The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-12-24

| am coward or 1 could do it myself
for there is sharp knife hidden here il
the bosom of my dress. Promise me
Eph, and I'll reward you if God spares
u.s."
Eph's face was portentously pale. HI
gave her an indescribable look, ant
said, curtly, "I promise"
A dark living stream came flowing out
of the bushes and underground. AL
that could be seen were waving plumes
and the glow of war-paint, and cleaning
murderous eyes, and the shining gun
barrels held before them ready for q
deadly spring.
"The bloody cusses have drove along
all the cows and horses they could COB
ble," muttered Eben, "and hoppled
them on the edge of the woods. They
expect to find only women and children
and the old man at home. They don't
dream of the warm welcome we've got
ready for them, Eph. There, now they
begin to smell mischief the shanty looks
too quiet. Who's that big brawny fellow
crawling ahead p
"Big Pine-Tree," whispered Eph,
with his eye to the opening. "He and
his braves killed every settler in Slocum
y w.
Let 'em creep up closer. We must pick
our men every time"
There was a blaze, a sharp report, a
cloud of smoke then a yell went up
from the savages, as they sprang to their
feet, that shook the tasseled corn like a
great wind.
:" How many bit the dust that time,
Eph Z"
Eph held up two fingers.
"Let me load for you," whispered
Hanny. "I'm your other arm. Take
the old gun ; it won't kick this time"
Eben looked over his shoulder, and
was Bessie crouching on the floor behind
! him.
"Go comfort your grandfather" said
he, sternly.
The old man sat gazing with pale
vacant face and bewildered eyes at the
scene before him. A low monotonous
moan, like the cry of some animal in pain,
issued from his lips. Bessie dragged
herself to him, put her arms round his
neck, and drew his head down on her
bosom. Mrs. Gardner had hung a great
kettle of water over the fire it was all
she could do. She crept to the bed on
her knees, with her apron over her head,
and began rocking back and forth in the
intensity of silent prayer.
The yells and hoots and howls of the
savages We're like the beating of storm
waves on the shore. Every shot from
inside of the little fortress told fatally
upon the enemy. There were wild wall
ings and death-songs from band chosen
to carry off the dead and wounded.
"Only two rounds left" whispered
Eph, wiping away the powder and smoke
from his eyes.
The decisive moment of the assault
had come. There was a scrambling of
feet up the side of the cabin, and the
sound Of dull, heavy blows on the roof,
which, fortunately, was made of timber
OF great thickness, Just squared by the
aX. Eben mounted the ladder to ward
oil the assault in that quarter as best he
could with his one arm, while, resolute
and rigid as man of iron, Eph, with
hatchet III hand, took up his station at
the door, where the trunk of large hem
lock-tree had been brought to act as a
battering-ram. The redskins, frenzied
by their losses, had attempted to kindle
fire under one corner of the cabin, but
the ground and fuel being damp from re-
cent showers, it failed to ignite.
There was a dense cracking and snap
ping and bursting asunder of the planks
of the door from the terrible conclusion
of the missile directed against it. The
blows of the assailants upon the roof
mingled with those below. It was an
orgy of demoniac noises. There may
have been shrieks and walls from within,
but they We're drowned in the tempest
that ragged without.
At last they had succeeded in kindling
a slow fire under the angle of the house
where the wind drove the flames against
the wall A suffocating smell of smoke
began to creep in between the logs.
Hanny had dropped her gun, and was
now passing boiling water up the ladder
to Eben, who, Judging from the I'M
earthly yells of the half-intoxicated
savages, was using it to good effect.
Splinters from the door flew about in
all directions. 1t groaned in kind of
agony. Slowly the tough plank yielded
until there was an aperture large enough
to admit head-a head with pair of
snaky, glittering evil eyes. Eph, stand
ing little in the shadow, brought down
his AK. 1t Glove the skull of Big Pine.
Tree through bone and brain. Then
followed the sharp report of rife. 1t was
the last Eph knew. His arm dropped
lax and nerveless at his side. His head
fell forward little he sank to his
knees, and finally fell prone.
Bessie uttered heartrending cry.
Hark !" said Mrs. Gardner, holding
her back, for she would have rushed to
Eph at the risk of her life. "There's
something coming through the woods.
It's either the judgment-day or an earth
quake.
1t was q crashing and rushing and
rending through brush and underground
with the steady, even, measured beat of
horses hoofs pressed to their utmost
speed.
The loss of Big Pine-Tree had dis
organized the attack below for moment,
and the breach through the door was not
yet large enough to admit mans body.
Eben was engaged still in close hand
to-hand fight upon the roof, dashing the
boiling water upon the foe, and using it
at the same time to put out the fire. In
a moments breathing space he happened
to look toward the wood, where the
openings in the trees rendered visible
any moving object behind them. Then
he raised his voice in mighty shout
"The soldiers the soldiers" he cried.
Deliverance was close at hand.
When Eph feebly came to conscious
ness, his eyes seemed half full of blood
there was a strange whirring in his head.
His limbs were of as little use to him as
II they had belonged to another body.