The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-09-30


An Indian suddenly appeared on the
edge of the wood. In his hands he
held bow, and on its string was an ar
row with burning rag fixed on the
head of it. =,
Mrs. Latour fired ut him with the
Spencer, but he drew hastily behind a
tree and she missed him.
Then. before she had time to draw
back and recharge her rifle, he jumped
forward and discharged the burning AZ
row at the house.
With intense anxiety the woman
watched the blazing missile as it flew
through the air. and her relief was great
as she saw it carried by the force of the
wind away to the left of the house and
fall among the trees.
Again and again the experiment was
tried, bu somehow without success;
and the Indians showed their veXation
by keeping Il continual shower of bull
lets rafting against the house.
The shades of night were now fall.
ing.
1t was with feeling of the deepest
apprehension that Marian Latour saw
the darkness coming on.
Under cover of the night the savages
could approach quite near to the house
without being discovered, and her heart
fell as she thought how little probability
there was of n weak woman being able
to keep them back until morning, when
she expected her husband to return.
He was only one man against at least
twenty. He would have to ride back to
g., In1 l., 1,n
time he again returned, if he was fortu-
nate enough to escape the savages, what
might not have happened?
Her reflections were cut short by a
yell of savage eXultation from the In
dams.
She looked out, but could see nothing
unusual. What did it mean?
Something must have occurred to
give rise to that triumphant and decis-
i've yell.
Straining every nerve, she listened
with the most intense anxiety. The
sound seemed to come from the roof in
one corner of the building. A few
minutes revealed the dreadful cause;
the roof was on fire.
Already the fire began to burn
through and a red glowing spark APP
peared in one corner of the roof. The
children began to cry piteously, as If
aware of the danger in which they
stood, and Mrs. Latour's heart almost
failed her.
From the edge of the woods she
could hear the discordant hOwls of the
savages; but they took care to keep out
of the reflection of the fire, so that she
had no chance for shot. Fiercer and
fiercer grew the flames. The roof, dry
as finder, speedily caught everywhere a
spark dropped on it. The heat was be-
ginning to he nnbearable. Was there
no hope for them?
Suddenly strange sound mingled
with the cracking of the fire.
What was il? \ yell, but not from an
Indian throat.
With every sense on the alert she
listened
Again the yell, and then rattle OF
rifle shots. mingled with shouts OF tri-
umph and frantic howls OF tearor and
dismay.
Running to the open window. she
looked out, and could see by the light OF
the burning roof the savages flying in
terror across the open lot, while among
them were the forms of white men cut
ting and shooting at the flying enemy.
Across toward the opposite woods
they went, but there the Indians were
met by another body of whites, and
soon surrounded on all sides, after a
hard fight they all fell before the deadly
knives and pistols of their exasperated
and relentless foes.
BY this time Mrs. Latour and her
children were ont of the house and in
the arms of the loving father and hus-
band.
After the excitement had subsidized,
and the fire been put out by the exer-
tons of the neighbors, Gabriel told his
wife how he had come to return so soon
and so OPPORTUNITY.
After leaving the house the day be-
fore, he rode couple of miles, and
then finding that he had forgotten one
of his pistols, rode back to get it.
On arriving near the house he found
Indian signs. Dismounting, lie crawled
carefully up and saw them in ambush.
Knowing that he could do no good
alone, he started as fast as his horse
could 60 for Saline City, mustered a
party and got back just in time to save
his loved ones from horrible death.
"LET No GUILTY MAN EsCAPE."-