The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1880-11-20
25.

report Of tie Indians gun, ant
perhaps feel its missile in hi!
body.
As he ncarcd the brow Of tn,
hill, he glanced over his shoulder
to see how great the danger was be
hind, and perceived the India'
coming ut full speed. There wa'
not q moment to be lost; but as III
turned his head again to see hi;
course, and malIe a desperate spring
forward, lie suddenly, to his hor'
ror, found llimsef cntnngled in
the branches Of Il fallen tree.
He was thus caught like an in
sect in the mcshes Of Il spider, and
while making the most desperate
cxcrtions to Tree himself, his savage
pursller, seeing his prctIicament,
made a quick halt, drew up his
gun, took Il hasty aim, and fred
away.
Fortunately for our hero, tho IN
dian was not Il perfect niilrksman,
or else his lire.arm did not carry
accurately, for the ringing bullet
sped past him, but SO clnse to his
head rs tc cause him to cast it ono
side instinctivelv.
snow then tlnt his gun is rs
empty rs mine, ! skill stand my
ground tor a lmnd.to-liand fight, .
| muttcrCd tic border scout. 1T
shall never be said that l fled like
! Il coward from 4 single foe"
With this he WAS about 10 come
out Of the tree on the same side he
hnd entered il. when suddenly tho
forest resoundcl with Il series OF
the most appalling shrieks and
yells that seemed to curdle his
blood, brave as he was and, glanc-
ing OF to the right, lie saw at least
Il dozen sayagcs come leaping and
bounding forward through the
bushes.
Now, then, it was flight alone
that could save him; and quickly
cxtricuting himself from his peril
Gus position, he dashed over and
down the opposite side Of the hill,
the Indians I'LL screaming after him
in fierce pursuit.
When he had reached the foot Of
the dcclivity lie unfortunately lad
another ridge 10 ascend, in order
to keep the course which would the
most speetlilYtake lin TO the river
sight=of companions, Ills
principul= hope; and though he
fully realized the peril thus ex-
:posing=himselftot tile #silots=of=the
whole yelling crew behind him, he
instantly decided upon this risk
rather tIlun TINT Of being complete
lv cut oft from his friends by II
flight in another direction. "
As he struggled up the acclivity,
therefore, he became Il fair target
for his blood-thirsty foes, who were
in the act of rushing down the op-
positc slope; and ut least twenty
shots were fired at him III quick
succession, most Of the bullets
whistling so close around him MS
to make him wonder ut the good
Providence that still kept him I'LL
harmed.
But he was not TO escape entirely
frcc-ior, after Il brief interval,
there came u single shot US if the
murksman had paused for u more
deliberate aim,and he felt the shock
Of something strike his side, and
then the blood flowing freely down
to his feet. That the ball had
passed completely through hini
and probably given him Il mortal
wound, he did not for q moment
doubt, and his only wonder was
that he still had strength to pursue
his flight and did not faint moi
full.
"Oh, God, if I must die" he
prayed, "suvc me from becoming a
living captive to my merciless
foes"
lie reached the top of the ridge
ran down the other slope, and VI
another avclivity, with such Won
dcrfuI celebrity that his savage pur.
sucrs only came in sight OF him
!again as he neured the summit
They hud loadcd their pieces in the
meantime, however, and they all
now fired ut him again; but
though two Of the bullets cut hi:
clothes, and one passed through
his hat, just barely grazing hi:
scalp, he escaped without another
wound.
This was the last he saw Of hi:
foes; and altering his course 81 lit
lie, he ran toward the river, wllert
he hoped to find his compan
ions.
To his incxpressiblo joy, as hc
came in sight Of the Ohio, he be
held them nearly opposite to him
in the act Of padding up tht
stream. They had heard the fir
ing and yelling, and had rightly