Litchfield enquirer., 1869-04-01
rha ina;pidnal addressed was silent

] The individual addressed was silent j i full minute, as it seemed. from sheer alnazement; then he sprang out from his finding place with a cry of relief, and ad- vanced swiftly towards the father and daughter. 4.s t.s s
 He was man of middle age of the or dinary type of backwoodsmen, strong and brown and stalwart, of the rude rough type that seems to belong to the border. His face was haggard and white, although oov-' cred with precipitation. His breath came through his parted lips in quick, uneven ] gasps. He had run far and swiftly. and looked as if he was about to drop from fla tigae; . l..a E.,a m, Dane, with keen anxiety. the mans sin shock of alarm
 The Indiansr gasped Thompson scarce ly able to command his voice. They are coming! Red Knife and his band-divided my wife-my childrenL Help me! Help mel! saas } l1o-e sls F, M a s... What talk is this?' cried Dane, agitated in spite of his efforts at self-c0ntrel. Red Knife was killed yesterday {. .
 He was only wounded, Interrupted Thompson. He is coming to take ven geance on us settlers. He has divided his band into two. They were up at Deer Fork this morning, and are now comm g this way The points to be struck are yolIr house and mine. ''>" ''""3' 'i'Fa3
 My Godr calculated Dane, as his infor- mant paused in his excited, breathless nar- I ration. !.i4a
 "A horse! horsep cried Thompson, reel Ting with fatigue. T can go no further on foot My wife, my childrsn-God pity and save themp
 He looked from the hunter to his daugh- ter in agonized and mute application.
 ] Dane snatched the glass from Miriam s hands and placed it to his eyes. @sa
 He looked to the northward-saw his pretty cottage, his wife busy at her needle under the trees-and glanced sat the dim 1 line of the horizon stretching away east ward and westward from his 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 of mounted Indians riding boldly towards that unprotected home, towards that unconscious and helpless wo- man. '@'< Ea2
 With a frenzed cry, he put spurs to his horse, and dashed away like madman, shouting to his daughter to follow him; at the same instant Thompson staggered forward and fell in the maideI's path, hol- ding up his hands in anguish.
 My wife! my childrenP he groaned.
 There was no hesitation in the soul of the brave Miriam. l@s. ''
 Mine is but single life; he has seven
 depending on him. she said aloud. a.a5 As she spoke, she leaped from her sad dle, and with gesture, commanded him to l take her place. .ia4 5se 4.
 bue-.your dsaserp falterel Thompson. "The Indians--'ess ,r, -.
 4s Miriam again pointed to the saddle. :. l fGo. she commanded. Think only of your family, and be goneis <''" s5 Still Thompson hesitate0,, sweeping the I horizon with eager glances, to assure him. l self that no immediate danger threatened. l A change came over his face as he looked, and he uttered aiwild cry, catching up the I glass Mir Dane had let fall, and looking .. The sight, he beheld convulsed him with terror, ,@ae..ts@s....a.z. -'4 proaching rapidly, a considerable body of
 mounted sayages. r They're coming-a band of redskins directly towards us!'s he gasped, I'm lost! Fly Miriam, while you have the timeP.s. 2anj lt:s4I ,z..ast ss4a.s. <.. s... | The maiden took the glass and gazed
 through it an instant at the approachirg g foe. A strange light appeared in her eyes "a light possessed only by those whom Con. has bestowed consciousness of His great protection-the light of heroism 4 which death itself cannot master. iDot,- ss' 2. Jca Sure enough she Y murmured. sThey l,are coming! The leader is Red Knife. tGo, neighbor Thompson-on the instantp 1n1s We can ride together! cried Thompson. T No! The horse is tired. We have
 been to Willow Island. We should be tovertaken before We had gone two miles! 1b1 Then we'll die together.p '''''' 'A'. I4o No! mol You must mountpa 1k.e 4Hi! a5 Il ., With a grasp so sudden and firm that it
 startled him, the maiden pushed, him to- ward the horse, and in another instant he T found himself more by instinct than by
 thought, seated in the saddle. ze asi1 so 5 L, Away Selimp cried Miriam to her steed with an imperative gestlre.s Away! 4.e F The horse broke furionsly oyer the plain } giving Thompson only time enough to flash ] Ia look of gratitude towards the maiden, as he dashed away to the northeast, towards Il his menaced home. .c - 'tN "A moment later, MT. Dane lOOk60 over ? his sshoulderAtcok in q glance the situation
 of affairs, recognizing the peril as :, we'll as
 the heroism of his, child bowed his head Ilsolemnly, as one submits to the inevitable, E in approbation of her 'tonduct, and then . he swept on to the rescue of his wife, fl hls soul torn by such emotions as are seldom
 brought to battle together. = sf5 And Miriam throwing herself fiat upon the ground, remained alone on the plain in the very path of score of mounted In
 dians who were galloping towards her with tthe swiftness of the wind! | eet4..,as CHAPTER IL, r.e.ss :. A CURIOUS AND srARTIIxG MYsTERYl : | Skirting the Black Hills, forty miles west of Fort Laramie, 8 party of horsemen were riding eastward. - ll They had left Fort Bridger eight days ! before, taking the route of the North Platte, and were now following the Ore sl gon emigrant road, among those long ridg.
 es, dry beds of rivers, and sterile plains, , by which the region of the Black Hills is distinguishe sls.sas I.za as -IIs1t.itsI The bulk of the party consisted of ten ,, ,lcayalrymen, under lieutenant, whe were lreturning to Fort Laramie, their post ol duty. They were well mounted. and had l iseyeral led horses in their train, loaded T z%# E