Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-10-14

4
ton that he was scarcely able to move.
But he soon recovered himself; and the
fires OF deadly hate and vengeance which
burned in his heart gave him the fierce
ness OF tiger as he leaped to his feet
| and sprang upon his foe. So sudden was
| the attack that the stranger was hurled
| upon his back and the Indian was astride
| him, holding glittering knife to his
throat, even before he had time to use his
| own weapon or make the slightest resist
ance Moses gave utterance TO shrek.
which made the forest echo again. and
| then he Kissed these words through his
teeth:
40 Milburn, I've got you-ah, I've
got you now"
Well-well," growled the man, "you
have got me; and what thens''
"What thenn' shrieked Moses, his eve
glazing upon his fee, and his hand NOV
ing as if he longed to finish his work but,
becoming more calm, he continued: 80
Milburn, it was just such a night rs this,
fifteen years ago, that you came upon my
cabin. The red blood ran like water, and
the flame cracked until became home
less. You were the leader of the fiendish
band who did that fearful work"
You deserved it, for you were rene
gade,'' growled Milburn.
You speak falsely, for | was no rene
gade. Once was the chief of my tribe,
and they obeyed me- The pale.face came
among us, yourself with the Others Soon
found that my people were becoming
discontinued. They thirsted for the white
mans blood You set them on. could
see no reason why my pale brothers should
die, and SO Ipreyenteda general slaughter.
The settlers were grateful, and one of them
gave me his child as my bride She was
a blue-eyed, tender being of sixteen, and
loved her with all my Indian heart and
soul. 1t was on account of this marriage,
and my desire to settle down into civilized
life, that you call me renegade"
"The act made you So"
But il did not make YOU the leader of
my band, or give you the right to murder
my loved ones and destroy my house"
81 have not murdered your wife"
$50 learned by the words overheard
you utter just now. / have always thought
you did, and for fifteen years | have
incurred her as lost. During that time,
too, have constantly sought for you, but
until this moment have never been able
to find you. Now you throw yourself in
my way, and your doom is sealed But
first tell me where | shall find my wife
my Wild Flower"
"Alive! alive take him alivcr shrieked
Milburn, and then "a tiendish laugh burst
from his lips.
This was caused from the fact that half
dozen savages had cautiously ap-
preached, and their knives were raised
over the head of Moses, as if about to be
plunged into his body. The words of the
white renegade were obcyed, and the
former chief was seized and, in spite of
his struggle, disarmed and firmly bound.
Milburn began to rave in his triumph.
He brandished his weapons in the iace of
his former captain, and even inflicted up
on him severe cut. He also gave his
enemy several kicks and blows, treating
him in a most brutal manner, all ofwhich
the Indian bore without even groan, al
though his eyes flashed fire and his breast
heaved with the intensity OF his pent.up
feelings. Blu. il was not the purpose Of
Milburn TO kill his victim then and there,
for he had other plans in view. In
short time the bear had been dressed, a
fire made and some steaks broiled, Mil
burn and his followers making hearty
meal of which poor Moses remained only
a spectator. After the repast was over
the party started off toward the Hudson,
dragging their victim after them. They
did not observe that deeper in the forest
there was single human figure and a
pair of dark eyes watching them.
All night the march was continued, and
with intervals of rest until the following
night BY this time the river was reached,
and out into the middle of the Hudson
the captive was taken over the solid ice.
He could not divine the intention of his
captor; for in the middle of the stream
he halted, and then gave some orders 10
his men, who at once set to work to obey
them. With their hatchets hole but
little larger than a mans body was cut
through the ice, and then Moses was
plunged into il, his head. however, still
remaining above the surface. Here he
was secured in such manner that he
could not sink, neither could he escape
from his horrible position. He could
gaze around and see all that was passing,
but his eyes must soon lose their power,
as the water was chilling him to the very
heart.
1t was not long before circle of fires
had been lighted, and the glare of these
rendered the surroundings as brilliant as
the MONDAY sun could have done. The
great mountains glowed like FURNISHED
silver in the reflection, and clad in their
robes of ice the prospect was an enchant-
ing one. Even the doomed man gazed
upon it and wondered if in the spirit-land
he could find anything more truly mag
nificent.
But another sight now presented itself,
and one that sent "a thrill of fire even
through his chilled bosom. Some twenty
savages appeared suddenly and began a
wild Canoe, while their yeIls rang out
fearfully. And among the number was
woman The wretch Milburn held her by
the hand, whlrling her round and round,
she evidently being an unwilling partici-
pant In the revels.
While Moses was watching these pro-
ceedings he felt hand grasp him and he
was drawn from his watery bed. He at
once recognized friend from the settle.
ment The savages had become so excited
that they did not notice this movement.
Then the friend cut the cord which bound
the captive and away they crept, taking up
position near one Of the fires, but outside
the circle.
In short time after Milburn came with
in few feet of them, and AS the eyes OF
Moses fell upon the face of the female a
suppressed cry escaped him; but il nj.