The Globe-republican., 1890-03-05

| for them its fascination. Their treasury
rather increased than diminished. and
as the miners supplied them with bread
stuff, their living of -four and venlson
was as palatable as it was substantial.
| "You fellows are doing better than
! we are," said one of the hardy miners,
'.for you are sure of deer, while we are
not sure of gold. by long mark"
The boys could not help seeing that
this was true-for the hard-working
men, although they managed to pay for
the game they devoured, were really
having but wretched luck.
To make matters worse, there pres
| entity came rumors of an Indian out
break; and, although the danger was
as yet too uncertain to excite q real
panic, it nevertheless caused a consid-
cradle uneasiness through the various
| camps.
The boys, of course, shared the alarm,
but, in common with the miners, they
resolved to await some more positive
intelligence before vacating their quar-
ters
Meanwhile, they proceeded to hunt as
usual, and on the very next day went to
long distance from their camp.
After time, John Miller became so
widely separated from his companions
that he was unable to find them. Intent
upon getting a shot at large buck
which he had discovered, he had follow
ed the animal through number of de-
vious windings, only to become COM
pletely lost as to the course he ought to
pursue in returning.
After wandering for awhile to no pur-
pose, he fred his rifle several times in
quick succession, but received no ans
wer. Night came on, and he knew that
longer tramp would be useless; So,
kindling fire and lying down under a
tree, he concluded to make the best of
his situation till morning.
1t was getting late, and he had nearly
| fallen into browse, when what was his
alarm to see, by the light of the fire. the
| brown hand of an Indian reach around
the tree against which his rife stood
and snatch the weapon from its place!
Our young hunter had barely time to
realize this, when four other savages,
two on each side, seized him in their
fierce grasp like so many panthers.
The five Indians were Immediately
| joined by twelve others, who had lin
gered little in the rear, SO that young
| Miller found himself the center of a cir
Gle made up of seventeen warriors.
They were bristling with weapons
and turkey quilts, and had their faces
hideously disfgured by alternate daubs
of red and black paint, after the manner
of party of frolicsome boys who have
been out berrying. But there was moth
ing frolicsome here; it was stern
group, and a fearful one.
The Savages marched their captive of
to a considerable distance before en-
camping, and then. binding him hand
and foot, they laid him upon the ground
as helpless as log, after which one OF
them, who could speak few words OF
English, gave him the cOnsOling infor-
nation that on the morrow he was to be
''staked out" and burned in the true
style of the Sioux.
The poor boy we'll knew the meaning
of this. He was to be placed on his
back. with his wrists and ankles bound
fast to four stakes, set at proper dis
| tances, when the red fiends would leis-
urely proceed to stick his body full of
sharp splinters, and, setting these on
fire. slowly roast him to death.
His feelings during that dreadful
night one can not even imagine. A sit
uation so terrible must be past the con-
ception of any person who has never
been placed in it.
In the morning the young captive was
unbound with the exception of his arms,
and then, in single file, the Indians
started off, with him in the middle of
their line, taking the precaution, how
ever, of keeping lariat about his
| waist.
They had no ponies with them, which
was little remarkable: but, as scout
ing party. they may have chosen to
travel on foot, because less liable in
this manner to attract notice, though,
in the meantime, spare lariat or two
might be useful two them.
Presently their path was crossed by a
deep chasm, across which an active, un-
encumbered person might leap by a
powerful exertion, and this feat they
one after another began to perform with
success. springing over like so many
huge bull-frogs.
But even here the opportunity for
cruelty was too tempting to be lost. and
when number of them had accom-
plished the leap, those behind signified
to the boy prisoner that he, too, must
attempt it, pinioned as he was.
They even sought for the purpose a
spot where the chasm was trifle wider
With the long lasso about his waist, and
his arms tightly bound behind him, it
seemed as if he must surely fail; and the
painted demons laughed and yelled at
the mere thought of an effort so utterly
hopeless.
But the youth did not hesitate. He
s.1 = L. Il