South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-05-04
ns as hostage for your good conduct
Ii you shoot after Us, he suffers. Re.

uSht, lie OshiIleu rulii:tl oil Tie Oatlk
making the air resound with curses
When we reached the Texas side,
Ernest turned to me:
Frank, drive my wagon up the
bank 10 where yours ia, while | see
this fellow back across the river
Beeeher, take your stlitf and row him
over; he will hardly hurt you. Ii he
tries | will put bullet through him.
After seeing his captive into the
slitf, first .discharging all hisweapons,
he spoke TO the now cowed man:
when you get to the other side
stand on the bank, until the boat re-
turns. IF you attempt to go into the
bushes, ortry. any other .streachery, 1
will shoot YOU %
The ferryman put him across the
river and returned, and Ernest came
up the bank to where the wagons
were. Meanwhile / had driven up
the hih and relieved the occupants OF
the wagon from their uncomfortable
covering. They were nearly smoth-
cred but had made no movement un-
til all was safe.
The young man jumped to the
ground, and with simple grasp of
the land, and the earnest words, Il
THANH YOU BOTH assisted his compan-
ion out.
/ Ernest.now came up, and to him
the stranger turned:
i owe you my life, and if ever
can IN some measure pay so great a
debt, trust me shall not be wanting.
q am glad to have been Of service
70 you said Ernest, simply. Il think
you are safe for tonight. There is
no other ferry within about twenty
miles and they will no; cross any one
after night Red river is too high to
swim over. Ii you remain with us
Tonight, we can make the lady bed
i'll the wagon. ana the rest of us must
take the ground. You can tell us,
then, how you managed to get into
this scrapc.'
After some further discussion it
was arranged, and we went into camp.
! Supper over and the horses stakcd of
the young lady retired TO one of the
wagons, while the rest Of us at some
little distance, recliaed on tn e blank.
cts and saddles, guarded by our faith
tul dog. Nothing could come within
hundred yards OF the camp without
/ his giving Us warning.
Then the stranger, whose name was
llerudon, gave us an account OF how
he happened to come to the river in
such q plight.
Some months since I VAS in the
ChIckasaw Nation buying up cattle,
when | became acquainted with a
Mr.. Williams, who had married and
settled among the Indians.
! Il found it convenient to 90 very
often to his house, about cattle, but
soon had to acknowledge that the 1T
traction was his daughter Lilly, the
: young lady who is with me.
She is only All eighth Indian, well
!. educated, and us for her beauty you
can see for yourselves. She soon be.
gan to look with favor on me, and
asked her Of her father. He was will.
ing and we were engaged.
Bat there were three sons of the
old man by former marriage with q
white woman, who hated me from
/ the start.
! think they had hoped to get posses
sion OF Lilly's property, but knew. if
| married her, there would be but lit
tie chance OF that. Matters went on,
however. | was too happy to care
much for them, although they became
more unbearable from day to day
They bore no good reputation in the
county, and | was warned against
them more than once.
'rhree days ago the explosion came.
was walking with Lilly, when the
youngest Of the three met Us, and, af-
ter few insulting words, accused me
OF dishonorable conduct.
ut was more than | could stand.
and | 5prang toward him to strike
him. Ho attempted to draw q pistol.
bat | closed with him aud attempted
to take it away. In the struggle the
pistol went off, and he was shot dead.
| stood for moment stunned with
horror, when Lilly's voice reused me.
oh fy, Ay! The others will kill
you when they sec you. They will
swear it was no accident Z
Not much of an accident! saw
the whole thing and he shall swing
for H. said voice behind me.
Il turned. and there stood one Of
the other brothers, with leveled liflc
bearing directly on me. ] attempted
to speak bat be would not allow it.
'March straight to the house, and il
Won try to get away I'll kill You like
- dog. l would shoot you now, but
for the pleasure ofhaving you hung =
my own protestations, Lilly's tears
and eEtteatles, were OF no avail, aud
to avoid immediate violence thought
it best 10 comply.
ON the way to the honse we were
joined by the other brother, and. az
ter few words in some language un.
known to mo, they both hurried INC
on. The old man WA not at homo