Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-08-08
A CLOSE SHOT.

y bank bold, rugged cliffs that lift their sum
Hmits five hundred and thousand feet, as
the case may be, above the stream there
lived, in early times, settler by tho name
of Rufus Branson, who with his wife and
only child, charming little girl Of some
eight or nine years, occupied rudo cabin
3 at the base Of q prcoipico little back from
the river, ~'f .,& 8 J..
Although greatly exposed to danger
the Ihdiaus at, that time being plentiful
Z throughout tho region--he managed to live
quietly for several years.
The Indiafs frequently visited Tho home
of tho rudothuutor, and beiog always vel.
come and provided with such food as might
be in theSS Slarder, they maintained very
friendly attitude.
Especially were they fond of the child,
Maggie, and more than one fierce warrior
had been sitting on Tho grass in front of the
cabin, listening to tho childish prattlo Of
the little one or elso engaged in making it
somo toy or plaything from twigs or bark.
Ia this manncr several years had been
passed, and Rufus Branson ca,no to feel as
secure astthough ho was within tho walls of
q frontier fort.
Ono evening Branson and his wife were
seated near tho door way when suddenly q
shadowfell across the threshold, and the next
moment, tall savage, whose reelipg and
bloodshot oye, told that he was Intoxicated,
appeared, staggered to tho log steps and
throw himself upon them.
His first demands wcro for "Gre water"
which were, Of course, refused on the plea
shat there was none in tho house.
The Indian became GROSS and ugly,
swearing, with terrible oaths that if the
liquor was not produced, he would murder
the household. Branson was bravo man,
and although he dreaded the necessity, vet
he saw that he would be compelled to take
prompt steps to prevent the savage from
executing his tllroats. Waiting until the
warrior had made a stration-which
40 soon did by attempting to draw his toma
hawk. Branson sprang upon him, knocked
him down with blow of his fist, and then
disarmod and bound him whore he Law.
After few minutes of futile efforts to FREQ
himselfs the savage rolled over and sunk
into drunken slumber.
He did not awake until noxt morning.
but before he did so, tho settler had quietly
removed his bonds and restored the wea-.
pons, which he laid by the sleepers side.
The savage on waking rose slowly to his
feet, felt his wrists, as though the thongs
had left feeling there, took up his weapons,
and, without speaking word, left him, and
disappeared in the timber that stood noar
by.
.M"What do you think Of that7" askcd tho
wife, turning to the husband with scared
look.
Don't trouble yourself about
the drunken brute,' answered tho settler
lightly, but as he turned away, and stepped
into tho yard, ho muttered: sIike itl We'll
not much. Tho fellow must be watched.
/ was in hopes ho would not have romcm-
bered; but that lump, where my fist landed,
was enough, if nothing else, to recall the
circumstance"
The summer passed; they saw tho drunken
3guest no more. He failed to make bis ap-
pearance. But as the leaves began to fall,
she settler, one day, while returning from
hunting Cd tho hills, and passing through
donge picoo of timber caught sight Of q
figure lurking in the bushes, but which
quickly disappeared when he advanced
toward where It was. Tho figure was that
Of an Indian warrior, and Rufe Branson
would have sworn that it was tho Indian
whom he had knocked down and bound tho
ptoVAouo ouHihois nc knOWtCuRo W0B not
in any way comforting, henoo he did not
toll his wife, of the discovery. It would
have alarmed her without perhaps any good
result Hesmerely told her he had dis
covered bear tracks near by, and sbo and
the child must stay within or close to the
house when lie was absont. -s
Several days afterward, Rufo Branson
heard hisidogs in tho timber, down blythe
river, and, knowing that they nevor opened
without good GAUGE, he. caught. up his rife
and hastened to where they wore barking.
They had strnokFa fresh bear trail, and as
:he arrived in sjaat they fairly lifted it going
.on in o straight line down tho river.
The chase had led him severed miles,
and when at last he got in his shot, that
finished Bruin' career, ho found that It was
three or four o olook in the afternoon.
f Swinging his gamo to a sapling, out of
reach Of cat or wolf, lie started for homo to
get the old gray marc and return and catch
Ii tl,atsnighs.
Taking q out he approached the cabin
from the Western side, where the timber
grew heavy to within a few rods Of the
building, and consequently ho could not
eoa. The clearing, or what might be transpi-
ring there until sho had pasaod through She
85t "a n