Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1884-07-01

I
and he's somewhere in the hollow. -
The hollow was made by a depres-
sion of the ground about fifty rods
from the house front, and running
parallel with it. Upon its further
side was decayed stump, some four
or five feet high, standing below the
sloping bank, and with its top Just
visible from the house. OF this
stump the portion next to the slope
had so fallen away as toleaYe large
cavity capable of containing man.
The gobble indicated the turkeys
whereabouts pretty definitely.
He's somewhere near that
stump" said Arthur; perhaps in
side of it, sitting upon the Iotten.
wood toward the top. But I'll make
a'circuit, and creep around where the
gronud is 1owcr.''
He went out at the back door. so
as to mako sure of not being seem
The land on our right, few rods
from the house, was very low, the
depression stretching off in crescent
shape until itreached the gully, which
crossed it fair riGe-shot distance
from the stump.
Arthur, as young rs he was, had
already become an excellent marks
man, having two years possessed
rifle of his own, Which father had
bought him, and which was almost
always in his hands. We had no
doubt, with anything like an ordinary
chance, he would put ball through
the turkeys head, and return in
triumph.
But somehow, after he went out, a
sudden thought seemed to strike
mother. Wasn't it strange that a
turkey should come so far out of the
woods, and keep up such gobbling
in the hollow? Nos not strange, per-
haps, nor very unusual;. and she
wondered at her own uneasiness.-
But her nerves had been shaken by
poor Jason's incident.
The house had n haIf-story in front
with two small windows above the
ground rooms, and mothers feelings
impelled her to run, up there for a
better view. She wished to see where
father was, and perhaps might dis
cover something of the wild turkey.
1 was close at her side. We saw
father with his rifle off across the
fields, and the negroes at a distance
from him engaged in their work.
The stump, too, was visible nearly to
its foot, and at intervals VIC caught
sight of Arthur carefully working his
way in in q haIf-circuit toward the
gully.
Father had evidently heard the
turkey, and was warily approaching
shaiI5t65p 6stuFt 5lS II showed 4 sbs.ss: e:
feared the bird might get upon the
stump and see him.
Suddenly mother started, and her
face had a look of ghnstIy terrer.-
Something which certainly was no
turkey rose little above the stump,
between its shattered rim and the
grass of the bank. 1 saw it too, and
my blood ran cold.
1t was something that greatly re-
scmbled the head of an Indian. We
felt that the face must be pecring
through the grass toward my father,
while we saw the black, cleaning hair
behind.
Without doubt it was a Seminole
warrior in ambush, watching fathers
approach.
Mother gave an agonizing cry
"What shall 1 do?" she exclaimed.
Would not any outcry she could
make be misunderstood at such a dis
tance, and only hasten the castas-
trophe, since father was still thirty
rods beyond the Indian, and eighty
from the house? Then there was Ar
thur, 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 situation.
But in moment called out to her,
" There's Arthur, mother! there's
Arthur!" for 1 saw him among the
rank grass, lying fat upon the ground
within good rihe-shot of the stump,
which he seemed to be watching in
tently.
Once again the Indians head was
shown slightly, and we got an instant s
glimpse of Arthur's rifle. But the
black hair disappeared, and the wea-
pom was lowered.
Father was now so near the scene
of danger that we had no alternative
but to watch. Terrible as was her
anxiety, mother now felt that Arthur
had discovered what kind of game the
old stump contained. She knew that
the Indian could not fire at father
without exposing his own head, and
that the moment it appeared it would
be covered by the brave boys rife.
How our hearts beat for the few
moments that intervcnedI Another
gobbIe came from the old stump
Father was working his way stealthily
toward it in anticipation of prize,
and Arthur lay as still as death in the
grass.
All at once we saw the sun
light glance upon amass of long raver
hair that rose slowly above the gnarl.
ed wood which had hidden it. Father
was within six rods of the spot. i
was dreadful moment.
Our eyes turned to Arthur. Tho