River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-09-12

Fifty feet below him-a little to the
right-was the fire built against the
side OF the great triangular rift. On
the opposite side lay two mOtiOnless
forms in the shadow. one of whom was
probably Dick Prater's prospective
fathcr-in-law. And Dicks heart began
beating very fast-perhaps at the near
proximity of one so closely connected
with his pretty Doris.
But it beat even trifle faster as his
gaze literally fell upon four brawny In
dians indians arc invariably "braw-
NY in stories of fiction-why not in
this one of factD crOuched about the
fire. Two were broiling antelope steaks
on pointed sticks. The other two were
still more agreeably occupied.
For they had brought four bottles
OF choice Hennessy IRON Millionaire
Manning's captured liquor case, and
these being opened by the simple
process of a clip across the neck with
a scalping-knife, the contents thereof
were deCluting so to speak-dOwn as
many copper-colored and copper-fast-
ened thrOats. How Millionaire Man
ming, laying helpless and bound, with
his own throat as dry as the proverbial
lime-kiln, felt at the sight can not
rightly be put into words.
Having disposed of. couple of pints
of fire-water, one of them brought for
ward the four fresh scalps torn from
the heads of the mutilated bodies Dick
had seen, and as a vision of the ghast-
ly victims came suddenly TO mind one
Of the seven devils possessing the
murderous tiends below must have
entered into Dick Prater.
For his regard for the sacredness OF
human life had made him the recip-
lent of considerable 'chafn from his
rOugher companions. Yet as the red
skins beneath suspended the CORY
scalps from willow wands. and per-
formed an unsteady war dance, utter
ing exultant yells, punctuated with
hiccups. Dick Prater told himself that
be would give a dozen three-year-old
steers to hold between his hands one
of the Winchesters leaning against
the face of the cliff below for two
brief moments.
But the futility of the wish was no
sooner realized than the murderous
demon within called Dicks sudden
attention TO the sandstone boulder at
his side, just as the four dancers be-
meath were posturing with the scalps
lifted over their heads, which were
SO close together that their faces al
most touched.
Dick has told me that he was not
Dick Prater for the moment That
the alter ego of himself most suscep-
tible to the suggestions of the tempter
was in the ascendant
Else how. unaided. did he, with one
cOnvulsive upheaval of his broad
shoulders under the mass of sand
stone. dislodge it from the verge and
send it crashing down ward on its ter
rible mission.
Shaking in every limb Dick, not
daring to look over the cliff, hurried
down the way he had come. Peering
cautiously round the projecting bluff,
he saw that the Indian sentinel had
vanished. Then, averting his eyes from
the fatal spot, Dick hurried toward the
captives. one of whom had wriggled
himself into a sitting posture.
Quick, stranger-they'll be here
directly they git over their scare"
Dick did not understand. but lost no
time in cutting the speakers bonds.
Then he did the same for Millionaire
Manning, who. it is almost needless to
say, failed to recognize in the bronzed,
sinewed young borderman his former
confidential clerk.
Grab them Winchesters-they're
back here. by
Five painted faces appeared at the
mouth Of the gorge. Three rifles
cracked. Two Indians fell. and one
staggered back against the rocks bad
IL wounded.
AT 'em before they git of =
Confused and bewildered. Dick fol-
lowed the speaker. rife in hand. Mill
ionaire Manning limped across the
little space and seized one bottle of
Hennessy unsmashed by the boulder.
The released prisoner. who ackdowl-
edged 10 the name Of Bunyap. took a
snap shot in the moonlight at flying
Indian. and dropped him at a hundred
yards. Dick followed suit, bat the Iu-
dian didn't