The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-05-08
Life or Death---A Texan Rangers
Best Shot.

Best Shot.
Wilson and Cameron stood apart from
their companions. With folded arms and
thoughtful faces, they watched the shad-
ows of night stealing over lake and chap
peral.
can hour like this casts spell upon
my spirit, said Cameron. 81 love to see
the glare of day fade and give place to
the dim, placid twilight"
81 have similar feelings" replied Will
son, "but like night best when advanced
toward the small hours, and the moon
and stars are brightly beaming"
Cameron made no reply, and the parties
remained silent. Wilson was the first to
speak.
'Thats heavy rifle of yours, he said,
glancing at the weapon upon which Cam
eron was leaning. 81 dare say it has been
OF service to you in its timer"
"No money could induce me to part
with it, because have proved it's metal
on various occasions. Did | ever tell you
of an adventure | once had upon the Red
river?"
"You never did; should like to hear
| it," said Wilson.
"Several years ago, resumed Cameron,
81 was hunting near Gross Timbers, not
| far from Red river. The Indians were
then troublesome, and frequently commit
ted their depredations on the frontier set
tleme nts; but l was fond of hunting, and
cared little for them, willing to trust to my
own courage and ingenuity in any emer-
gency that might occur carried this
same rifle, and was called one of the best
shots in the country
''Many people said the piece was too
heavy for common use; but was used to
it, and it didn't feel burdensome to me
and when fired, it was sure to do the
right thing, for what animal could carry
off an once and half of lead, skillfuly
sped on its errand? Having discovered
Indian signs one day, thought it best to
change my hunting-g q ound, and so put
considerable distance between me and the
spot, and encamped on wide prairie, boun-
ded on the east by the Cross Timbers
Not long after this event, was sitting on
the bank of a small stream, resting my
weary limbs after long and fatiguing
hunt, when was fired upon and SLIGHTLY
wounded.
81 was fortunate enough to discover
the marksman, who proved to be an Indi-
an, of what tribe l do not remember. l
instantly shot him dead, and then per-
ceived that he was not alone, for one of
his brethren was with him, who made his
escape. Time passed on, and I was I'M
disturbed in my amusements for long
time.
Zone day, not feeling very well, re-
turned to my camp sooner than usual. l
laid down to sleep, but could not. felt
uneasy and nervous, and SO arose and
went on the prairie. The grass was not
very tall, and the hot sun of the season
had dried it until it was crispy, and rat
tied as | walked through it, assembled a
gentle swell and looked around me. The
scene was a grand one. On one hand
were the Gross Timbers, dimly seen in the
distance, resembling dense wall of wood
built by human hands, while in every di-
rection the prairie stretched away until
lost in the distance. The sun was getting
low, AMI looked like sunset on the sea.
AS my eyes wandered from point to point,
they were suddenly fixed upon a solitary
figure several hundred yards distant, at
the foot OF the long swell or roll upon
which was standing
He stood in open space; and at first
wondered how that could be, as the grass
was so high in every other place; but the
affair soon explained itself More careful
examination showed me that the solitary
object was an In1ian, and lis manifest OBJ
ject in packing up the dry grass was to set
fire to the prairie! 1t was doubtless the
same fellow that escaped at the time had
been fired on. He had discovered my re-
treat, and was about to revenge himself
in singular manner
The wind was fresh towards me, and
1T the grass had been set on fire, no power
on earth could have saved ne, for the
fleetest horse could not run fast enough to
escape from its devouring flames. A ter
rible dread OF that kind of death came
over me. 1 stood like one fascinated, and
gazed at the preparation of the savage
He stood in the middle of the open space
he had made, with blazing torch in his
hand. Innumerable thoughts rushed thro'
my mind in an instant of time. | was
neverso completely paralyzed and Supplied
in my life. The power of thought seemed
to be the only power left me, AMI that was
stimulated to an unnatural degree. The
past, present and future were reviewed
and speculated upon in that brief and bro
ken fragment of time in which the savage
stood waiting for the brand to burn more