Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1888-03-24

ne and do as you see me do, ana throw |
ng his carbine carel.ssly across his left |
arm the fur buyer awaited the Indians |
approach with all the careless assurance |
he could assume
As the squad drew near. Odolph and
MS frightened companion saw that the
accs Of all Of them Nere hideously be-
iauhed with glarin@ paints, green, black,
yellow and vermilion.
They were scattered out in single file
oefore reaching the bottom of the ravne.
and the Iealer-a chief, if odolph could
Judge from his to2cery rode directly to
he wagon, without SO much as deigning
70 notice the white men, leaned forward
upon his pony's neck, and pcercd scowl-
5ngly into the box
He looked earnestly for moment, and
then, uttering an angry grunt, glowered
sa"agely at Odolph. who looked him
hrewdly and keenly in the eyes and said
GLOW" as pleasantly as he could.
But the Indian was in a bad humor,
and without replying to this civil salute,
le turned to several Of his rcpulsve-
cooking bucks who had }now ridden up
md gave few gutteral words of com
nand.
A half dozen or more Of them instantly
'prang from their ponies and giving the
| larats IL charge of Others, speedily
| pulled the blankets, "grub- box and
, other contents ont of the wagon, gave
the blankets to the chef-thcrc were
only two rolled together in bundle
hen, with their hatchcts, they fell upon
! the wagon box and began hacking it in
| w hiln h,, i rs Il,
! IF the mounted Indians rode out pulled
the picket pins and led Ndolphs horses
away up the ravinc.
.jorgensen and his man stood looking
helple>sly on. we'll knowing in fact, that
hey must do nothing else if they would
save their lives.
The angry Indians soon demolished
the wagon, choppng the reach i'll the
centre and piling the wheels and frag-
ments of the box in a heap together.
lhey then scratched matches Of which
they seemed to have good supply
and lighted splintcr, III several places at
the bottom, and in few moments the
whole heap was Nenycloped in flames.
They stood back and laughed as the
blaze cracklcd about the wreck and
maliclously eyed the two Danes as
though they wished they might dare
TO fling them also into the burning
mass.
However, they made made no hostile
demonstration then owing, no doubt, to
the fact that the two white men stood
with the muzzlcs Of their carbincs pointed
toward them but after max ing sure the
fire had made too great headway to be
put out, the d .smounted ones got on
their ponies aud the whole party rode off
up the ravinc.
Now said Odolph, as the last Sioux
disappeared over the summit, I'VE must
run for it, Hans. We must make the
river and get across at once or we'll
oever get out Of this hollow alive"
They did run, as swiftly rs their short
Danish leg, would carry thom.
The river was not more than two hun
drcd yards distant, but even as they
reached the bank they heard the catter
Of horse hoo.s upon the bluff above.
Looking back, odolph saw that the
At a hcadIong Sallop. and evidently
making ready to fire upon them.
'Into the river, lians' he shouted,
and they plunged in. The bank was
sloping, and there was no shelter unle~>
they could reach the timber which grew
upon the other side
The water came up to their armpits,
and, holding their caTbines above then
; heads theypu~hcd through the current at
a rate that made it boil Behind them.
They had not more than reached the
middle when the Indians drew up on tlit
crest Of the bluff above and began firm
: down upon them. The bullets pattcrc,
2 "chook chook :" close about their slou
/ defS.
"Down. Hans, down to your nose
e shouted the ready wittcd fur buyer, an
4 sinking down until only the tops ,
h their heads and the nuzzles Of their ca
q bines protruded above the surface, h
{ impcrilcd Danes scootcd through til
: water Ike hunted deer
The moving heads presented sna
4 marks at that distance. an some of Ii
U Indians dismountei and came boundlu
= down the steep side OF the biuiT t. get
:, close shot as the white lncn came up. @
i the opposite bank.
\ rut odolph understood TINS ganic alst
h and heading DON stream he MAS In til
J lead. for Hans followed in every move
. he made for a big fallen tree that lcane
out from the bank and ha., formed
. sort Of boom for the lodrmcnt of ma
Of drift stuff. Behind that they wouI
bc safe.
! The Indians saw this move and wi,
o. yells # disappointment halted, fired
? few ineffective shots and then hustle
: bacN 10 Get out Of range Of the carhln'
, winch they we'll knew we're loaded vii
4 waterproof cartridges and would
: tarned upon them IN moment from l.
:. hind the drift The whole party lIt
;, hufriedy withdrew out Of s-ht
- Odoiph and Hans who had bot
achei the shelter # the drift, 60
- cra2,. cd uo the bank aud W4lkeG o.
a. among the trees to whore they ccu.
safe.y pull oil their dripping cl"the> an
d wrlag the water from them. lIege ,it
k stayed. on the watch. until dark, who
n having seen NJ sign, o. the In ,lai
d Tros,i lin. about. they set out IN the q
- !.