Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-10-20


our hut had been built. There was of
course no hut now. Everything was de-
stroyed that would have been useless to
our savage foes; the rest most likely
lying in full view of their miserable
owner. On my hands and knees | fore
ed my way silently through the thick
underwood until within forty yards Of
the hostile circle. This movement Of
course had taken some time-for to
break a twig or stir leaf would have
insured my destruction-and when [
parted the branches before me l found
the two Indians busily piling around
their prisoner materials for fire where
With t9 GSsdn ESa gone wdaa sass ssw afas! tha!
ton, who was cursing the "blasted,
cowardly, red skinned heathen," with
every variety of oath known to the fra
ternity-and there are some strange
ones.
The three savages that looked on were
sitting upon log half buried in the
messy earth, and the idea struck me
that as my rife threw bullet with very
great force, if l could get them all in a
line | might kill them at one shot, or.
at all events, kill one and severely
wound the other two. | therefore crept
silently back and considerably further
to the right. where, much to my gratif-
cation, found could draw bead on
their three heads in line.
l had just got into my new position
and was pushing my rife before me over
a log which l intended making a rest
when | saw new light spring up at
the pile, and soon the fire formed a
bright circle around my doomed friend.
At the same moment the most distant of
the savagcs arose, and in another mo-
ment would doubles have joined the
yelling fends around the FIRE; but with
a quick glance along the barrel of my
trusty rifle | sent the bullet forth on its
errand of death. The two painted SER
pents on the log fell backward, and the
other sprang into the air with howl of
pain. With maniacal yell-strateget-
ically followed by Marston-I rushed
forward and levelled one of the two hid
eous imps dancing around the fire. who
were taken too much by surprise to
know whether the attack was made
by one or score. The other with
hi---'7 II nnmrade. fed ofrighted into
pile and cut the bonds of my friend.
No sooner was he free than he bounded
to the log behind which my two victims
lay silent in death, and seizing their
rifles, dashed into the dark shadows of
the forest, shouting to me to follow him.
In few minutes we were far beyond
the betraying light of the scattered fire,
when suddenly stopping his swift though
silent advance, Marston caught my arm
and told me to reload my rife. at the
same time testing the captured weapons
which he found already charged. | was
eager to getas great distance from oul
enemies as possible and so told Marston
but he soon convinced me that it wouiC
only bring on the destruction | would
escape. "For," said he, ''if them ar rec
skins diskiver that they aren't chased
they won't run fur and the chances arr
that they raise our har afore we'd beer
asleep an hour of our first bivouvac
In order to ascertain if the lndian
had really left US, and if not, "to wip
them OUT as soon as possible. it wa
finally determined that should return
to the ambush whence | had fired Of
them, and watch the opposite side of tn
valley for their return, whilst my com
panion would creep silently around t
the rear of the thicket opposite. wherei
the savages had disappeared. At sun
rise we were to meet at the old bluff an
compare notes. AS soon as this arrange
ment had been agreed upon, Marsto
disappeared noiselessly into the darl
ness. and falling on my hands an
knees, | cautiously retraced my steps
the old camp. and having securely hio
den myself from any outside observatio
in the thick cedars, peered through
tangled bush in my front for signs
life on the opposite bank.
The fire had not yet died out. and Il
red light reflected from the stream
front lighted up the opposite shore viii
weird radiance, which. with my excl
ed brain, kept me fully awake watchir
the huge shadows that chased each 9th
along the margin of the sombre wood
The minutes seemed hours to me. as
thus lay in wait, and, as the night a
curbed my bounding pulses. four
myself wondering at the nonchalan
with which | regarded my then prese
. occupation and the still visible bodies
the slain-slain by my own hand
J How long lay there | had no mea
7 of knowing. All | knew was that
] welcome beams of the wished-for 81
t yet tinted even the feecy clouds hi
7 above in the starry sky, and that t
4 | then I must keen nv wearisome WatC