The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-05-25
was surrounded, and overY hope OF es-
| cape cut off.
Nothing was left thu two pioneers but

was surrOunded, and ov6rY nope OF es-
cape cut off.
Nothing was left tho two pioneers but
to sell their lives as dearly as possible.
This they resolved to do, advising the
girl to lose no time in making hsr way
back to the Indians, whom she would
hars no difficulty in convincing that she
had just escaped from capture.
"Eoi" she exclaimed s'death with
| my own people il thousand times pre-
forabis to longer life OF captivity l''
Further remonstrance was useless, and
parations for = vigorous resistance. The
only perceptabls access TO the hill was
by narrow eausway or backbone"
along which She savages were compelled
to advance in single ile, though, for the
most part, under ahelter Of rocks and
trees. But in passing from cover to
| cover. each warrior was obliged to incur
| q moments exposure, and two inches OF
his dusky form was target sufficient sor
the unerring rifes Of tho scouts.
For several hours the outnumbering
foe was held in check but new and
hitherto undiscovered danger mepaced
the hardy woodsmsn. Their crafty ene-
mics were preparing 10 assaii them in
hank-a movement which might be sue
eesesully accomplished by means OF
detached portion Of rock which lay ad-
| jacent 10 one OF the aides Of the promon-
tory. The brave scouts fully realized
their desperate situation a.; but 80 far
from being unnerved by it's hopelessness
they felt their courage emboldened by
the thought that the certainty of death
ws4 not greater than the cortainty OF
venEes nee.
Soon Mcclellan saw . dusky figure
preparing 10 spring from . cover 30 near
the fatal rock that . single bound must
roach It. Everything depended upon
the accuracy Of single shot. and, tho
less than halt . hands breadth Of the
| warriors body wAs exposed. and that at
distance Of one hundred yards, the unl-
danuted scout saw ii was his only chance,
and resolved to take il. Coolly raising
his ride. and aiming with the carefulness
OF man Who knew hat his own. no less
than bis advsrsary's Life hung on the
result. he drew the trigger. The ham
mer fell but instead Of striking fire,
the flint, through some inherent defect
was crushed 10 fragments!
Though convinced that Tho savages
must gain the rock before he could ad-
just another fins. he set about the task
with composure, resolved that his enemy
shocld derive no advantage from his
remissnsss. Glancing from his work 10
the place Of the warriors concealment,
he saw the stalwsrt savage. with every
muscle nerved, prepared TO take the leap.
With the agility Of q deer, he gave
bound: but instead Of reaching the rocks
his progress was midway arrested as
though by some mysterious convulsion
of his limbs aud body and he fell, roll
ing down the rocky slope . distance OF
| fifty feet He had evidently received
death-shos from some unknown hand
and terrible shout from below an
| uounced the loss Of favorits warrior.
A few moments suficed TO provo that
the advantage 20 Unexpectedly gained
would be Of abort duration. for already
another Indian wa seen approaching the
cover recently occupied by his eomrade.
Again the attack in 'front.' WAS resumed
With increased fury, so ss to engage the
constant attention OF both the scouts
With this diversion in his favor, the
second warrior prepared 10 take the leap
sssayed by his predecessor. With the
spring OF . tiger. the fierce and vary
savage dArsed toward the coveted rock,
but the same unseen hand intercepted
his career, and tnrning . complete som-
ersault in the sir, his body rolled down
the dechvity TO join that Of his compan-
ion.
The last mysterious sacrifice struck
dismay into the hearts OF the assailanta,
who. il being now sunset, withdrew 10
devise new modes OF attacks respite
which came seasonably 70 the scouts,
wsaried. - they were. BY tho protrsctsd
and unequal conflict
II Was aov that the absence OF the
girl was first discovered. and the pioneers
supposed she had either fed through
| terror 10 her former captors. or had been
killed in the fight But they we're not
long left in suspense. for In few mo-
ments the object Of their ooniectures
uss seen emerging from . cover Of
rock. carrying . rife IN hsr hand. In
| the heat Of the contest. she had seen .
| warrior fall some fifty yards in advance
Of the main body. and orouching in shs
| undergrovth. she had orspt 70 the spot
unobservsd, snd secured his rido and
ammunition. Her praetced eye had not
| failed TO notice the danger TO which they
were exposed BY the proximity Of the
rock. and hers was the mysterious hand
by which the two warriors had fallen.
The second vas the fereest and most
blood thirsty Of the Shawnees. and it
was be who had, ton years previously,
murdered and scalped her mother and
sisters.
The night vas dark and cloudy. = cir
cumstance which enabled the scouts,
under the skiliul guidance OF the intre-
| pid girl, 10 elude their enemies and with
draw from their peTilons situation.