Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1875-04-02
Seletted Miseellanp,
A SHOT FOR A LIFE.

w ncFe Tue heHtucky river CUTS us
way through the MOUNTAINS, having
upon either bank bold, ragged cliffs,
that lift their SUBMITS five hundred and
thousand feet, as the case may be,
above the stream, there lived in early
times settler by the name of Rufus
Branson, who, with bis wife and little
child, a charming young girl of some
eight or nine years of age, occupied the
rude cabin at the base of the precipice a
little back from the river.
Although greatly exposed to danger,
the Indians at that time being very plen-
tiful throughout the region, he managed
to live quietly for several years.
The Indians frequently visited the
rude home Of the hunter, and being al
ways welcomed and provided with such
food as was in the larder, they main
tanned a friendly attitude. Especially
were they fond of the child, Maggie.
and more than one fierce warrior had
been seen sitting on the grass in front Of
the cabin, listening to the childish pratt
tie of the little one, or else engaged in
making her some toy or plaything
from willow twigs or plant bark.
In this manner several years had been
passed, and Rufus Branson came to feel
as secure as though he was within the
walls of frontier fort. One evening
Branson and his wife were seated near
the doorway, when suddenly shadow
| fell across the threshold and the next
moment tall savage, whose reeling step
and bloodshot eyes told that he was in
toxicated, appeared, and staggering to
the log steps threw himself upon them
His first demand was for fire water, which
was, of course, refused, on the ground
that there was none in the house. The
Indian became cross and ugly, and de-
clared with terrible oaths that if liquor
was not produced, he would murder the
whole household Branson was brave,
determined man, and although he dread
ed the necessity. yet he saw he would be
compelled to take prompt steps to pre-
vent the savage from executing his
threat. Waiting until the warrior bad
made demonstration, which he soon did
by attempting to draw his tomahawk,
Branson sprang at him, knocked him
| down with blow Of his fist, and then
quietly disarmed and bound him where
he lay. After few moments of furious
rayiugs and futile efforts to free himself.
the savage rolled over and sank into a
drunken sleep He did not awake be-
fore the next morning. and before he did
50 the settler had quietly removed his
bonds and restored the weapons which
he laid by bis slecper's side. The saw
age, on awakening. rose slowly to his feet,
felt bis wrists as though the thongs had
left feeling there, took up his weapons.
and, without speaking word, left and
disappeared in the timber near by.
+" What do you think of that 2" asked
the wife, turning round to her husband
with a frightened look.
"Pshawl Don't trouble your head
about the drunken brute p answered
the settler, lightly; but as he turned
away and stepped into the yard, he NUT
tered
Like it? Well not much. The
fellow must be watched was in hopes
that he would not have remembered; but
that lump whore my fist landed was
enough, if nothing else, to recall the cir
cumstance.
The summer passed. and they saw
their drunken guest no more He failed
to make his appearance. But as the
leaves began to fall. the settler, one day
while returning from hunting on the
bills, and passing through dense piece
Of timber not far from the house, caught
sight Of figure lurking in the bushes,
but it quickly disappeared when he adj
vanced to where it was. The figure was
that of an Indian warrior, and Branson
would have sworn that it was the Indian
warrior whom he had knocked down and
bound, the previous spring. The news
was not in any way comforting. and hence
he did not tell his wife Of bis discovery.
1t would only alarm her, he thought,
and without, perhaps. any good result
He simply told her that he bad discov-
cred bear tracks near by. and that she
and the child must stay within, or close
to the house during his absence.
Several days afterwards Rufus Bran
son heard his dogs in the timber, down
by the river. and, knowing they never
opened without good cause, he caught