Frostburg mining journal., 1883-12-22
THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS.
TContinued from first page. !


eombatants were now equal in num-
Der, each singled an opponent from
the adverse band The rush and blows
passed with the fury of whirlwind.
Hawkeye soon got another enemy
within reach of his arm, and with one
sweep Of his weapon he beat down the
slight defences of his antagonist,
crushing him to the earth with the
blow. Hayward ventured to hurl the
tomahawk he had seized, too ardent to
await the moment of closing. II
struck the Indian he had selected on
the forehead, and checked for NOM
ent his onward rush. Encouraged by
this slight advantage, the impetuous
young man continued his onset, and
sprang upon his enemy with naked
hands. A single instant was sufficient
to assure him of the rashness Of the
measure, for he Immediately found
himself fully engaged, with all his
courage, in endeavoring to ward the
desperate thrusts made with the knife
of the Huron. Unable longer to foil
an enemy so alert, he threw his arms
about him, and succeeding in pinnine
the limbs of the other to his side, witt
an iron grasp, but one that was fal
too exhausting to himself to continue
long. In this extremity he heard q
voice near him shouting,-
"Extarminate the varlets, NJ
quarter to an accursed Mingo!"
At the next moment, the breech OF
Hawk-eye's rifle fell on the naked head
of his adversary, whose muscles ap-
peared to wither under the shock, as
he sank from the arms of Duncan,
flexible and motionless.
When Uncas had Drained his first
antagonist, he turned, like hungry
lion, to seek another. The fifth and
only Huron disengaged at the first on
set had paused a moment, and then
seeing that all around him were en-
ployed with the deadly strife, he had
sought, with hellish vengeance, to
complete the baffled work of revenge.
Rising q shout of triumph, he sprang
towards the defenceless Cora, sending
his keen axe, as the precursor OF his
approach. The tomahawk grazed her
shoulder, and cutting the withes
which bound her to the tree, left the
maiden at liberty to fly. She eluded
the grasp Of the savage, and threw
herself on the bosom of Alice, striving
with ill-directed fingers, to tear asunder
the twigs which confined her sister.
Any other than monster would have
relented at such an act of generous
devotion to the purest affection but
the breast of the Huron was a stranger
to sympathy. Selling Cora by the rich
tresses which fell about her form, he
tore her from her frantic hold, and
bowed her down to her knees. The
savage drew the flowing curls through
his hand, and raising them on high
with an outstretched arm, he passed
the knife around the exquisitely mould-
ed head of his victim, with q taunting
laugh. But he purchased this mo-
ment of fierce qualification with the
loss of the fatal opportunity. 1t was
just then the sight caught the eye of
Uncas. Bounding from his footsteps
he appeared darting through the air,
and descending in ball he fell on the
chest of his enemy, driving him many
yards from the spot, headlong and pros
trate. The violence of the exertion cast
the young Nohican at his side. They
arose together, fought and bled, each
in his turn. Bnt the conflict was soon
decided the tomahawk of Hayward
and the rife of Hawk-eye descended
on the skull of the Huron, at the same
moment that the knife of Uneas reach
cd his heart.
The battle was now terminated, with
the exception of the struggle between
''Le Renard Subtil" and "Le gros Ser
pent." Well did these warriors prove
that those names which had bestowed
for deeds in former wars. When they
engaged, some little time was lost in
eluding the vigorous thrusts which
had been aimed at their lives. Sud
denly darting on each other, they
closed and came TO the earth, twisted
together like twining serpents, in
plant and subtle folds. At the mo-
ment when the victors found them
selves unoccupied, tho spot where
these experienced and desperate com
batants lay could only be distinguish
cd by . cloud of dust and leaves as if
raised by the passage of a whirlwind.
Urged by the different motives of tilial
affection, friendship and gratitude,
Hayward and his companions rushed
with one accord to the place, en-
circling the little canopy of dust
which hung above the warriors. In
vain did Uncas dart around the cloud,
with wish to strike his knife into the
heart of his fathers foe the threaten
ing rife of Hawk-eye was raised and