The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-02-03

cuItY.
tom watched through his peep
nosss with all his eyes. and in few
minutes was rewarded by seeing a
cfonchlng form crawling towards the
caoln. The boy leveled his weapon,
oue shook so with excitement that he
couiu notaim. A whispered, "Steady,
IomP' from his sister seemed to
Dring MIN to himself. and as he pulled
tne trigger the rife was as firm as a
rock. A copper colored body leaping
INTO The air with a yell showed that
TOMS bullet had struck.
Then there was long silence once
more In about ten minutes Helen
saw an arrow. with some mesquit
graess wrapped around it and set on
hIe, ny iat0 the air and fall short Of
the cabin. where it burned fiercely.
Another and another were shot, until
one struck the mesauit tllatch and
went out. Before such a move as
this Helen was powerless. She could
not see the Indians who were shoot
Ing the arrows, and 80 could not fire
at them. She knew that she had no
means of putting the fire out if it
once caught. Another and another
arrow. with its blazing band of grass,
went flying through the air, and at
last a triumphant yell from the In
dians told the anxious girl that the
roof was on fire at last.
Steenie Burton loped slowly along
the trail towards the cabin where
Helen lived, divided in his own mind
whether his errand was not foolish
one. 1t was Tuesday. and Helen had
said that Wednesday, the 10th, would
be the earliest date at which she could
return. Yet, with the wild idea that
she might be there, Steenie had start
ed for ten mile ride, with the pros
pect of ten more, if the cabin was
empty.
The rapid change from daylight to
dark had taken place, and Steenie
was about mile from the cabin,
when he heard rifle-shot. 1t BAN
ished any idea of a useless errand
from his mind instantly. Riding
cautiously within quarter of mile
of the cabling, he dismounted, tied his
horse, and secuted in the direction
of the shots. Reaching a ledge about a
hundred yards from the back of the
h0ase lie saw the cabin with the roof
on fire, and the Indians gathered
outside of rife-shot, waiting for the
flames to do their work. Steenie did
not hesitate a moment. Climbing
down crevice in the ledge he ran
quickly across the little space, being
hidden from the savages by the walls.
On his way, however, it was only
Helen's quick eye that saved him
from being shot, for Tom had leveled
his rifle, and was Just about to pull
the trigger, when the girl struck the
weapon and the bullet flew harmless
ly over Steenie's head. To open the
heavy wooden shutter and fairly drag
Steenie into the house, was, for the
excited girl, but moments work.
When he was inside, she, for Sec
ond, lost her GOODNESS, but Steenie's
hastv kiss brought her to.
"Steenie, the roofs on fire." broke
in Tom.
81 know it,"
20. Steenie, what must we do?"
asked Helen.
"What's under the thatch ?" said
Steenie.
"Reed poles," answered Tom,
promptly.
"We've got to git out of this, then,
The reds is on that side. an 1 reck OH
if we make dash We'll get to the
rocks afore they kin see US. Here,
Tom, 60 and fire your rifle off on that
side"
Tom did as he was bid, but the
bullet fell short of the waiting group.
"NOw, then, Helen. get me some
slow match an Tom, you load up
an put your rifle out of that hole"
So saying, Steenie hastily fixed two
spare rifles in position, lashing them
to table which he dragged up to
the side of the cabin on which the
Indians were. Taking the slow match
from Helen he wound it in succes-
sion around each rife over the nip.
pie. and then lighting the end, open
ed the window on the cliff side.
"Tom, you 60 first. Run to the cliff
and get in the crevice. Wait there
for me-" Putting the boy out, he
waited until he saw him reach the
cliff, and then getting out himself,
ran across as rapidly as possible. He
had scarcely reached the rocks when
he saw Helen climbing out of the
window and crossing the open space.
While she was doing so the first OF
the rifles went off. Only to bring q