Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1877-08-02

If there is any towards in this
train, they needn't travel with us
any further"
1t was a cruel thrust. Joseph was
harnessing his horses and the broth
er was slowing away the cooking
utensils. The strange mans face
grew white again, and his hand went
down for revolver. but just then q
voice called out:
"Don't mind it, Joseph; Wen 60
on Alone"
The train moved off without them,
some of the gold hunters taunting
and joking, and others fearful that
the two would be butchered by the
Indians before the day was over.
When the white-topped wagons
were so far away. that they seemed
no larger than his hand Joseph NOV
ed along on the trail, his face stern
and dark, and so busy with his
thoughts that he did not hear the
consoling words:
"Never mind, Joseph; we are try
ing to do right"
That night, when the wagon train
of the gold hunters went into camp,
they could not see the lone wagon,
though many of the men, ashamed
of their conduct, looked long and
earnestly for it. They had seen In
dians afar off, and they knew that
the red devils would pounce down
upon a single team as soon as they
sighted it,
Darkness came, midnight came,
and the sentinels heard nothing but
the stamping of the horses and the
howls of the coyotes. At two
O'Clock the reports of rifles and the
fierce yells of Indians hoated up
through the valley, and the camp
was Ioused in a moment.
"The devils have jumped in on
Joseph and his brother !" whisper
ed one of the men as he stood on
knoll and bent his head to listen.
GOOD 'nuff ! Cowards have no
business out here !" growled the
Texan. .yEg Err e~-.-
The first speaker wheeled, struck
the ruffian esiedge-hammer blow i'm
the face, and then, rushing for the
horses, cried out:
"Come on! come On ! dozen of us
can be spared for the rescue 10
Sixteen men swept down the val
ley like the wind. The firing and
yelling continued, proving that the
man who had been called a coward
was making heroic fight. In 10
minutes they came upon the lone
camp, made as light as day by the
burning wagon. Fifty feet from
the bonfire, and hemmed in by cir
Gle of dancing, leaping, bowling saw
ages, was Joseph's brother standing
over Joseph's dead body. The gold
hunters heard pop ! pop! of the
boys revolver as they burst into |
view, and the next moment they |
were charging down upon the de-
mons, using rifle and revolver with
terrible effect. In two minutes not
a live Indian was in sight. Joseph's
brother stood over the body, and
empty revolver in his hand. The
men cheered wildly as they looked
around, but the boy looked up into
their faces without signs of exulta-
lions, surprise, or glandness.
There were three dead Indians be-
side the wagon, killed where the
ight-commenced, and the corpses in
front OF Joseph's brother numbered
more than the victims Of the six
teen men.
SIS Joseph badly hurt ''asked one.
Of the men, as he halted his horse
beside the boy. ssE
''He is dead - whispered the
defender. --
HE is ? May 1 be forgiven for
the part I took last night p''
"You called him a coward !" cried |
Joseph's brother, land you are to
blame for this Was he a coward +? |
Look there and therei and theie I |
We drove them back from the wa
gon-drove them clear out here. |
Joseph is dead. You are his mur-
derers i'' st. Es .-.s.zGETe
Every man was near enough to |
hear his voice and note his action as
he picked up the rife OF an Indian
and sent a bullet through his own
head. With exclamations of grief |
and alarm trembling on their lips,
the men sprang from their saddles. |
The boy was dead-dead as Joseph |
and both corpses were bleeding
from a dozen wounds.
"We'll carry 'em to the train. and |
have buriel in the morning." said
one Of the men, and the bodies were |
taken up behind two of the horse
men. They did have buriel, and
men looked into the grave with
tears in their eyes, for they had dis
,nve rcd that Hneanhsa hrnthnr Was q