The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-03-24

|
'What talk If this?" cried Dane, asitated il
spite Of his efforts at sslfcontrol. "Red Knif'
was killed yesterday"
'sHe was only wounded, interrupted Thomp
son. "He is coming to take his vengeance OF
US settlers. He has divided his band into two
They were up at the Deer Fork this morning
and are now coming this way. The points tt
be struck are your house and mine"
my God!" calculated Dane, as his inform
ant paused in his excited, breathless narra-
| ton.
ga horse! q horse!" cried Thompson, reel
| ing with fatigue. 81 can go no further on foot
My wife, my children-God pity and save
them !"
He looked from the hunter to his daughter
in agonized and mute supplication.
Dane snatched the glass from Miriam
hands and placed it to his eyes.
He looked to the northward-saw his pretty
cottage, his wife busy at her needle under the
trees and glanced at the dim line OF the horl.
zon stretching away eastward and westward
| from Lis home.
Suddenly the glass dropped from his hands
his face blanched to the hue of snow. From
| the west, seeming to emerge from the clouds
| of scarlet and gold, he had beheld band ol
mounted Indians riding boldly towards that
unprotected home, towards that unconscious
and helpless woman.
With frenzied cry, he put spurs to his
ing 10 his daughter to follow hun; a. the same
instant Thompson staggered forward and fell
in the madien's path, holding up his hands in
anguish.
"My wife my children!" be groaned.
| There was no hesitation in the soul OF the
brave Miriam.
s:Mine is but single life; he has seven de-
| pending on him." she said, aloud.
AS she spoke. she leaped from her saddle,
] and with a gesture. commanded him to take
her place. ,.ou,. s,,+oroa Tbonnson
eThe Indians"
Miriam again pointed to the saddle:
SEQ" she commanded. 'Ihlnk only OF your
family, and be goneP'
Still Thompson hesitated, sweeping the bori-
zon with eager glances, to assure himself that
no immediate danger threatened. A change
came over his face as he looked, and he utter
ed Wild cry, catching up the glass MIR. Dane
had let fall, aud looked through it.
The sight he beheld convulsed him with ter
ror.
Not a mile away, to the west, he saw coming
over ridge in the plain, and approaching
rapidly. a considerable body Of mounted
savages. >.
"They're coming band Of red,skins-di, j.
rectJy towards us |" he gasped. Sim lost. !"
Fly, Miriam, while you have the time !"
The maiden took the glass and gazed
through it an instant at the approaching Ioe,
A strange light appeared in her eyes, light
possessed only by those upon whom God has
bestowed consciousness OF His great protec-
tion-the light Of heroism which death itself
cannot master. ,,,,,
'Sure enough, she mucmurred. ":They arc
coming The leader is Fed Knife. Go,
neighbor Thompson-on the instant !"
s'We can ride together !" cried Thompson.
s'No The horse is tired. We have been to
Willow Island. We should be overtaken be.
fore we had gone two miles l'
sThen we'll die togetherl"
'sNo! mol You must mount !"
With grasp so sudden and firm that it
startled him, the maiden pushed him towards
the horse, and in another instant ne found
himself, more by instinct than thought, seat
ed Id the saddle.
sAway, Sehml" cried Miriam to her steed,
with an imperative gesture. "Away ]"
The horse broke furiously over the plain,
giving Thompson only time enough to flash o
look Of gratitude towards the maiden,- as he
dashed away to the northeast, towards his
menaced home.
A moment later, MIR. Dane looked over his
sboulder-took in at glance tho situation OF
affairs, recognizing the peril as we'll as the
heroism of his chlld--bowed his head solemnly,
as one submits to the inevitable, in approba-
ton 6 her conduct. and then he swept on to
the rescue OF his wife, his soul torn by such
emotions as are seldom brought to battle to-
gether.
And Miriam, throwing herself fiat upon the
ground. remained alone upon the plain, in the
Yery path Of o score Of mounted Indians, who
were galloping towards her with tho swittness
of the wind.