Frostburg mining journal., 1883-11-24
WHOLE NO. 633.

a place where they might become easy
victims to the warrior who had mount
ed the tree.
"This must be looked to-" said the
scout, glancing about him with an
anxious eye. "Uncas, call up your
father: we have need OF all we'pons
to bring the cunning varment from
his roost."
The signal was instantly given;
and, before Hawk-eye had reloaded
his rifle, they were joined by Ching
achgook. When his son pointed out
to the experienced warrior the sit
uation of their dangerous enemy, the
usual explanatory "hugh" burst
from his lips; after which, no further
exclamation of surprise or alarm was
suffered to escape him. Hawk-eye
and the Mohicans conversed earnestly
together in Delaware for a few mo-
ments, when each quietly took his
post, in order to execute the plan
they had speedily devised.
The warrior in the oak had main
tanned a quick, though Intellectual
fire, from the moment of his dis
covery. But his aim was interrupt
ed by the vigilance of his enemies
whose rifles instantaneously bore on
any part of his person that was left
exposed. Still his bullets fell in the
centre of the crouching party. The
clothes of Hayward, which rendered
him peculiarly conspicuous, were re-
peatedly cut, and once blood was
drawn from slight wound in his
arm.
At length, emboldened by the
long and patient watchfulness of his
enemies, the Huron attempted bet
ter and more fatal aim. The quick
eye,of the Mohicans caught the dark
line of his lower limbs incautiously
exposed through the thin foliage,a
few inches from the trunk of the
tree. Their rifles made a common
report, when, on his wounded limb,
part of the body of the savage came
into view. Swift as thought, Hawk
eye siezed the advantage, and dis
charged his fatal weapon in the top
of the oak. The leaves were un-
usually agitated; the dangerous rifle
fell from its commanding elevation,
and after IA few moments of vain
struggling, the form of the savage
was seen swinging in the wind, while
he still grasped ragged and naked
branch of the tree, with hands clench-
ed in desperation.
"Give him, in pity give him, the
contents of another rifle" cried Dun
can, turning his eyes away in horror
from the spectacle of a fellow crea-
ture in such awful jeopardy.
'Not a karnal !" exclaimed the OBJ
durate Hawk-eye; "his death is GER
tain, and we have no powder to spare,
for Indian fights last sometimes
for days it's their scalp Or ours and
God, who made us, has put into our
nature the craving to keep the skin
on the head"
Against this stern and unyielding
supported as it was by such
policy, there was no appeal. From
that moment the yells in the forest
once more ceased, the fire was suffer-
ed to decline, and all eyes, those of
friends as well as enemies, became fix
ed on the hopeless condition of the
wretch who was dangling between
heaven and earth. The body yielded
to the currents of air, and though no
murmur or groan escaped the victim,
these instants when he grimly faced
his foes, and the anguish of cold des-
pair might be traced, through the in
distance, in possession Of his
,warthy lineaments. Three several
times the scout raised his piece in
mercy, and as often, prudence getting
the better of his intention, it was ST.
Iently lowered. At length one hand
Of the Huron lost its hold, and
dropped exhausted to his side. A
desperate and fruitless struggle to
recover the branch succeeded, and
then the savage was seen for a fleetlng
instant grasping wildly at the empty
air. The lightning is not quicker
than was the flame from the rifle OF
Hawkeye; the limbs of the victim
and contracted, the head fell
to the bosom, and the body parted the
foaming waters like lead, when the
element closed above it, in its cease
less velocity, and every vestige OF the