Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1883-06-07

| trophy zinc cnllu Scuip rs hfc
Poor thing-poor thing!' and mois
ture gathered in his eye as he smootheC
its dishevelled locks. "My little play
mate Ruth-so lively and frolicsome!-
the pet of the settlement! And this
sweet little cherub so cruelty butchered
Why didn't the 'arth open and swallow
the fiends! Wal-wal-it's all right
s'pose-His wisdom and His mercy are
not TO be questioned by us weak and
short sighted mortals! but" The
scout did not finish the sentence. The
tone in which that but was uttered,
however, told the stern purpose he
had formed. Tightening his hunting
belt and repriming his rifle. he made a
signal to Brave, who stood seemingly
waiting his movements, and scout and
dog glided cautiously through the laby-
rinths of the wilderness, now dimly
lighted by the rising of the moon, whose
rays scarcely penetrated the deep foil
age of the forest.
| CHAP. w.
| The scene was one of gloomy grand
eur. 1t was deep moonlight. Heavy
masses of clouds athwart the heavens,
through the riffs of which the moon &C.
| casionally fell in glimmering patches on
a lakes broad bosom, which spread out
like vast mirror of steel in the uncer-
tain light. Tall trees-the widespread
oak-the straight and slender beech and
walnut-the 1.-the ash, and the plume
like fir formed a dense array in the
background, while the borders of the
lake were fringed with bushes and
thickets of alders. At one point the
bank ran up sloping to the forests edge,
which here receded for some distance,
the huge trunks like messy columns in
the great temple of nature.
Deep silence brooded over this little
green plat-silence and darkness, save
when at times light shiver ran among
the trees, as a breath of air broke their
repose, and an opening in the clouds
illuminated the place with the moons
transient light. At such times might be
seen drawn up in line on the grassy
bank, their prows just ut the waters
edge, three canoes, ready to be launched
at moments warning-and clustered
here and there in groups, the dim forms
of sleeping savages, to the number of
ten or more.
1t was the temporary encampm ent of
a war party, each member of which was
apparently buried in profound slumber.
A moment however, showed, that there
were sleepless eyes and listening ears in
that slumbering band-for one of the
number mighthave been seen Embarrassing
himself, resting on an elbow in an atti-
tude expressing keen and vigilant
watchfulness. For five minutes or more
the attention of the aroused savage
seemed riveted in particular direction,
as if jealousy was awakened-his rest
Tess burning glances striving to pene-
trate the dim recesses of the surround
ing woods, and his ears keenly sensitive
to the faintest sound that might be
ahoat After awhile. perfectly satisfied
with his scrutiny, he let himself down
to his former recumbent position.
Keen as were the lenses of the red
man-confident as he was of his power
of detecting the first approach of dan
ger-there was one in his immediate
neighborhood whose skill and cunning
in wood-craft were more than a match
for him In an angle of the opening
was thick clump of bushes, and to-
form of man might have been seen,
at the very time the awakened savage
was peering around with those snake
like eyes of his-worming slowly along.
Not the rustic of leaf-not the crackle |
of twie marked the willy movement,
which was so slow as to be almost i'm |
The covert was last reached, and |
for nearly an hour the figure remained |
as if void of life. 1t was now that time |
of night when the senses arc most deep |
ly locked in slumber-the honr gen. |
orally chosen by the savage for an at |
tack. A dead silence reigned over the |
scene, broken only by the heavy breath
ing of the red men, all of whom even
to the sentinel, were buried in profound |
slumber. Slowly and cautiously the
PROSTATE figure of the man in the
bushes rose up revealing the well known
form of the scout.
After peering around on the sleeping
5avages, the hunter gave a serpent-like
hiss, and presently the shaggy mastiff |
was seen, treading noiselessly over the
dried leaves, just skirting the forest, to
where his master was secreted-the
covert he had chosen beng directly OPP
pOsite his entrance into the opening.
Arriving at his masters side, the dog
stood looking wistfully into his face.
STOPPING down and patting the head
Of the faithful animal, the old man held
the child's scalp toward him and whis-
pered in his ear:
$50, Brave, and smell 'em outr'
In obedience to this command, the
sagacious creature started, picking his
way slowly and carefully along among |
the sleeping foe, at last he paused by |
the side of two of the savages who were
huddled little apart from the others,
and fortunately for the scout. in close
proximity to the forests edge.
What that design was the reader has
already surmised. 1t was to avenge the
death of mother and child. He had
been prowling around the encampment
for some hours, and had ascertained the
of the enemy. Their superior
force, and the great risk of detection
would have deferred less resolute |
man; but the old scout knew not fear,
and once his mind resolved, no danger,
however threatening, would turn him
aside.
'Tis pesky risky business / know"
soliloquized the old man. shut little |
Ruth shall be avenged, that I'm deter
mined onr'
Leaving his rifle in the bushes, and |
unsheathing his long hunting knife, he |
prepared himself for the fearful and |
desperate task he had undertaken.
'.I'd rather meet 'em in fair night"