The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-05-07

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crossing the stream ON the mili-dam. and
awaiting upon the other side the appears
ance OF the old INDIAN upon the scene
of the young ones disappearance.
I" Hunting to-day, are your" said MIR.
Luther, who met Foster AZ the MILL
= Yes; looking around little. Seen
any game down this Way. MIR. Lutherg
: Not to-day but a very large bear
swan the pond yesterday. and my rifle
was at the house. Find any thing above
heard you shoot"
"Game Is scarce on this side. Mr..
Luther, and thought | Il try t'other side.
Shot something up there, but II fell In the
creek and sunk but don't care much
guess 'twasn't good 10 ,at."
Next day, and for several days succeed
ing. there was great commolion la the
neighborhood. Two indians had sudden
ly disappea red, and nobody seemed to
know whittier or by what means. Nor
was the perplexing mystery even partially
solved until two weeks afterwards. when
the dead bodies iloated into the mill-pond.
The theory then was. thar, while enga ged
in fishing, the Indians hal fallen into the
creek and drowned. This theory would
have done very well. had not an OH In
dian, an ex-Chief. 'put in an appearance "
as the bodies were upon the point of be-
ing buried. He knew the father and son
to be expert swimmers. and secuted the
idea that they could have drowned. I'm
covering the bodies. and examining them
carefully. he said. shaking his head:
No drown; no drown. no water Kill ;
he be shot; white man kill. Sec" and
he placed his finger ON the bullet-marked
spots.
Come TO look at the matter more closely.
Indian was correct They had noticed
those supicious-looking marks before, but
had thought little about them. The bodies
were duly buried. and a searching CD in
vestigation of the affair instituted, bur
with barren results.
Foster rested upon his ''laurcl." for a
time, waiting for the excitement 10 sub.
side. and suspicion 10 allay Ii would not
do 10 be always on the war-path. Safety
and success could ne better achieved by a
season of mastery inac,ivity;" and
safety and success were both desirable 10
Foster.
Being at Salisbury Corners. one after
noon. he eseied a couple of Indians. both
OF whom wereconsideraDly under the inilu-
cnce of liquor. Lettering about the vi Gage
until shutdown, and Keeping an eve upon
his victims. he saw them depart for their
forest home. staggering as they w mt. and
determined tojourney in the same direc-
ton. 1t is scarcely necessary 10 inform
the reader that these Indians never saw
their wigwams again. They We're found
dead in the road next morning; and the
commonly receive opinion was that being
intoxicated they had died from cold and
exposure,
Upto this time. Foster had not aroused
the suspicious of the Indians. in any
marked degree. Hencrforward. however.
they regarded him with distrust: and he
was much of the time under their wstchful
surveillance, though they were unable To
iasten guilt upon him. He was early al-
prafSed OF their suspicious. and deported
himselfwith greater caution than formerly,
but was still intent upon fuller sati>fae-
ton.
Familiar with their haunring-placcs in
the forest. ne would conceal himself in
some place of safety. and as favorable OPP
portunities presented. send among them
his leaden compliments. From his place
of ccncealment he one day discovered am
Indian picking wintrrgre, ns and gathering
herbs Of various kinds. and. seeing no
others with him. concluded that thi. was
the = Medicine Man." and that the pres
ent would be- a good time 10 interrupt his
practice. No sooner had the bullet done
its work. however. than the war-whoop
sounded from a half-floZen Threats not
tar away. There were too many for one
man 10 grspple with, and Foster sought
safety ia flight. The timber was very
thick and heavy. and tire ground quite
uneven; and Foster knew every rod oft.
Just under the brow OF neighboring hill
was Rattlesnake Den. and in this he de-
ternined 10 take refuge. The Indians
were coming in hot pursuit. but so tar had
not seen the enemy. and We're guided in
the chase entirely by the sound of his re-
treating footsteps. They gave the Dem
wide berth. supposing certain death 70
be the penalty of a near approach. On
reaching the top of the hill. they IauSed.
and listened for the sound they had been
following. but listened in vain. 4 short
consultation was held. during which the
Den was mentioned; but the idea Of
its search was rejected as being unworthy
of sane mans consideration. Ii the
enemy had taken refuge there. his death
was certain and ifany sought an explora-
ton Of those dark recesses. the bill 81 NOR
tally would be 80 much the greater--so
they argued. But bark. souni was
heard away of 10 the right. caused. prob
ably. by "A passing wO.iv inX; andin that
direction the Indians dashed with the ut
most speed. When they were well ont Of
the way. Foster cautiously left his retreat
and started for the neighborng settle
ment." lucky for him that the day wa.
cold, or his life would no doubt have been
the price Of his temcriy I'm invading the
precincts of rattles make dom.
The day following Foster was met at
Luther by several ofthe Mohawks. who.
though they had not ~sei him in the
woods. charged him with shooting the
+" Medicine Man" Foster did not in direct
terms deny the " soft impeachment" but
attempted to prove IN a ibi. in which he
was not encouragingly successful. They
then demandedhis rifle. that they might
compare its bore with the hole in the dead