Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-09-08

that proper watch was kept where h
anticipated danger.
At length, half maddeIed by the menta
pain he suffered, Anderson cast himself de
! spairingly upon the floor of the hut, turn
/ ing his face from those around, that they
might not see its workings.
The young mans action was not withou
its effect; for his companion, the FRIEND
who had escaped with him from the blacks
assault upon the previous day, now broke
the silence, saying in utter forgetfulness o
! the women and children:
'.It's all over, my man; We may as vel
shake hands all around and make arush fol
it, light into the black mob, rs stop here
and be burnt out like squirrels in tree
can't bear this standing still any longer.
But though he looked from face TO face
no man answered him, but on the whole
avoided his gaze, and watched on at the
dusky figures of the sayages as they moved
necessarily TO and fro. When. seeing thsi
his words were Of no effect. coolly laio
aside his t.fe, rolled up his shirt sleeve
and opening a large knife, began to rut
ard sharpen it upon the hearth-stcne.
The mental anxiety was frightful; 70,
let alone the thoughts Of poor Mary's fate,
it was as though death was about to des-
cend upon the watchers from moment tc
moment, while they we're debarred from
making a single struggle for life.
The morning fed, and noon came; and
still there was no further attack, and
wounded figures had been seen 10 struggle
and gradually stihen into the rigidity oi
death within their sight; others to crawl by
slow degrees into ths shelter of tho bushes
unheeded by their savage companions.
but still no further attack was made, i.
see eming evident tina. the blacks were hold
ing consultation amongst themselves in the
shelter Of the trees and bushes but shorI
distance off,
Now black figure would glide into sight
and look menacingly toward the hut before
darting out of sight once more. Then
there was a lorg interval before another
WIS seen. and then eyes we're strained
amongst the trees in vain for sight OF
their enemies.
The heat had been excessive, and the
small supply of water within the hut being
exhausted, the men began to suffer terribly
what little they had having been nobly Civ.
Ell up 10 Mrs. Harris and the children. All
at once though. Teddy seized o pail, and
lolling his tongue out like a thirsty dog,
began making signs that he should lie le,
out to fetch water-signs that were quite
unnecessary. for he had no difficulty in
making himself understood in his master &
language.
But Harris was immovable, and ordered
him back. The blacks fidelity had been too
often tried, and Samson felt that he could
not afford to risk the loss of one faithful
servant at q time like this. So Teddy put
down the pail upon seeing his Noaster's
mood, seized again waddy and spear, and
dropping painting and tongue loIling, took
his place at one OF the windows to watch
again for his enemies.
His face was study as he stood there
watching, his eyes half closed, mouth
twitching and nostris working. He was
evidently perplexed, and more than once
made a movement as if to climb out of the
window; but at length his face changed in
to fixed immobility, and he seemed wait
ing till his master should command.
Hour after hour passed by, and all was
still silent. From watching. Samson took
to examine the powder keg once more
But it all seemed turned to solid mass
till with hatchet he knocked of hoop
after hoop, cleared away the little staves
and struck the block heavily with the
hatchet, 20 find, when the shell was
broken, that within were some pounds of
uninjured powder, at the sight of whose
grimy grains mems hearts rose, and rifles
were loaded, and TASKS were eagerly filled
In readiness once more, they awaited
the next attack; but the sun had long be-
gun to descend, and for hours they had
neither heard yell nor seen a single fig
ure gliding from amongst the trees.
"Um all gone. cried the black shepherd
suddenly; ''here Juno"
And in fact, friskiDg and playing about
in front OF the hut, one of SIMPSONS dogs
had made its appearance, whining and
bowling till it was admitted; but fearing
that the blacks might still be within reach,
Sampson kept his companions within doors
only yielding tc the appeal of Teddy. that
be might 90 out and see.
Teddy glided like great snake cut OF
the back window and was soon lost to
sight; but before a long. horse or two,
some sheep and the COWS came bleating
and lowing about the hut, affording abun-
dant proof that the savages, of whom they
nave a wholesome dread, fleeing rapidly
at the sight of their spears, had departed.
| And now began the search for Mary, all
present knowing that sooner or later they
must find her living or dead, though almost
all felt, as they set about their search with
heavy hearts, that the wailing mothers
tears were not without cause,
II case of surprise, they all KEEP. to.
gether, fearing to shout, but encouraging
the dog to hunt arornd, when suddenly
Anderson's rifle rose TO his shoulder, and he
was about to fire, but perceived just in
time that the black figure rapidly approach
ing was that of Teddy, the shepherd.
can gone right way" he said, noddine
lis head sagaciously, as he pointed out the
family masked trail made by the departing
saveges, while he was loud in his declara
tions that they were ''too much fright
come back never-never. When asked
what he thought about the missing girl, b.
only shook his head, and would not an
swer till rressed, when his reply was, "NC
know-try ind;" and bending down, b,
began to span every foot print in the di
rec.ion she would have been likely to hav
! taken, till darkness put q stop to tn
search, and all save Samson and Anderson
returned to the hut.
No one saw the agony CT those two mel
as now, slowly working their way thrcug
the bushes, stumbling with utter weari
ness, they strobe on till nature would hol
OUT no longer, anu Trey SANK down, w0r
out, to sleep for an hour or two beneath th
watching stars; but only to leap mp n
preaching themselves for relaxed efforts
. as they hurried back to the hut to try an
hear some tidings of the lost girl.
~.
! The haggard, drawn countenance of San
3 son Harris wife saluted them as they hu
ried up to the door Of the hut, and in thi
/ encounter. where each sought for news
Q hope, it was plain enough to read the bl
/ ter tidings written in each anxious fac
q Anderson turned away with groan, an
r was proceeding toward the dense scru
o when Sampson called to him to halt, as ]
kicked at the black shepherd to rouse hi
,. from his deep sleep.
v Ten minutes after, with Teddy leadii
II the way, they were examining the groun
step by step. in the hope of finding Il
d track by which Mary had entered the scru
d but the grass was so trampled in every {
N rect on that the task seemed hopeles
o Footprints and trails there were lacing al
n interlacing, one destroying the identity
W the other; bat though seeking as il We
p entirely in the dark, they pressed on no