The National tribune., 1881-12-10

de Rouville. The Indians stood in the back
ground, but score of musketeers advanced to
within a dozen PAGES of their leader, where they
halted. The officer and his men had not long to
wait.
On the balcony, twenty good yards from him,
and some twelve feet above the level of where
he sat on his horse, Douglas Fraser appeared,
looking strkingly handsome in his brooched
plaid, his kits and philibeg, and with glen
garry cap surmoun-ing the clear-cut Celtic face,
with it's blue eyes and flowing hair; but war
riOr even if a child
In his hand he held, halfbent, his yew-tree
bow, and on the string was a cloth yard shaft,
with strong steel point, with the thumb and
finger ready to let fly with force and an aim
that could not be Otherwise than deadly.
And, as the Fren,llman looked up, he saw that
the arrow was ailnsd directly at his heart and
held as steadily as ii the boy had been pointing at
a distant deer or mountain eagle
Halt there! VIA We, and what want ye
noo?" was the saluation of our hero.
Who am I, boy: That you will learn soon
enough!" was the rply of the officer. II am
Frenchman, and the commander of these soldiers
an Indians, and yOr had best send some of your
elders to consult with me about the surrender of
the place."
"Eh, weel; sea mckle, thocht!" came from
the set lips of the b,y-his arm, meanwhile, not
changed by hair-beadth aye want my elders,
dae ye? Then na1e O. them VII ye find. My
feyther is AVA ane,t the matin and rede ye
gay-coated Frenchnan-ye ca yersel-to TAX
tent to yer coat, gin ye dae no address me VII
mair respect!"
Gods mercy!" boke from the officer. "And
what will you do if treat not your young lord
ship with greater colrtesy?"
"Gin ye move fraewhar' ye sit or gin ye dae
not dae what will I will send this bit shaft
VII the which I broclt doom an aight-foot eagle
yestre'en, that clean through the body O. kings
officer fearsome nigh the heart. TAX warnin,
Frenchman, while the plays nae that rough"
Hal" cried De Reuville, with a sneer, while
his face flushed hoty. "Do you say so? By
Notre Dame, the play begins to be earnest! Men,
cover the popinjay with your musketoons. Let
us see what he has to say to that"
At the word, into every mans hand fell the
barrel of his weapon, and twenty deadly tubes
were aimed full at the heroic youngster.
But there he Stood as if in stone-the bow
drawn further now, and the thumb and finger
gripping the pointed shaft that might fly in an
instant, with the result of certain death.
"Oh, ay!" he exclaimed. Il ken the likes O
that! Let them shoot, gin they will, but they
Gamma shoot quick enuch to save yer heart, bluidy
Frenchman. Gin We gle ane mair order to shoot,
an ye dee! Dae We unnerstaun' nae the moo ?
Gin We order them to TAX AVA, a-weel, and gin
We hae anything to say that can be listened to
wiout shame, I'm aye ready to hear"
L want you to surrender" said the partisan.
81 have two hundred soldiers and Indians here.
If you will not yield we will take you by storm,
and kill every soul of you"
ooh, weel, gang yer way, then, for we shall
never yield to ye, bluidy Frenchman. Sac dae
yer worst the noo."
De Rouville uttered savage oath.
"Shoot the boy where he stands!" he cried.
"Sae be it; but we dee first, said Douglas,
drawing his arrow to the head.
There was a moment of hesitation. Then,
moved by the almost certainty of instant death
for, as the boy said, the shaft would fly quicker
than even the bullets could >speed-the French
man lifted his hand, and the second command
rang out:
Recover your arms, men!"
The leveled tubes were lifted. Then for the
first time, the drawn bow was allowed to slacken,
though the hands did not alter their position,
and the aim Of the deadly arrow was not changed.
Retire to those women and children behind
the walls,' continued De Rouville "There has
been enough of boys play. We will see what
fire can do. Retire at once, for my Indians are
about to advance"
De Rouville turned his horse, and at that
instant the war-whoops rang out again, wild and
terrible, while a hail of bullets came rat
Ting against the sides of the block house.
But Douglas was safe under the roof of the
attic, where he once more took up his position
with deadly intent
"Dinna kill the puir heather, Douglas, DEAR"
said his mother-her woman's heart gaining the
mastery over her fear.
"But they're gaun tae burn us, mither-burn
the auld hoose DER oor heads!"
"Eh, weel, they Gamma dae that same! Disable
ilka man O. them; but avoid takin' life"
Douglas promised to obey.
An Indian was approaching the door at the
moment, with bundle of fagots on his back.
When he was within ten feet of the house an
arrow struck him in the heshy part of the
shoulder which caused him to drop his bundle
Another red-skin took up the fagots but was
forced to relinquish them speedily. The biceps
muscle of his right arm was tranfixed by a