The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-06-24
ent charm of womanhood-a shrinking,

ent charm of womanhood-a shrinking,
sensitive soul.
| The miners were, on the whole,
wild. lawless set; but she could drink
whisky with the strongest, and seldom
l.swayed in her walk. When her brilliant
ewes were glowing with the rush of the
hot liquor through the pulses OF her
being. she could send steady glance
along the barrel of the rifle and pierce
the targets center three times out of
4 five. And at such times she would
| dance a Mexican fandango with Joe OF
| Sante Fe, or leap from the ground upon
her mustangs back, and giving the shrill
| veil of the Sioux, caricole over the level
plateau below Camp Royal with all the
1.-the grace of the aboriginal.
| They called her Siseree. She was
Joe's Siseree, and Jim's Siseree. and SO
on; only Robert Fairfax and myself
never introduced her to drink, nor to go
off into her wild reyels. never saw
her speakingS Fairfax as to the others,
and did not wonder, for he never spoke
to her.
| By and by alarming rumors reached us
of Indian depredations and massacres
among the miners. Small companies of
men we're fleeing for their lives in all
directions. Should we be molested?
We dared not think of the atrocities that
occasional prospectors narrated, for our
claim was 'panning out" grandly. There
certainly was everything to fear, and q
gloom hung over us.
One night I went to spring for
water. Siseree joined me when little
;out from the camp. Her manner was
Intensely excited.
ssLennox," she said. in her fair Eng
lish, manifest no surprise, don seem
to notice anything, but glance up to the
red buttes to your right, where the sun
beams are paling into dusk. See you
aught?"
My cursory glance revealed nothing.
I told her SO.
ssPretend to stoop and pick this stone
from the path. Take a longer view
away toward the Pilot Knobbs."
"Nothing."
"You would never be a scout. Two
little tufts, like sage-brush, have come
there tonight. at least, they were not
there yestere'en."
'And?"
''They are Indian scouts watching the
camp"
"We must return and warn the boys"
s'No hurry" she said; "keep on. They
won't disturb us for hours. know
them"
"How long have you been with the
Indians?"
.sFive months. They robbed the
stage on which I was going to Fort
Laramie, and killed all the passengers
but myself. I was saved by becoming
the wife of the Chief
TT L e.
bet ween her teeth.
stI could not escape. had no friends
to rescue me. I was married to him, but
the ceremony, consisting of singing and
dancing and shaking of hands, I did not
consider binding. I studied their
language and was to betray them if pos
sible. No opportunity offered, and I
feigned contentment until threw them
off their guard. The night after I
looked into the barracks and saw you
and-and your messmate. I found the
old chiefs heart" and with hideous
meaning she tapped her breast, where
was discernible the hilt of stilleto.
"And taking one of their mustangs, by
long, secret night travel followed your
trail. Ahl became skillful in learning
their tricks and their arts, and now
waited for her to go on.
THE scouts up yonder may be looking
for me. The relatives of my deceased
husband may follow my trail, but the
camp must be wsrned."
| She disappeared from my side before
others of the miners had seen her. On
my return told them that Siseree had
seen Indian scouts on the hills. Our
camp was seriously alarmed, and q
guard was posted that night, and the
| next and the next, but not moccasin
track was seen, nor the shadow of an
eagle feather. began to doubt the evil
dence of my senses and Siseree's wisdom.
A week passed, and with it the scare of
the camp had subsided. The "diggings"
were rich, and we were planning the
sinking of a shaft. A treacherous un-
concern fell over us. Only Siseree
abated neither her fears nor her vigils.
From midnight through the small hours
of the morning she moved out and in the
camp. Awaken at any time then, and
| you would see her going out or coming
in, or crouching in the canvas doorway,
! always with Santa Fe Joe's rife in hand.
With this weapon she was most fa-
miliar, and could hit the target at long
est range.
One night ] was awakened by cool,
uTm uaHu DeluS pldceQ over my mouth
and Siseree's subdued whisper:
'.Lenox, don't get up-creep over the
men; come outside"
She moved away, and dropping on her
hands and knees at the doorway, went
out with the 1.-THE grace and stiffness of
ioness creeping on its prey.
joined her, and again she whispered:
'"Take sight by this tent stake up the
slope to the south of the canon. Now,
were those bushes there at sunset?
I was ashamed to acknowledge that I
did not know.
"Well, now look another way for five
minutes, and then again take the bear
ings."
All, now perceive the dark spots have
moved. They were not far from the camp
now.
It was night, or early morning attack
that was meditated.
"Creep noiselessly in and awaken the
camp" she said. "Don't let them make
SOUND"
But this could not be done with dis
patch. Aroused from deep and dream
less sleep, with always some imprudent
ones in such company, some sleepy ex-
clamations were made, which precipi-
tated the catastrophe. With their pecu-
liar cry the savages were upon us.
Tt, <ho Grck ,f