The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-08-06
A Settlers K xplOit.

i'll tuke OF admission.
On seeing this, the savage walked up and said !;
| II see you're a big chief and hope we may be
good friends
Where live ?"asked the savage,as he produced
q stout thong of deer skin, and leeded to bind
the hands of his captive,s who being small man
saw he was match for the other. even without
weapons either side, AMI SO submitted quietly.
tn ugh agonized at the thought ofhis poor helpless
wife and children, in their lonely cabin over the
hill.
II live out yonder not great way from here
replied the captive, noddng bis head in the propc
er direction.
How many got r. queried the savage.
The settler hesitated about telling correctly
He first thought he would name number large
enough to deter the Indian from going thither. and
| thus, perhaps. save his wife and children from q
fate like his own: but after a moments reflection
it occurred to him that, should the savage
take him there, chance might arise Tor him to
regain his liberty, and he decided upon speaking
the t nth.
why no Long knife tell demanded the In
dan with an impatient frown. "No make lie
No chief tell you the truth. There only
three persons in my cabin-nay wife and two chill
dren-but know big brave chief like you
wont hurt EN-.
fierce CLEAN of triumh, which the other did moi
! fail to notice.
Having tightly bound the hands of his captive
behind his back, the savage felt about his dress
tor any btnef WedpOHS look away Ills aHlIDunHlOn
and putting both weapons over his shoulder, told
the white man to lead the way. This the latter
did full of hope, fear and general anxiety; ill he
came i'll full view of his humble log dwelling siiu-
ated in pleasant valley, through which flowed a
| petty little str cam, a branch of the Green river
when the Indian ordered him to stop, and proceed
ed to max him fast to tree, by means of auoth~
er deer-skin thong secured TO that around the
wrists.
"Ain't yon going TO lot me go down to the house
with you p inquired the captive, now beginning
to feel much alarm for the salty of his family
"Me go alone?' returned the savage CRU fly
| :" Me big chief--want scalp 2 -...s ...-
oh, tor Gods sake don't kill my por, innocent
wife and children r. pleaded Bnwditch, fairly
! agonzed at the thought. "Tou are great chief,
know, and you'll remember that they never did
! you any harm =
| "Long>knife scalp much good I? rejoiDed the
Indian sullenly, he finished binding the other to
a tree, and s,rode away down the hill. carrying
the Two weapons with him. Bowditch watched
tim step by step, as he glided awa under cover
| of the trees, keeping some rock stump; or clump
of bushes between him and the inmates OF the
dwelling they might not by any chance perceive
his approach and take alarm;
s'At any rate can boiler yet T. muttered the
captive "and may be they'll hear me = and forth
with he set up series of yells, that went echoing
and re ech0ing far awav through the forest
The settler saw his life and children come in
haste TO the door and look up at the hill n alarm
At this, ne shouted at the top of his lungs.
'Quiek, Esther-go back into the house and
bar il up tight The Injuns arter you and Pm
prisoner Quick Quick or you re lost, and the
children too z!
For moment or two the mother and children
stood as if parayZed with establishment aud ter
ror, and then. to his great relief he saw his little
boy point in the direction of the skuiking savage
and all three retreated and closed The door.
The Indian now uttered fierce veil and step-
ped out into plain view, fred both pieces.
after the other at the dwelling, as if he had m>
pusivly adopted this means to vent his rage at
being discovered and folled OF his murderous pur>
pose Then looking around at his captive, he
threw down the rifle belonging to the latter and
drawing his tomahawk, started toward him
run. Bowditch, who had watched every motion,
and knew that the savage would brain and scalp
him now gathered ali his strength and made one
desperate effort free himself acting rather from
the instiact, selt-preserva;ion than from any hope
of success.
But to his great joy, his unspeakable joy, he
felt his bonds strain, crack and snap and sud-
denly found himself free and his at liberty.
He looked quickly and wildly around aim ost dis
posed to do Lbt his seIses-to discredit his go I'd
tortune-for any fortune seemed good which gave
him even G bare chance for his life where he ex-
pccted only certain death. The Indian at
least hundred AMI fifty yards from him, aud his
rifle unoaded; and with start in for life
- race that involved not only his life out that
OF his wife and ahildren--who SO swift Of foot as
to overtake him
With oud yell of mingled joy and defiance,
away he went over the hill, and with louder
veil OF rage AT MS unexpected escape, Inc HefG6
savage c me branding after him Bowdteh knew
every inch Of ground in that vicinity, and he had
already gained sufficient presence OF mind TO shape
his course to take advantage OF al the chan>
ces in his favor. The hill, about the summit
succession of rocks and bushes, with caves |
chasms and preeipices, and er, through and |
along these natural ubstructions the fugitive be-
lieved ne cOuid make his way with any man liv- |
ing ether red or white ard took the most |
troublesome route for his larger and more unwield
ty pursuer, resolved, should he by |
chance find the latter gaining on
HIM 1t u csrtain cave not more than half mile |
distant. where he could enter, by following one |
of the labyrlnhja passages within, aud could
c)me out on the same side into thicket no more
than fifty feet from fhe main opecing
Looking back occasionally, as he fled along his |
rocky way with the ease of a mountain goat |
Bowditc soon discovered that however superior /
to him his adversary might be in mere physical |
strength he was no match for him IN speed IN tina
particular locality; and this not only inspired |
him with hope of escape, but with such co nfi
dence in his own resources, that he began to cal,
culare in turn how he might best compass the de-
rtruction ofhis foe. . f-.......
why not lure him into the cave" he mutter-
cd and let him fool hi, time around thar. Wills;
start back arter my rife, and follow up my au :
daciuus whep? I'll do it, and if don't get even
with him, then it's clear case tortin's against
me-
Having come to this determination, Bowdisch |
siackencd his pace until his pursuer was in full |
view. when he pretended TO stumble and fall and +
then got up and ran with limp, which caused
the savage to yell with fierce delight and redoub-
led is eXertlons to,Overtake him. This was exact>
Iy what he intended to bring about and he now
managed his pace wilh much deception, that, Il
though seeming to exert himself to the utmost he /
permitted the painting savage TO gain little ev-
cry minute till the mouth OF the reach-
ed. AT which time not more than hundred PAGES
divided them. The Indian the fugitive dis
appear III the dark opening, and believing that h
ne no had him secure once more he came bound. |
NM ptu tttrndi ffaY fri:
umph. The settler, who knew every twist and
tutn ofthe cave-and there were many-now ut :
tered a sort of waiting groan from the center, to
urge the Indian on, and then quietly slipped off in
different direction and reached the bright open
air, about the same time the other did the center
of the interior
Now then for it," muttered Bodwitch as he II
slipped the brow OF the hill and ran towards
his dwelling, which, owing to the ridge, bending
ro1nd the valley, in the shape OF magnet, or
horse shoe, was scarcely as far distant when he
called to lis wife.
HIS family him and with a cry of Joy his
wife threw open the door.
"QuIck Esther!" he exclaimed as he came /
up painting; ''rother powder horn and some bul>
lets-quick!"
Amt you coming in Samuel 2" inqured the Il
wife, in surprise and alarm
Just long enough to get them things, since you l.
ont" he answered as he bounded in and hurried
to rude shelf on one side OF the room, i've +
sort a played the coward once 10 >day,' he added
land now / m going to wipe it out Shut The door
Esther, and keep yourself and the children out of
danger. Ill be back shortly. Good byer and
without waiting for reply, he out in !the d.
rection OF lis rifle his wife vainly calling for him
and entreating him 10 come back, and no! risk i
his life toolisnly.
AS soon as he once got hold of his rife |.
he loaded it, and felt, as be afterwards expressed +
it, like new man. Then keeping under cover, Il
he hurried up to point where be could secrete Il
himself and command tair view of til mouth of /
the cave. within easy ride range.
If old Paint-tace haunt mlzzled, be muttered,