Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-04-05


But nothing further occurred to alarm
her then and she reached the cabin in
safety.
Once more she barred all entrances
and prepared to defend herself to the
last She understood now, she thought,
why the treacherous fellows had ridden
away so unconccrnedly. They had
intended the action for blind. After
riding out of sight they had dismount-
ed, and having skunk back under shell
ter of the river bank had entered the
bed of the creek were they were now
lying in wait for chance to shoot
down the inmates of the cabin.
That the Indians had not killed her
when they had the opportunity was
source of thankful wonder. 1t could
not be, she believed, that they had not
seen her, but they must have thought
themselves undiscovered. Thus she
speculated in fear and excitement.
Through an opening in the front
window her eve took in the broad ex
panse of the Mississippi beyond the
ambush of the savagcs. Suddenly
there came into view, not mile dis
tant, the well known sail of the bateau.
Her first feeling was one of delight;
but almost instantly the true situation
flashed upon her and she realized the
purpose of the ambush. y deadly fear
for her trapper friends seized upon the
brave woman's mind.
She saw it all now. The Indians
had discovered that sail away down
the river, and knowing where the
boat would land they had after their
cunning and treacherOus fashion,
stolen back to lie i'll ambush for the
unsuspecting boatmen. She had not
been seen on her excursion to the
spring because the Indians were intent
upon other victims.
She kept her eyes on the boat; it
was coming slowly on with light
breeze in its favor; the boys seemed to
be plying the oars lazily.
What could be done to warn theml
1t would be certain death to her to go
outside and make any movement like
ly to attract their attention. Even if
they saw or heard her, they might
well fancy her to be merely greeting
their return.
Then she thought of the wild
Goose Bar" and plan of action came
like an inspiration. The Wild Goose
Bar was a drift of sand which extend
ed into the river from a point several
hundred yards above the mouth of
the creek. 1t connected with small
island, or rather peninsula, about a
hundred yards from shore. The geese
in their autumn flight often alighted
upon it at night in great numbers, and
this had given this sand bar its name
From the lay of the ground back of
the cabin knoll Sallie knew that she
could reach point very near to the
bar without being seen. If she might
but safely run the gauntlet of the sand
stretch to the covert of the willows
upon the island, she would be able to
warn the coming bOatmen.
There was no time TO lose. By the
time she could reach the island the
bateau would be close at hand. She
opened the back window and, gun in
hand, crawled through and ran down
the side of the knoll into a little
''swale' which extended for some dis
/ lance parallel with the rivers bank.
Once on this low ground she bent for
ward so as to keep her head out of
sight and hurried up to point which
| she knew must be about opposite the
sand bar. Then boldly rising upright
she ran swiftly across the intervening
ground to the river bank and slid
down its steep side to the foot of the
bar
The keen eyes of the Indians had
seen her at last They guessed her
purpose and set up a howl like theory
of pack of wolves. Looking aside in
her flight along the bar she saw them
emerge, yelling swarm, from the
creek bed, and give swift chase up the
bank of the river.
They shot arrows at her as she ran,
but the range at first was too great
and the shafts fell in the water OF
stuck lightly in the sand behind her
Oddly enough she thought of the
scores of wild geese that had been free
upon from the bank and killed upon
the sands over which she was fleeing
That hundred yards seemed Ions
distance. The Indians gained swiftly
upon her and before she could rcacl
the island their arrows began to whis
spitefully past. She would certainly
have lost her life had not the boatmen
VINO were rapidly drawing near, opened
fire at this critical moment Thcil
long range rifles scattered the Indian.
and sent them instantly flying.
Sallic had just breath left to notC
that there were more than two men il
the bateau, and then she fell exhaust
ed and fainting upon the wet sand a
the edge of the island.
When she became conscious, Brigg.
and Ellery We're kneeling by her, one
on either side, tanning her with theil
hats. Her clothing and hair were
drenched with the water they haC
thrown i'll her face to revive her.
Looking up, Sallie saw two tai
strangers leaning on their guns anC
looking upon her with sympathy anC
interest, They now came forward anC
each in his rough way-for they, too
were frontiersmen = uttered expires
sions of grateful admiration, mingle,
with not little wonder at the feat sh,
had performed.
When Gleason returned and tn
story was repeated to him, he said