The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1873-07-31


that sbe and the child must aay within
or close io lhe house when De was ab-
sent
Several days atterward, liuu. Bnuson
beard bis dogs ia the timber down hg tho
river, and knowing that they ucvff
opened without good esuse, eaueltup
bis rifle and hastcugd 10 where they
were barking The chase lfd him cycr-
al miles, aud when al last, De got hs
shot that iui.hel bruins career. he
found that Il was three og lour o'cloel, in
The afternoon
Swinging his game TO a tree out Of
reach Of eat or wolf be started for home
to get the old gray marc and rctnm lo
fetch i lbat night
Taking near cut, be approached the
cabin from the western side, where The
timber grew heavy up to within q few
rods of the building, and consequently
he could not SEQ the eleming, OF what
might be trauspiriug there, until De had
passed through the wood. .....
Thus II was That when, within but a
very Short distance of his home, he heard
wild piercing Shrek, he could guess
that, something terrible must be taking
place beyond the screen Of bushes and
leaves. ...."
Utterng loud shout, that his presence
might be sooner known, Branson sprmg
forward with the leaps of wounded
buck, great fear at his heart, tor he had
only too clearly recognized in tbat scream
the agonized voice of his wife. ....
II took but moment for him 10 clear
the intervening timber aud underground.
As he dashed ont into the clearing,
holding his rifle ready for instant use, be
comprehendcd at one swift glance all that
had taken place, and what was further to
fear. .........
Near the end of the cabin, facing tic
cliffs, of which have spoken, stood the
mother, her face palld aSthe dead, her
aims ohAAt'NA'hAAs aha ibA hfaiiHE NANN
fixed upon the PERCEPTIONS heights, up
which the figure of an Indian warrior
was struggling.
My child my child! was all the woman
said, and then Rufus Branson saw that
the bundle borne ii the Indians arms
was the form Of their only child, Maggie.
Firm Of heart and with nerves as steady
as the rocks around, the father for 4 mo-
ment actually quailed and covered under
what his quick sense told him, the deadly
peril of the little Que.
But be was quick to recover
The Indian was drawing away; step
by step he was increasing the distance,
and as he occasionally glanced backward
and downward, the parent saw III bis
hideously painted countenance the fell
purpose which actuated the abdnctor.
God aid me Branson muttered, as he
raised his rife, glanced through the sight
and touched the trigger ...
The Indian started violently at the shot
He was bit but not badly, and with a yen
Of deyIish triumph, he started upward
Two low by couple Of inches, said q
low calm voice at tho settlers elbow,
Branson started up as though he had
himself been shot.
Where has this man come from? Who
is he?
Neither had seen him approach.
But this was no time for explanations
The strange, man rather below than
above his ordinary height, whose fine ath-
letc form was fully displayed by bis
closely fitting buck-skin garments, step
ped quickly forward few PAGES, and
firmly planting his foot in advance, threw
up an unusually long rife, as though pre-.
pairing to fire For Gods sake stranger
be careful Of my child cried Brauson,
while the agoniXod mother multcred an
maudabIe prayer
It's our only chance. know that La
dian was the quick reply, and the sblrI
click Of the hammer as 1t was drawn back
told that the critical moment had come.
BY this time the Indian had nearly
reached the summit of the steep.
That he was wounded now became evi
dent as upon broad ledge Of the rock.
he rested a moment.
The opportunity was seized by the uu
known.
Althoug the savage bad taken the pre-
caution TO hold the child up in front q
him as shield, covering nearly the
whole Of his hrawneY chest, but leaving
his bead bare, the stranger did not besi,
tate In making the shot. For one scc03e
as ii gained It's position, tbe rifle waycrct
and then Instantly became ne immoyable
as il held in u wise.
With clasped hands ana strauiug eye
the parents watched the statue-like form
upon whose .kill so much depended
Suddenly d sharp report rang out, lhl
white smoke drined away aud a. the Wis
ion became clear, they saw lhe lBdial
loose his bold upon the ohild aud rec
wildly for au instant, aud lhen pitch Tot
ward upuH The rocks
1t may be imagined that tbe pther WIS
not long ia reaching lhe place where Va,
child lay, aud go icw moments more ih
; littir one wa. ln II mother arms
'frIl as who Fou are, iiat ar uay tnag
. what naWa % niusie in anr pmgrf@ .ap
The mother, o. tbe stranger ae3arod 90 d
part.
My name is Daniel Boone be- taid au,
was gone.