Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-03-26
informant paused in his excited, breath

Informant paused in his excited, breath
less narration.
"a horse ! q horse % cried Thompson,
reeling with fatigue. az can go no fur
ther on foot. My wife, my children
God pity and save them ~
He looked from the hunter to his
daughter in agonized and mute supplics-
ton.
Dane snstched the glass from Miriam's
hands and placed il To his eyes.
He looked to the porohwsrd-ssw his
pretty cottage, his wife busy at her needle
under the trees-and glanced st the dim
line of the horizon stretching away east
ward aud westward from his home.
Suddenly the glass dropped from his
hands-his face blanched to tse hue OF
snow. From the west, seeming to
emerge from the clouds of scarlet and
gold, he had beheld a band of mounted
Indians riding boldly towards that un-
protected home, towards that unconscious
and helpless woman.
With frenzied cry, he put spurs to
his horse and dashed away like 8 mad
man, shouting to his daughter to follow
him; at the came instant Thompson
staggered forward and fell in the maid
ems path, holding up his hands in an
guish.
my wife my children % he grosned,
There was no hesitation in the soul OF
the brave Miriam.
Nine is but q single Lie; he has
seven depending on him. she said,
aloud.
As she spoke, she. .leaPed from her SD
die, snd, with 3 gesture, commanded
him 70 take her place
But-yOur danger ~ fal1ered ThOmp-
son. The Indians"
Miriam ag ain pointed to the saddle.
@ - she commanded. "Think only
Of your family, and be gone ~
Still Thompson hesitsted, sweeping
the horizon with eager glances, TO assure
himself that no immediate danger threat
ened. A change came over his face az
he looked, and he uttered a wild cry,
catching up the glass Me-. Dane had let
fall, and looking through it.
Tae sight he beheld cOnvulsed him
with terror.
Not mile away, to the west, he saw
coming over a ridge in the plain, and
approaching rapidly, considerable body
Of mounted ssvages.
They're coming-a band Of redskins
directly towards US ~ he gssped
sm lost ! Fly, Miriam, while you have
the time ~
The maiden took the glass and gazed
through it an instant at the approach ing
foe. A strange light appeared in her
eyes-a light possessed only by those
upon whom God has bestowed q con-
sciousness of His great protectiOn-the
light Of q heroism which death itself
cannot master,
" Sure enough " she murmured, they
are coming! The leader is Red Knife
Go, neighbor ThompsOn-On the in
stant %
ave can ride together ~ cried Thomp-
son.
"No! The horse is tired. We have
been to Willow Island. We should be
overtaken before we had gone two
miles -
"Tben we'll die together!'
No, no! You must mount ~
With a grasp 80 sudden and firm that
it startled him, the maiden pushed him
towards the horse, and in another in
stsnt be found himself, more by instinct
than by thought, seated in the saddle.
Awsy, Seiim - cried Miriam to her
steed with an imperative gesture.
" Away ~
The horse broke furiously over the
plain, ,giviny Thompson only time enough
20 n3sh look OF gratitude towards the
maiden, ss he I'd away to the north
east, towards his lnaced home.
A moment later, Mr.. Dane looked over
MS shOulder-tOoK in at glance the sit
uatiOn Of affAirs, recognizing the peril as
well as the herOism Of his child-bowed
his head solemnly, as one submits to the
inevitable, in appreciation of her con-
duct, and then he swept on to the rescue
1f tsgtFz b untrI hrru
tiOns as are seldom brought to battle to-
gether.
And Miriam, throwing herself fiat
upon the ground, remained alone upon
the plain, il the very path of score Of
mounted Indians, who were galioping
towards her with the swiftness of the
wind