The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-04-08

| dams over the top Of the tall fence.
| A large party Of them ran out from the
woods as the gate closed, but after two or
! three had been dropped to the ground by the
balls from Mr.. Fairleigh's rife they did not
dare to come any nearer, as that involved
exposing themselves to his fire while crossing
| the open field.
So, for the present, they contented them
selves by sending a shot now and then at the
! cabin and with burning down the beautiful
| house where DIR. Fairleigh's grandfather,
/ father, himself and his children had been
! born.
! As soon as the house and stable were in
! flames the Indians noisily retired, driving be-
! fore them the two horses that had brought
the three besieged ones from the settlement.
And then all was quiet and peaceful as the
hours wore on toward nightfall- Only for the
smoke that rose from the site of the ruined
| home of the Fairleighs there was not a sign
that an enemy was near.
But Mr.. Fairleigh was not deceived nor
tempted beyond the enclosure that sheltered
the old cabin. He knew the Indians were
there in the woods watching and waiting for
the cover Of darkness to creep down upon it
unawares.
Humpty kept watch while her master and
Soils arranged pieces of fat wood, placed in
the enclosure on purpose To serve such pur-
pose so that they would burn through the
night and cast light on the whole line Of
fence, for the worst danger they had to face
was that the Indians might succeed in getting
over the fence and then enter the cabin
through the roof or set fire to it.
As soon as it was dark Humpty was sta
toned as a lookout at the loopholes, while
the other two lighted the pine knots and then
stood close against the pickets ready to fire
at moments warning.
Before long Humpty saw a round dark OBJ
ject rise above the top Of the fence and
warning note told Soils who guarded that
side In a second there was a flash and re-
port, yell, and the dark object disappeared.
Later on the little hunchback's keen eyes
detected a suspicious movement in a corner
that was partly in the shadow, and a shot
from Mr.. Fairleigh was followed by a shrek
and the heavy fall inside the enclosure of a
dead Indian.
There was long rest after this, but to-
ward daylight wide awake Humpty thought
she heard a slight rustling in the room with
the chimney and the huge fireplace, and as
she went softly in several small pieces of clay
ratified down. The little girl hesitated mo-
ment, then crept cautiously near and looked
up the chimney. Strange to say, as Humpty
drew back and tiptoed across the room, her
dark face cleaned all over hike a ray of sun
shine bursting out of a cloud and spreading
over the landscape.
In perfect silence she picked up some pieces
of fat pine, used for kindling, and filled her
arms with the coverings from bed in the
corner.
eli! hi" she chuckled, shaking from h lead
to foot, "Tll swinge dat chicken, fer shua;
fust rate idee! He won't know what's hap
PENN. Goose up the chimbly; swinge em,
swinge em wellI'
Quick flash Humpty placed the kind
lings in the fireplace, lighted them, and when
they blazed up, threw on the bedclothes, and
then more wood.
Then, the picture of delight, she darted
away, and mounted to a loophole
"Hil massa, Use swingin' a chicken goose
up the chimbly. Come in yer, massa, he
tumble down or he get on de roof. Shoot
here or catch him on the roof, one or t'other.
Reckon he feel mighty warm by dis time,
hill hil Humpty, swinge em, shua"
Mr.. Fairleigh darted into the cabin, and
Pluribus Soils raised his rifle, ready to fire
if Humpty's chicken goose" appeared on
evidently in a great hurry, and in the midst
of a cloud of smoke. ''Swingin'" was some
thing he had not calculated on, neither on
the bullet that went crashing through his
head, and sent him rolling OF the roof to the
ground.
That ended the attack for the time. Tho
first rays Of light were streaming out from
the east and the Indians drew back under
eI,o lo-t Of civ
warriors.
But still Mr. Fairleigh had no hope Of ul-
innate escape; he knew his enemies would
not give up the siege. Humpty saw his
trouble There was one person whom she
loved with utter devotion, and that person
was her master. All day long she moved
about quietly and thoughtfully; she was turn
ing something over in her mind, and just
before night she went to her master and told
him about it.
LET Humpty go, massa," she pleaded
"Solis, he'll look out sharp, and Humpty'n
creep, creep, creeptill she gifts clar Off, and
den run, run, run. Git help heah fore to-
morrow night, and den massaH be all right. "
At last AIr. Fairleigh yielded The plan
would at least give little Humpty a chance
of escape.
was cautiously loosened and the heroic little
slave crept through, not knowing but the
next moment a tOmahawk might descend
upon her head
Slowly, now curling on her hands and
knees ike a dog, now dragging herself along
like a snake, she made her way across the
field until at last she gained the shelter of tue
woods Stin cautiously, but walking now,
she went steadily on, and when she felt sure
she was beyond hearing Of the Indians, who
were now, no doubt, drawing near 10 the
cabin, she ran, ran as she had never ran
before.
Twenty miles TO the settlement and then
all that distance to be gone over again before
help could reach her beloved masJerl
On aud on she ran TIL suddenly she stopped
short, catching her breath and shaking from
head to foot, for there was strange sound
ia the air; coming closer alo2g the wagon
track she was following a heavy tramp and
deep murmur. Humpty was terribly fright
ened. She thought 1t was a whole regiment
of spooks. or 'hanrs, rs she called the "splr
its and she dropped down in q heap.
Very soon the noise came opposite her, and
then she saw what II meant. and her little,
sorely tried heart gave q 1nrob OF JOY.
Soldiers hundreds and hundreds of them.
Yes, it was really Gen. JackSon's army
with that brave hero himself riding at their
head. They were on the road to the Miccos- /
ukee village you VIII find it on the Florida
maps 10 this day. only it is not an Indian
town now 70 punish the Red STICKS, and how
well they did it. 900, history tells US.
But now, led by Eumpty, they marched
rapidly TO the relief Of the cabin where 50
desperate fight was being fought, ana they
arrive< in time 70 Kill or capture every one
Of Tie saKsres who rad inst srcceeGei in