Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-07-14
otion be made, essaysd 70 spsipg 70 lis

L SIUdus
All caution was now needless, for ever
savage was awakened, and snatching up hli
rifle Dick sprang out into the forest, fol
lowed by war whoop from the lips O
every redskin. y + sfgggEsET H.
! a moment only was required to show
them the situation and to shake of The
sleep that hung heavy on their eyeiids
They saw their dead comrade on the ground
and caught glimpse of their prisoner a:
ne sprang away. Then, with another fierce
war whoop breaking from their Threats,
they started in pursuit. 49, -..l $500
Dicks blood ran cold as be heard the
shouts that rang through the forest; and
well he knew that If he again fell into their
hands be need expect no mercy, for they
would svenge the death of their c0mrade
| by the most fiendish of tortures.
With only few PAGES the start, he knew
he had not much chance of escape; but,
slim as 1t was, he determined to make the
best possible use of it.
For half mile about the same distance
was kept between them; and, then, in spite
OF an his efforts, they gained upon him, and
he knew that In few minutes more he
would be in their power, unless he could
manage to deceive them in some manner
ana get them on another track. Ha
The part of the forest he was now in was
very dense, so that only a few struggling
moonbeams found their way through the
tree tops. No Indian was yet in sight;
though they were scattered on eEeR side
through the forest, trusting mose to the
sense OF hearing than to following the
trail made. 4 large tree lay on the
ground before him, and as he passed
the trunk he saw there was cavity suffi-
GENTLY large for him to force his body
into il. -
This was the hiding place he sought, and
he at once availed himself of it. Placing
his rife in before him, be forced his way in
for distance of perhaps twenty feet, where
he lay perfectly quiet, though almost afraid
the beating of his heart would betray him
to his enemies.
Hardly was he safely ensconeei when he
heard the footsteps of the Indians as they
hurried by. In few moments they had
died away; and for the first time since he
had plunged the knife into the breast of the
savage he experienced sensation Of re-
lief.
Still, be knew that be could remain
where he was but few moments, until as
sured that they had all passed by, for ere
long they would discover their mistake and
return to look for his trail. He must
emerge, and, by striking out in an opposite
direction from that which he had been pur-
suing, he hoped to elude pursuit.
Five, ten minutes passed, and Dick was
on the point of emerging from his hiding
place, when he was startled by the sound of
a tootstep above his head. An Indian was
walking along the trunk, and he could hard
ly fail to see the cavity and the signs be had
made in forcing an entrance to his hiding
place.
The settler again gave way to despair,
which was augmented moment after as
The savage gave shrill whoop to call his
Then he knew, too, that his
retreat was discovered; but he lay perfectly
quiet, hoping against his better judgment
hat he might yet succeed in escaping.
In few moments he knew, by the sound
Of feet, that the savages were all together;
and be heard consultation, not one word
Of which he could understand; but he was
not long left in suspense IS to what they
mad agreed upon. He heard some one at
work at the entrance of the trunk, while
others were heaping brushwood above him;
and he knew by this his biding-place was
discovered, and he knew the savsges in
ended to burn him alive inside the tree.
To describe the terrible agony that con-
7ulsed the heart of the settler as he became
aware of the object of his enemies, is more
han our pen can do.
He was not afraid to die; but a death by |
ire is ole from which the br west would |
shrink. There was no chance of dying by |
for the tree was full of seams |
hat admitted air. No, death would not |
,ome to his relief until the red flames |
ihould wrap his body like winding sheet. |
And this would not be done. Hours must |
,lapse before the flames would reach him. |
The tree was resinous pine, and would |
burn briskly for while On the outside; |
)ut the interior Of the trunk was damp, and |
would not catch so readily. The torture |
would be only the more prolonged.
Death would come at last, but not until |
t had been experienced, as it were, dozen |
lines by the unhappy man within.
Higher and higher the red flames rose as |
he dry brushwood was heaped upon the |
lowing pile. Like so many spirits OF evil |
he red demons worked at their terrible |
ask. To avenge their comrade was grimly |
II OlCl oA0 % b1lO HuAhAOOo HCLb OA
hey listened for some shrek to come from |
he flames to delight their savage hearts.
And our friend in bis fiery prison, how |
bore he the terrible ordeal? Already he
,ould feel the heat, and few moments
more it would be insupportable.
Once he had tried TO escape from his |
hell, but found that the aperture had been |
% securely closed up that it was impossible. |
Death by their arrows would, he thought,
AVE been better than by the flames; but
his was denied him.
Hotter and hotter it became, until he |
cit a singing on bis leg as he lay upon his
ide.
A place had burnt through, and now the /
erri0e torture had begun. The end was
lot now far away; and, with thoughts of |
lis wife and children uppermost in his
,reast, he waited for death.
Higher and higher rose the red flames,
IS the savages worked steadily for the |
ieath of their victim; but it was so fated |
hat theirs was to be accomplished first.
A loud report and volley of bullets /
anne ringing through the leaves, and five |
avages fell to rise no more.
The next moment a dozen of Dicks |
from the settlement, who had
been in pursuit all the past day and night,
,ushed forward, and an exclamation of dis
appointment fell from their lips as they saw
nothing of the object of their search.
At that instant the repori Of rife rang
,ut as if from the centre of the fire, start
ing them back apace; but the next mo-
nent the one of them who had been exam
ng the end of the tree, that as yet was I'M
ouched by the fire, exclaimed, "Quick,
Joys! tear away the fire. He is in this /
runk, and the redskins were roasting him
live"
With will the brands were scattered in |
he forest, and in few moments Dick was /
lauled out more dead than alive, though |
lot much burnt; and afterwards, whenever |
le told his story, ne always said that his
ice saved his life, the heat causing it to be
Lis rcIad inst of the rinl,t rr,nrlaant