Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-10-13

oIHse ittt nlgn, standing DelOW TIE
sloping bank and with its top just
/ visible from the house. or this old
stump the portion next to the slope
bad SO fallen away as to leavea large
cavity capable OF containing man
The gobble indicated the turkeys
whereabouts pretty definitely.
HES somewhere near that old
stump" said Arthur, s'perhaps in
side it, sitting upon the rotten wood
toward the top. I'm afraid he will
get high enough to see me. But Ill
make a circuit; and creep around to
where the ground is lower"
He went out of the back door so
as to be sure of not being seen. The
lands to our right, few rods from
the house, was very low, the depres-
sion stretching off in crescent shape
until it reached the gully, which
crosses it at fair shot distance
from the stump.
Arthur, young as he mas, had al
ready become an excellent marks
man, having for two years possessed
a rifle of his own, and which was al
most always in his hands. We had
no doubt that, with an ordinary
chance, he would put ball through
the turkey s head.
But somehow, after he went outs
sudden thought seemed to strike my
mother. Wasn't it strange that a
turkey should come come so far out
of the woods, and keep up such
gobbling in the hollowP No, not
strange, perhaps, nor unusual; and
she wondered ut her own uneasiness.
But her nerves had been shaken by
poor Jason's adventure.
The house had half story in
| front, with two small windows above
the ground rooms and mothers feel
ing impelled her to run up there for
a better view. She wished to see
where father was, and perhaps she
might discover something of the
turkey.
/ was close beside here. We saw
father with his rifle, away off across
the fields, and the negros at a dis
lance from him engaged in their
work. The stump, too, was visible
nearly to its foot, and at intervals
we caught sight of Arthur, careful
ly working his way in half circuit
toward the gully.
Father had evidently heard the
turkey, and was warily approaching.
the spot where it seemed to be. His
half.stooping posture showed that he
feared the bird might get upon the
stump and see him.
Suddenly mother started, and her
face had look of CHASTITY terror.
Something which was certainly no
turkey rose little above the stump,
between its shattered rim and the
bank. / saw it too, and my blood
ran cold.
1t was something that greatly re-
sembled the head of an Indian. We
felt that the face must be peering
| through the grass toward my father,
while we saw the black cleaning
hair behind.
Without doubt it was Seminole
warrior in ambush, watching far
theirs approach.
Mother gave an agonizing cry.
"What shall do ?" she exclaimed.
Would not any cutlery she could
make be misunderstood at such
distance, and only hasten the catas-
trophe, since father was still thirty
rods beyond the Indian, and eighty
from the house? Then there was
Arthur, who had now disappeared ?
And should she by sudden alarm
cause him to show himself, might
not the Seminole rise up and shoot
him on the spot? She was dizzy
with her sense of the dreadful stu
alton.
But in a moment / cried out to
her, "There's Arthur, mother
there's Arthur !" for saw him in
the rank grass, lying fiat upon the
ground, within good rifle.shot of the
stump, which he seemed to be in
tently watching.
Once again the Indians head was
shown slightly, and we got an in
stant's glimpse of Arthur's rifle.