The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-07-28

"I told the boys to bend down
straight young hickory, that was 80
strong it took eight men ter bend it, and
two or three more tied it down. Then
every branch was Topped off smooth and
clean as whistle.
"Come, boys I said, It's about time
yee were jogging along. I'll be with you
in short time
$50. with Sadie in their midst-she
hadn't seen what had been done-they all
started on, and and old Clubfoot were
left alone, He knew what was coming
and he struggled pretty hard, can tell
you; but there warn't any mercy IN my
heart for him-not one atom.
II looked down at him, and I said to
him in Siwash, few words that kinder
stilled him and made him look sullen
and grim; but he knew that he war look
ing his last on the sky or earth.
1T threw a moose around his neck and
then tied the other end of the rope to the
hickory, and then cut the rope that held
the tree down. Well, yer orter heard
his moccasins crack as that hickory snap
ped up. Poor old Jack had been
thoroughly venged.
''Sadie got married afterward to Ned
Taylor, who made the very best OF hus-
bands"
Here a low growl from Guard inter-
rupted him. At the same instant, Jim
Mackay emptied the pals of water on
the fire, exclaiming:
Scatter, boys! Indians"
Instantly. every man leaped from his
position and just in time, for the air at
once became alive with mysterious
sounds, and death in every one OF them.
1t wasall done quicker than the words
can be written-light, fire, men disap--
pearing, as though some invisible hand
had shuttle slide of giant lantern, and
each one found himself alone, sur
rounded by the pail of the blacklist
night that ever hung upon the earth.
Suddenly a dull, threatening murmur
sounded in the heavens above us, and,
without further premonition, We knew
that one of the fearful storms OF the re
gion was about to burst upon us. A
tremendous peal Of thunder ratified along
the sky, and then, with an indescribable
medley of sound, the storm swooped
down upon US.
The bowling of the wind was benumb
ing; the very fury of sound enfeebled
while it terrified. The heavens showered
out rain and lightning-rain that stung
the face, and lightning that cut the dark
ness with llvid sheets of flame, followed
by thunderings that shook the very
earth.
Each gust seemed indispensable in
intensity. only to be succeeded by an
other of the most frantic violence.
For hours, seemingly for ages, the
tornado ragged in all its fury; but when
the morning came, the golden arrows OF
the sun-god fell on sparkling world OF
dripping forest leaves, still and quiet
as lily on the bosom of placid lake.
And inst as dripping and quiet were
the men who -stnla from their various
ered.one By one. in thick clump OF
underground close at the river edge, and
near by hich the boats were concealed.
There was a silent roll.call, which re-
vealed the fact that not one of us was
missing.
SIS the coast clear, Guard?" said
Mackay to the intelligent animal, who
instantly disappeared.
In about three-quarters of An hour he
returned, and softly rubbed his wet nose
against his masters hand.
"All right, boys?" says Mackay. "Now
we'll launch the boats"
In few moments our boats rode
lightly on the dimpling, sparkling wave
lets of the Clear Water, which bore us
onward so swiftly that the head of the
canyon was soon lost to sight.
MYSTERIOUS DIsApPEARANcEs.- COR
respondent Of French paper has