Richland beacon., 1880-11-20

si"SSit. WIilic ilttic Aillie laN screaming
by his side. He soon pacificd the child,
who he found was uniniured Then he
reloaded his rifle and made n hastv ex.
animation of the fallen Indian. The set.
tier did not recognize him, but from his
dress and ornaments he judged that he
was warrior of some note.
! Leaving him where he had fallen.
Stanton took his child in his arms and
wcnded his way homeward. Itwas quite
dusk when he reached there. and he
found his wife waiting for him nearly
crazed with grief. The mothers strength
returned when she saw her child, and
after the congratulations Of the hour,
Mrs. Stanton told her story.
She had left Anne sleeping in her he'd,
and went ont to milk the COW. When
she returned the child was missing. She
had Immediately begun search, but
without avail. AMI was fast approaching
mysteries when her husband returned.
| She now urged all immediate fight to
| the settlement Mt the pond, and Stanton
| promised to acccdc to her wishes rs soon
as their ripcninG crops were harvested
The following morning the settler went
Indian. with the intention Of bnrvinc
him; but he found that the body had
been carried away. There were heavy
tracks about the spot, and Stanton read
lily conlectured that some of the warriors
friends had effected the removal. With
tins conclusion he rctraced his steps, de
termincd to keep his eyes open and his
rifle ready.
The second morning afterwards as
Mark Stanton stepped from his cabin he
saw something lying upon the door-stone.
He stopped and picked it mp, and saw
that it was an arrow, with the skin of n
rattlesnake around about it. He knew
what the fatal signal meant at once. e
man who left that snake-bound shaft al
his door had sworn to kill him.
The settler was brave man, bnt this
stern. significant token affected him as
the presence of the avengcr himself
would have not At first he thought he
would not tell his wife. hut, on reflection.
he concluded it would lie better to let
her into the secret 1t would be better
for her and better for him. for constant
watch must now he maintained.
Mrs. Stantons first impulse, as soon as
she understood what her husband told
her, was to hasten to the settlement.
THAT would hardly be safe under
taking" returned the settler: "for nv
enemy may be even now watching near
the cot. and were we TO start ont might
get rifie-ball through my body"
The Young wife was sorely frightened,
but she sew the reasOnableness of her
husbands statement, and she urged her
point no further. All that day they
kept within doors, and during the night
Stanton did not relinquish his watch.
But no signs of Indians were visible.
On opening the door in the morning,
however, the settler saw another arrow
laying near the doorstep. To this one q
roll OF birch bark was attached Carry
ing it into the house, lie unrolled the
bark and found it embellished with q
ride drawing 1t was not difficult to
make ont what was intended to be con-
vcyed. =
In one corner of the segment was the
picture of dead Indian, and from the
hieroglyphics underneath, Stanton gath
cred the fact that it was meant for Mat
tampa. one Of the noted braves Of the
Pequaket tribe. Beyond him was an
other brave, with a drawn bow in his
hand and an arrow speeding from it
Under this one was the name of Kalarna.
The third figure represented n white
man with an arrow piercing his bosom.
The settlers anxiety was not materially
decreased by the knowledge that his foe
man was one Of these distinguished
braves. He knew he had to deal with
one Of the most crafty and relentless
savaScs Of that region, and he knew
enough m the Indians character to
know that he would not swerve from his
revengeful plan until he had performed
the deed or had fallen in the conflict.
"WlIat shall we do? What shall We
do?' cried Mrs. Stanton, as she shielded
Anne in her arms. eve may be sur
rounded by enemies at this moment"
"That is not probable" said her hus-
band. Kalarna is too much of brave
to suffer that. have slain his brother,
and he alone will seek revenge. He has
given me fair warning, ard now he will
hang around my path till he accom-.
plishcs his fell purpose, unless can con-
time to circumvent him. He thinks he
has put me upon the rack, and his next
step will be to put a rifle ball through
my heart. Bat he will work in the
dark"
"Could i not go to the settlement and
inform them Of your danger?" asked the
heroic Wife, brave now that she knew
what The danger was that was to be met
Stanton shook his head dubiously.
You would not be permitted to do
that" he answered. "Besides, Iwould
not have You undergo such risk"
The situation was truly q perplexing
one The stout settler was imprisoned |
in his own cabin as surely rs though he
had been within the walls OF dungeon.
The avenger was already on his track
and might be, even then, hidden in the |
greenwood. He felt confident that should |
he step one foot out of doors his body |
would be the mark for bullet.
In the middle of the afternoon Mrs.
Stanton opened the door and went out |
to get a pail of water. The spring was |
situated a few rods from the cabin, near |
a thicket of trees and bushes. As she |
stopped to dip the water she saw the
painted visage of an Indian glaring at |
her through some whitewOod bushes.
Though TREMBLING with fear sba did NOT |