, 1860-11-09
AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF


have promised, and don't cause me 10 repent
having humOred you, you shall have poor Camp
bells place."
Hector Campbell was brave but very head.
strong young Scotchman, who had occupied the
post OF lieutenant at the fort In sudden freak
Of daring he had volunteered to stand sentry at
the fatal spot from which three sentinels had al.
ready so mysterionsly disappeared, and he paid
for his rashness with his life.
HNow, nv lads" said Death, as, in about an
hour after bis conversation with Colonel lnnes,
he approached the deserted post, at the head Of
| the dozen riHemen who had been temporarily
placed under his orders, al will tell you what
we are going to do The long and the short OF
the affair is simply this: It's a gang OF them
cussed, thievin' Iroauois that have circumvented
and carried off our men--sh0oting them with
arrows, and then decamping with their bodies.
Tonight, as l was returning to the tort,
suddenly thought heard the sound Of several
voices, and creeping on my hands and knees TO-
wards the spot, got nigh enough to see and hear
that about dozen Iroquois were then arranging
their plans to surprise the fort tonight intend
ing TO steal In upon II by the point which their
cussed deviltry had rendered so easy OF access
only stopped to learn this, when | hurried OH
to the colonel, and asked him to place you ct my
disposal. and here we are did not say word
to him Of what had learnt, being determined
that IL possible the rifles should have all the
honor Of extermnatiug the varlets. And now
ask you, are you willing and ready to follow
my orders !"
Every man cheerfulIy answered in the affirm
alive; and with Quickened pulses and sanguine
hopes, the little company again moved forward.
The post consisted Of long, narrow space,
bounded on each side by rocky, shelving bank,
while its extreme end was closed by the dark
and impenetrable-loOkng forest. The bank on
Al r H., Wi
brush and underwood, and among these Death
now carefully concealed his men taking care to
arrange them so that their fire would cross each
other and bidding them not to fire until he had
given the signal; and after they had fired, not
| TO stop to reload, but, clubbing their rifles, to
Jump down and finish the struggle in that man
ner.
with steady alacrity each man took up the
post assigned him; and in another minute. the
spot presented the same lone, still and solemn
appearance It had worn previous to their arrival
The little company had begun to grow very i'm
patient. and Death himself began to fear that the
Indians had either rued to make the attempt, or
else had changed their plan Of attack, when
suddenly his quick eye detected the form Of one
of his crafty foes issue In q crouehing position
from the deep shadow which the LOFTY trees
threw far up the pass.
aThree. six, mine, twelve,-thirteen y
counted Death, as one after another they emcrg-
ed from the wood, and with quick. cat-like
stealthiness of movement, advanced up the pass /
their rifles in trail, and their faces and bodies
rendered still more hideous and ferocious look
ing by the grotesQue markings Of their war
paint On they came, swiftly and silently, and
all unconscious Of the fate that was in store for
| them.
The foremost If the band, whose command
ing stature, wOlEteeth collar, and eagle tuf, at
once proclaimed him as chief, bad advanced until
he was directly opposite the bush in which Death
was hid, when the latter with startling distinct
ness suddenly initiated the cry Of night.oWl,
and discharged his rife.
Eight Of the Indians fell by the volley which
the remaining rifemen now poured in upon
| them but, strange TO say, one Of the five who
did mol fall was the chief whom Death had
aimed at. This unusual event was owing to tho
following cause; The branch Of the bush on
which he had steadied his arm In firing, had
suddenly yielded at the moment he discharged
his piece thus rendering harmless his otherwise
uncrring aim.
Uttering an imprecatiOn at his N luck, Death
sprang down the bank with the rest Of his com
panions, and with one bound reached the side Of
the Iroquois chief They grappled, and both
embrace, and darting glances Of savage hatred
at each other beneath their knitted and scOwling
brows
"Keep oft" shouted Death, as he saw one or
two Of his companions in the act Of STOPPING
down to assist him, /" keep off and Il he mas
ters me, let him 60"
Over and over they rolled, writhing and strain.
ing, but seemingly neither obtained any advan.
tage over the other. The head Of the Iroquois
suddenly came in contact with the point Of q
rock that protruded from the bank, stunning
| h;,, a. that he rala xed his vica-lika syrin of