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

been warned that he was rlsklng TOO
much in living so far away from help.
But he would always laugh, kinder care
less-llke, and say, confidently:
"'They'll pever patch Jack Hudson
Jacks wife and children had such
conf ence in him that they would have
themselves right into blood and
fire. and felt easy if he was near them.
His oldest child was girl. and was
Jacks idol. He thought that nobody
was quite equal to the little hero In
calico that he called, and everybody else
called, Sadie, and after her came four
others, all boys-and bright youngsters
they were, too, can tell you.
''Well, as 1 was saying, we struck out
for Jacks cabin, and after travelling
pretty hard all one forenoon we reached
It. or rather the clearing where it had
stood.
"Boys, do yer know what it is fer your
soul and body to feel as if they had
turned ter stone, and that the very air
was full of but one cry, and that was,
'Vengeancer If so, you know what !
felt and heard, as I saw ashes instead OF
a we'll furnished cabin, and mutilated,
SCAlDcu, lll6lcoo OOOAOOs AAAoSN'~> - ~~' 10y
breathing, happy, soulful humans.
and in a second was down beside him,
with the poor head resting on my shout
der and flask. to his lips. The fiery
whisky did its work, for pretty soon our
old comrade was looking up at US,
with the shadow of an awful horror IN
his eyes and on his face. To our ques-
tons, he said, in a whisper:
."'Too late, boys! am going fast
fast. But there's one thing I want yer
to do for poor old Jack-will you?
"'Name it, Jack, and it shall be done,
I said to him.
"Jack seemed to become filled with a
strange strength that nerved every mus
Gle in his body, his eye lightened, he
had rose, and he said, clearly and aloud:
"Boys, want yer to sware that you
will bitterly avenge my family and me,
and that you'll find my little Sadie, that
old Clubfoot has carried off!
"And we all said, deep and low:
"'We swear it!
/ ga smile kinder lit up Jacks face, but
he never said another word, but turned
his face on my shoulder, and soon knew
it was all over"
The hunters voice quivered, and he
ran his hand over his eyes, but clearing
his throat, he continued, grim look
gradually locking up his face:
We laid them side by side in one deep
grave-father, mother and children, in a
sleep which no thunders but those OF the
final trump can disturb-and then started
on the trail of old Clubfoot-he
was the most bloodthirsty, treacherous
red-skin that ever slipped through a
white mans hands-for the trail was
very plain and there was no difficulty In
finding it, though if it could not be seen,
Gas told yer, we had travelled rather
hard during the fore part of the day,
and We didn't stop to take mouthful to
eat before we again started on the trail,
and We travelled in pursuit of Clubfoot
at such rate that it makes me wonder
now how our muscles, even though they
had been steeled in the slow fire of bor-
der life. could have stood the strain.
1--WE had gained the top If long rise,
and for moment we all stopped and
looked back. We saw that it was sun
set, and our leader pointed at something
that caught his attention.
1.-THE sun, sinking like q great ball of
fire behind an immense pine, shot long
ray of crimson light into the valley be-
low us. II was as though a bloody fin
ger pointed at the grave we had so lately
made, and, turning our faces, we again
plunged into the woods, that grew
darker and darker as we kept on.
Pretty soon we could hardly see each
other, and we crept along very slow, and
one of the boys had just whispered some
thing to me about having to stop alto
gether for the night, when our leader
stopped and whispered:
" Boys, do yer see that little speck of
light ahead?'
1--WE looked sharp and we did see it
a little, dancing light, like JACKIE Jan
tern, and we knew that our trailing was
over.
Guided by that light, we crept softly
through the woods, and we found 'em.
They were all grouped around the
fire, evidently having q good time. Near
old Clubfoot sat Sadie Hudson, with her
face in her bound hands, and we could
see that the poor girl was suffering
everything.
I'VE had all aimed, and were waiting
for the signal, when esaw old Clubfoot
toss Jacks scalp into Sadie's lap, and
heard the poor girls cry Of horror, and
saw her shake all over, and we didn't
wait for any signal another second.
I'VE lined our men ter perfection, for
rI1 Nlx~h L. -