Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-04-28

came on safely and pleasantly enoIigh I'M
I'll neon Of to-day, when, during a bret
halt at a crossing, when everybody was
busv. and while I was gathering flowers
along the wooded banks Of the creek, this
fendish savage pounced upon me: stlded
nv cries, bore me to his pony, mounted
with me in his arms, and got OF unseen
by wading up the creek, and keeping to
the cover Of the bushes on its banks"
s.The villain !" calculated Kit. "He
mast have been watching his opportu-
nity."
ale was. II turns out that ne saw me
in Leavenworth, before the train started
and that he has been lowering about 1t
ever since, watching for a chance to seize
me. He told me so himself"
ado you know who and what he IS q
nOnly so far as / have seen with my
own eyes-that he is half breed, and a
terrible villain %
81 can tell you something about him.
He is called Fleet Foot, and his reputa,
ton is well worthy of his name. | do not
pretend to keep the run OF many OF bis
species in fact, / have trouble to tell one
red-skin from another, so far as the gener-
ality of them is concerned but this fellow
has CHANGED to be brought to my notice
occasionally for several years, and l have
never heard of him anything but evil. AS
he never follows any business, it's likely
that he gets his living-by taking II
wherever he can find it.
He's a thorough Demon affirmed Efiie.
HE talked love to you, l suppose 2
yes; and at last, to save himself
trouble, he tried to bind my hands behind
me, and then came such a desperate strug-
gle that at length tainted. This must
have been an hour since, or just before
you saw me-
sHe has scratched and bruised your
face, | see.'
We'll. he got about as much as he gave
me- said the little heroine coolly.
You have torn your sacque and dress;
I see, in several places, and soiled them.'
sAnd lost my hat altogether. But !
can tie handkerchief over my head, and
the rest does not matter
well, Efie, you can travel, anyhow J
exclaimed the scout admiringly. i am
glad to see you take your awkward ad-
venture so coolly. But tell me where II
was that you began to recover your senses
to know where you was p
1T was just before the red-skin under
took to run away from you. hope you
didn't think L was unconscious all that
time. / knew thing or two, you may
be sure. l must have groaned some in
coming to, but the red-skin was too busy
with you to notice it. At last, when i
realized all that was going on, and recog-
nized you-that was when you and he
were talking so earnestly knew enough
| to feign Inconsistencies and watch for a
chance of deliverance. When we tumbled
into the creek, l fell upon the red-skin
as good luck would have it, and didn't
get SO much of shock as / expected
And this is the whole story
I'm glad you Jared no worse com,
mented Kit. And now for our prisoner
| never kill a red-skin in that helpless
condition, unless the outlines of blood
is fresh upon him. 1t is our duty, how
ever, to extract the reptiles fangs-in
other words, disarm him.
He suited the action to the word, adj
ding:
L will carry away his weapons, OF
course, mile or two, and then hide them
/ in some place where he will not be likely
to find them
Then you will give him his liberty ? L
would not do, 1 suppose, to leave him
where he is g
NO, Fife. Some of his four-legged
relatives-the wolves-would come and
eat him before morning.
'His pony has vanished
yes. He is doubtless miles away by
this time
Then the red-skin will have to contin-
ne his journey on foot
Kit united his hands. but tied his feet
and left him, Effie remarking:
in that way we shall get a good start
of him.
That's the idea,' rejoined Kit
Then the couple resumed their journey
| The scout was well acquainted with an
| honest rancheman named Woodbury.. who
lived on the Arkansas, about ten miles
from the scene Of this adventure, and they
started for it. Conversing pleasantly by
the way, the couple rode forward at fair
pace, Efie knowing no fear by reason OF
the scouts presence, and Kit knowing
none by reason of his matchless ability
and experience.
The sun was just setting when the
couple, after a long and wearying ride,
came in sight of the rancho they were
seeking
There it is said the scout, indicating
dark object on the distant horizon.
The travellers had now arrived near
enough to the rancho to see its outlines
distinctly, and accordingly fixed their at
tention upon it.
'The door is closed observed Kit, as
the couple rode nearer, 'and so are the
windows. But the proprietor is as brave
as the bravest as you may know by the
fact of his living here. l dare say he has
seen US approaching
AS they advanced still nearer to the
lonely rancho, they noticed that a strange
air Of desolation pervaded the premises
Not a sign of life was visible, and the lit
tie garden inclosing the house was gwen
up to weeds.
This is odd ? muttered Kit. Mr..
Woodbury. had very beautiful garden
when | was here last summer. But now
see no stock, no signs of occupancy what
ever"
He may have moved away suggested
Effie, 'and different sort of man may
now have possession of the place.
That's So; or the redskins may have
killed him. returned Kit, over whose face
had come a sudden shadow. I'm not
pleased with the looks of the thing, any
how. The house itself has gone to the