The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-05-02
SAVED BY FIRE.

One time I met at western port an
old hunter by the name of Abe Darrell.
There was but little about him to dis
tinguish him from others of his class.
He was the same genial, daring, reck.
less of danger, good hearted fellow that
they all are.
But there was one thing which would
be sure to attract the attention of
stranger.
His face and neck seemed to be covered
by one huge scar.
Many would have thought that the en-
tire surface had been flsyed, and that
new skin had taken its place.
Oneaday I asked him him the cause of
this strange appearance.
In answer he told me the following
story:
shall tell it, as near as can remem>
Der, in his own words:
Give years ago last autumn" he said,
81 and Joe Smiley were hunting away up
in the Sioux country.
There was not white man that we
knew of within hundred miles of us.
For several weeks we had been at
work and never expect to see any bet
ter luck than we had.
Game was plenty, and the way we
made up our pile would have made you
open your eyes with wonder.
I'VE had couple of rough, shaggy
ponies, who, for speed and wind, were
hard to beat.
They were better than they looked,
for if they hadn't been l wouldn't have
been here telling you this story tonight.
''At last we were pretty well satisfied
with what we had done, and began 10
think of turning our faces homeward to
60 into winter quarters.
"There were signs in the air and all
about us that the snow would soon be
down.
The trees In the timber were stripped
as bare as your hand, and the grass on
the plains was dead and as dry as finder.
I'VE had to be mighty careful with our
fires, or we should have made one that
would have answered for the fourth of
July.
"The redskins had given us wide
berth.
I'VE had not seen half dozen in the
whole trip.
Il and Joe often spoke of it, and won
dered what had become of EN-.
But we found out full soon enough
for US.
1.-THE first sign we had of 'em was on
the third day after we had set faces to-
ward the east.
"Thrce times that dag we got glimpse
of a party of EN- hanging upon our rear
"They were good ways off, but we
couldn't help thinking that they meant us
mischief.
There seemed to be at least a dozen OF
them, and they were well mounted.
1--WE knew this by the way they would
gain upon US whenever they wished to dc
so.
"Just at shutdown they rode up nearer
than they had done before during thu
day, and Joe said, as we gazed back oil
them:
"Th EN- varmints are after US. Abe:
have felt it all day, and now am sure o
it. They'll give US trouble tonight, as sur
as my name is Joe Shirley"
II felt that Joe had hit the nail on thu
head, and so l told him.
"'We must sleep with both eyes oper
tonight. Abe, he said little after TAX
it on fair fight we needn't be afraid o.
the whole OF EN-; but they'll come sneak
ing around in the dark and cut GU
throats if they can do it,
81 knew that Joe was right, and tina
if we wished to save our scalps we hat
got to keep sharp lookout
I'VE rode till bout ten O'clock, ant
then we camped for the night
I'VE went without our supper, TO
didn't dare to build fire, as it woul,
show the redskins where we were.
Without it, we were in hopes tina
they couldn't find us.
Joe declared that he should have tn
first watch, and that should lie dow
and get nap.
II would rather have done so myself
for wasn't bit sleepy.
But gin up to him and spread dow
my blanket, and turned in.
'1t'was more'n an hour before / coul
get to sleep.
1.-THE stars kept winking above me. a
wakeful as /; but at last they seemed t.
grow dim, and afore knew it my eve
were stuck together, and l was asleep.
Il don't know how long it was that
laid there; but | opened my eyes an
came upon my feet at the same moment
'Joe's voice was ringing in my ear
like a trumpet;
-" Wake up. Abe, if You don't want {
be roasted alive
For moment didn't hardly kno,
where was.
The stars were all gone, and the SIX
above us was black as midnight.
But above US, on three sides, like
part of circle, was q wall of fire.
"The first thought that came into m
mind was that it was the Day of Judg
ment.
"But the voice of Joe brought me t
myself in q minute.
The cursed redskins mean to roa.
us alive. We've got to run for it or die
HE was right.
They had set fire about us on all side
except one. and the flames were comm
down upon us with long strides.
There was no time to be lost, and W
sprang upon our ponies and bounde
away as fast as we could urge them OF
But we hadn't gone more than qua
ter of mile before there came shot
right ahead of us.
1.-The redskins were there to cut US of
I'VE refined in our ponies to consn
for moment as TO what was best to
done.
Hardly had we done 80 before a SHOW
er OF bullets rained about us like hail.
"The varmints were bound to have OF
lives anyway.
I'VE looked round over our shoulde
at flames that the wind was driving dow
upon us.
There was another shout and anoth
shower of bullets while we stood the
uncertain what to do.
"But the bullets as yet did no harm.
stIna lnnkpd Mt me and hv tho liohf