The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1890-06-14

Imns of smoke, which seemed to ascend
to the very heavens.
Presently Mrs. Harvey came up from
the spring with a bucket of water.
She paused at the store door. and asked.
Joe, what is the meaning of all that
smoke west of us!'
"Thats what I've been pulling my
head over" he answered.
- 1t can't be the prairie, for that is too
green to burn"
"NO, replied her husband; "besides,
the smoke would be more scattered if it
came from prairie-tires."
At that moment Harry Grey. the hand
some young brother of Mrs. Harvey,
dashed up on his pony. The young man
showed evidence of great excitement.
while the pony was covered with foam
and seemed ready to fall to the ground
from extreme fatigue.
1.-The Indians" he shouted, pointing
toward the columns of smoke in the west.
''Thc Sioux have made an outbreak and
are butchcring the settlers and burning
their cabins"
MY God" cried Mrs. Harvey. "What
will we do!"
There is oaly one alternative" replied
her husband
"What is that" she asked, with blanch-
ed face
Glitch to the light wagon and drive
for our lives 10 the next settlement east
of u.s. he said.
stop, Joe" cried Harry, OBTAINING
him as he started toward the little shed
where the horses were kept. That is
the wcrst thing YOU can do. The Indians
are all around us. Bloodthirsty bands
are guarding every pass and road leading
from our settlement.'
''What do You adviser"
Eight the red villains right here.r'
answered Harry.
But won't that be foolhardv?"
''Not half so much SO as driving right
into one of their traps. The Sioux arc
in every direction"
''Well, I'm no coward" said Harvey.
when | have to fight, l can fight. But
how are we to fortify ourselves here?"
Have you plenty OF arms and ammu-
milton in the storc.r asked Harry Grey.
his keen, dark eyes surveying the prem
Uses.
''Ies; just got in a supply"
Then why not turn that milk house
into fort!" suggested Harry.
"The very place." CALCULATED Harvey.
We'll try it; and may heaven help us
against the red ficnds."
The milk-hOuse was low stone struc-
ture, built over spring OF excellent water.
Il had just been finished and was strong,
roomy cave. the floor and walls of which
were thick and solid, made of rock which
Harvey and Harry had blasted from the
open ground around the milk-housc. The
roof was strong and well sodded.
The milk-housc would be capital
place to use As fort, for the ground on
every side around it was smooth, offering
70 opportunity whatever for their enc
mics TO creep up.
They wasted no words in getting their
tort ready for siege.
While Mrs. Harvey and Harry fastened
to convey food, bedding. and goods from
the store and cabin, Harvey, with
strong iron bar, made loopholcs in the
stone walls. He had muscular arms. and
in short time he had made several of
them. With a huge auger he then bored
three more in the heavy oaken door.
AS they were busily preparing their fort
for the expected attack, they were joined
by two young settlers. who had claims
three miles away. They had been in the
woods hunting stray cattle. and had
very narrow escape from band of Sioux,
who had given them a long chase.
These young fellows needed no invita-
ton to help, but began work with a will,
The little party did not forget to keep
their eyes open for the Indians, how
ever.
Sooner than is required to tell it. the
best that was in the cabin and the little
country store had been transferred to the
milk house.
The stock had been driven by one of
the men into dense timber a short dis
lance beyond the store where the Sioux
would not be likely to lind them.
Harvey and one of the settlers had pre-
pared a barricadc before the door. They
drove several stout posts, which had
been well soaked in water to prevent
their taking fire. into the ground before
the door. leaving only space enough for
one person to pass at a time. The In
dians would have poor chance TO come
at them from that way.
Meanwhile, Harry Grey, with the as