani keep the villains At bay
Amy started or ~ directed. while her
father placed hin.rll behind a tree to watch
ior the approach ofthe enemy.
The nigh, W.. coming on aPic', the thick
folias, Of the trees making is't'll darker
Soon at his very side stood one OF the dark
.k,,pcd thieves. GARDENERS knife was in
hi. heart in a moment-not moan or sigh
escaped the victim. The only 'odnd was
that caused by the heavy ill!insoi the dad
man. But even this wa. heard by his COM
panions. who now advanced and perceived
the white man and his victim AZ his feet.
Quicker than thought tnmahawk was
thrown at him, which, had he not dodsed
il. would have cleft hi. brain. The s,e.dy
aim Of Gardiner sent bullet through tho
heart of the rel man. Now had arrived
the time for action. H. could MT reload
hi. weapon. Ills a.Sallants werc pressing
too closely upon him fJr that The only
thing he could DO was 10 club his ride ani
keep them at hay as best he might, until his
wif,'- arrival might create .pms dlvcr'l1n.
I'm thi. way be- managed to retrrit a short
distance. Unfortunately hi' heel caught
up,n a fallen limb, and he was thrown fore.
lilly upon his back.
Atth,t m,m,nt. anI before be- could -.
c,y.r. hug, brly f.ll upon hin' ""
came the struggle! Tw, p,Nrrlui mn
.ra.pins each other with the mlslt'i nsi'
ne,s. knowing that lifeor d,a,h wrnld BE- tho
result They rolled over tose'her--'hey tore
a, each Others le.h with nails and teeth.
more resembling Wild animals than human
being, Itwasa matter Of doabt who would
he tho conqueror' In one Of the shor:
pause. Of the struggle, Ghrdiner'' quick
ear detected the sound Of an approaching
step. He turned aud saw his wiic with the
musket in its rest. Toe Indians also saw
her. and fearing that number Al the white
mans friends had arrived, those who could
turned and fed. The one with whom
Gardiner wa. struggling now endeavored to
free himself. bat in vain. lie was held in
a yicelikc embrace.
"Quick, wife, FIRE! Hit tins villain y
Amy carefully approached her father, and
drawing hrs knife from hi' belt placed 1t in
his hand.
The contest now became short one.
Filled with wound. and bleeding prOfu.ely,
the savage relaxed his hold, and fell liiel'''
beside him. IL has taken .ome mom'nb u
describe, but the battle lasted hardly a'
long.
Relieved Of their las, f,e, the farmer and
HI. wif,. with the chil, VII, had - hr'u-
n.,rly been r-.cuci from ia,f w'r-' than
death returned to their humble hnm' srsts'
rnl and jpyful. They were not ac''n 'n'r-