The Shasta courier., 1864-03-12
his brother kept him silent.

At the end of the boys bed was a dark
window, small square door, and it was
directly over the. dogs house. Philip re-
solved to go down and save the dogs. The
undertaking was dangerous one for the
least noise would arouse the williams, and
might prove fatal. But Philip Slater found
bimself strong in heart, and he determined
upon the trial. His fathers life might be in
his handsis This thought was tower of
strength in ITSELF
Philip opened the window without moving
from his bed, and it swung on its hinges
without noise. Then he threw off the sheet
and tied the corner to the staple by which
the window was hooked The sheet was then
lowered on the outside, and carefully the
brave boy let himself out upon it. He en-
joined his brother not to move, and then he
slid noislessly down. The hounds had just
found their meat, but they drew back at their
young masters beck, and Philip gathered the
flesh all up. He easily quieted the faithful
brutes, and then quickly tied the meat in a
sheet. There was light ladder standing
near the dog house. and setting this up against
the building, Philip made bis way back to his
little loft, and when once safely there, he
pulled the sheet in after him.
The strangers had not been aroused, and
with a beating heart the boy thanked God.
He had performed an act, simple as it may
appear, at which many stout heart would
have quailed. The dogs growled as they
went back into their kennel, and if the stran.
gers heard them. they thought the poor ami.
mails were growing over the repast they had
found.
At length the hounds ceased their noise,
and all was quiet. An hour passed away,
and so did another. 1t must have been near
ly midnight when they moved again, and
the lad Philip saw the rays of candle flash
up through the cracks of the floor on which
stood his bed He would have moved to the
crack where he could peep down, but at that
moment he heard man upon the ladder. He
uttered quick whisper to his brother, and
they lay perfectly still The fellow seemed
to be perfectly satisfied that they were asleep
for he soon returned to the ground floor, and
then Philip crept to the crack. He raw the
men take knives, and he heard them whisper
ing:
Wen Kill the old man and woman first, ;"
said one OF them, Z" and then wen hunt the
money. If those little brats up there tpoint-
ing to the scafold) wake up. we can easily
take care of them"
But we must kill them all, y said another
of the Williams.
YES" returned the speaker, "but the
old ones fl ST."
Philips heart beat with horror.
. Down the ladder outside quick !" he
whispered to his brother Down, and start
up the dogs! Run for the front door and
throw it open-it isn't fastened. Oh, do let
the dogs into the house a. quick as you can.
III look out for father while you gol"
Daniel quickly crawled out through the
little window, and Philip seized a rifle and
crept to the head Of the scafold, Two of the
Williams were just approaching the door of his
fathers room. They had set the candle
down on the floor, so that its light would fall
into the bedroom as the door was opened
Philip drew the hammer of bis rifle back and
rested the muzzle upon the edge of the board.
One of the men had his hand upon the latch.
The boy here uttered a single word of heart
felt prayer, and then he pulled the trigger.
The william whose hand was on the latch ut
tered one sharp quick cry, and then llupon
the floor. The bullet had passed through his
brain.
For an instant the two remaining Williams
were confounded, but they quickly compre-
hended the nature and position of their enc
my. and they sprang for the ladder. They
did not reach it, however, for at that instant
the outer door " as flung open, and the hounds
four in number-sprang into the house.
With deep, wild yell. the animals leaped
upon the Williams, and they had drawn them
to the floor just as the old hunter came from
his room
"Helpu help us. father' cried Philip
as he hurried down the ladder. I've shot
one of them They are murderers robbers
Hold en- ~ the boy continued, clapping his
hands to the dogs to the dogs.
Old Slater comprehended the nature of the
scene in moment, and sprang to the spot
where the hounds had the two men on the
floor. The Williams had both lost their knives,
and the dogs had so wounded them that they
were incapable of resistance. With much
difficulty the animals was called off, and then
the two men were lifted to a seat. There
was no need of binding them, they needed
some more restorative agent, as the dogs had
made quick work in disabling them.
After they had been looked to, the old man
cast his eyes about the room. They rested
moment upon the body Of him who had
been shot, and turned upon the boys, Phil
ip told him all that had transpired. 1t seem
ed some time before the old hunter could
crowd the whole teeming truth thro' his mind !;
but as he gradually eomprehended it ALL a
soft, grateful, proud light broke over his fea-
lures, and he held his arms out to his sons.
=" Noble. noble boys - he uttered as he
clasped them to his bosom, " God bless you
for this2 Ca dreamed not that you had
such hearts ~ .
For a long time the man gazed on his boys
in silence. while the tears of love and graft
tude rolled down his cheeks, and his wh9le
face was lighted with the most joyous, holy
pride.
Long before daylight, Philip mounted his
horse and started for the nearest settlement,
and early in the day the officers had tbe two
wounded men in charge. while the body of
the third was removed They were recog-
nized by the officers as criminals of notoriety
but this was their last adventure for the JUS
tice they had so long outraged fell upon them
and stopped them in their career.
GES. Ms.GHER stated the political situa-
tion forcibly in his speech at the banquet to
Z -