Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-02-04
"TEoUMsEHn TALKS.
EnITQa INpIAN- -CIIIErrAIN;:-.T .Tl


mer, aud could not fathom tho inys-
terry. Was It an Indian or another out
lawP Moving so cautiously, what OBJ
iect had he in viewP Had l once
thought Of jackson, l should not have
dared TO hope he had come TO my res
cue through that water; and, too,
could not have believed he knew Of my
whereabouts.
From the time first caught sight of
the figure to daylight was probably an
hour and half, but Il seemed TO me
rs II lived five years. had no
hopes that the man was q friend. and
yet / could not look for new enemy
Perhaps, after all, It was only one of
the refugee negroes, Of whom scores
were hiding In the swamps, who had
made his way to the scow in hopes TO
lay hands on provisions or clothing. |
kept my eyes on the spot whore I had
last seen him, and, as he did not reap
pear, began to feel that he had
slipped back into the water, and re-
turned to the shore.
Did you ever watch the coming of
daylight when you felt that with it
might come some life OF death trans
actionP The first signs came from
the birdsl Then, afar up the lake,
came the cries of water fowl. A fox
or some other animal stood on the
shore near where we had tied up tho
night before and barked in an angry
voice. The stars palcd and driftcd out
OF sight, and the interior of the cabin
began to light up until | could dstin.
guish the forms of the slocpers.
Where was the strange man-friend
or enemyP As if in response to my
query he suddenly rose up, stepped
noiselessly inside the door. and next
instant voice shouted at me:
Keep down, Colonel; hug the
fioorr
| rolled over on my face, and Iheard
yells, screams and groans It was all
over in thirty seconds, and some one
called; "All right, Coloncl-I'vo wiped
the yarmints outlh
| sprang up to find Jackson standing
in the center of the cabin, and on the
floor lay the outlaw, wife and children,
all dead. IL was as had argued the
day previous. The two men had sepa-
rated in the woods-Sheen to return
directly to camp and Jackson to hunt
for supper. The outlaw had ambushed
Sheen and killed him, and Jackson had
heard the report of the gun aud become
suspicious. He hurried TO camp TO find
me gone and everything taken, and had
traced us TO the lake. lie found indi-
cations to prove that boat had been
used, and he followed the shore of the
lake down until c found the scow at
anchor.
Not one in a thousand would have
shown his nerve. He knew of the alli-
gators. could see a dozen of them NOV
ing about, and yet he disrobed. tied his
weapons across his head, and swan
straight for the scow, and reached il
unmOlestcd. He saw that the only wav
was to wipe out all the gang. and as
soon as daylight would guide his aim
he began his work
When we had buried our comrade
we made close search of the floating !
cabin, and we found indisputable proof /
Of the murder Of five or six persons. la /
an old wooden bucket wee two gold 4
iRG 'unroc silver watches, several pock-
4 knives, half dozen rings, and eight
hundred and twenty-five dollars in /
gold, silver and greenbacks. As none
II these articles could be traced back
o their owners, and as vengeance bad
'vertaken the murderers, we felt no
hesitation in taking possession Of every
hing for the benefit Of Shecns widow.
The last act was 90 set fire 10 the
Cow and push il out into the lake. Il
vas rs merciful to consign the bodies
o the flames rs to see the alligators
ight over them. Such human wolves
I'D not deserve burial.-N Y. Sun.