The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-02-13

the door barricaded, and every gun ready
for use when the band, which at this
time numbered forty-one, rode up and
halted just beyond rife range.
Harry Grey had counted them from a
loop-hole. Suddenly his ruddy face grew
pale, and he was observed to tremble as
if an ague had seized him.
''The fends!" came from his ashen lips,
"What is it?" cried Harvey.
"LookF' and he pointed toward the
band of Sioux.
Harvey sprang to loop-ho1e and sur
veyed the object of Harry's emotion. He
started greatly as his eyes fell on lovely
white girl, with plump, graceful figure,
long golden hair streaming wildly away
from her scared, colorless face, and with
her arms tied cruelty behind her back.
She was captive in the midst of band
of merciless Indians!
"Heavens!" calculated Harvey, sit is
Daisy Murdoch
''Yes, and she is a captive in the hands
of that fiendish band. Heavens! what
can | do?" he cried, in wild excitement.
Daisy Murdock was the only child of a
settler who had taken ''a claim" about
fifteen miles south of Harvey,s store.
The MurdocBs and the Crews had been
old neighbors in Illinois, and had come
to Minnesota together. Daisy and Harry
Grey had been lovers from childhood,
and the coming Christmas had been ap-
pointed as suitable time for celebra-
ting their nuptials in good old-fashioned
frontier style. Harry had intended by
then to have his own farm out on Cedar
Creek sufficiently improved to install
Daisy as mistress of a home of theirown.
After considerable parley among them
selves, the Sioux marched the captive
toward the fort. The Indians halted and
bade her proceed, at the same time keep
ing her covered with their rifles. This
was intense torture to Harry, and, had
he not been restrained, he would have
rushed bodily to his death in the attempt
to rescue the girl whom he loved.
The captive was allowed to come up
within twenty-five feet of the barricade,
then the Sioux called to her to halt. In
voice which she strove in vain to rem
der steady the captive told them she
had been made to come and demand
their surrender. But, in lower tones,
she warned them against doing so, say
ing they would only be butchered with
out mercy.
Harvey was alert and telling Harry to
unbarricade the door, he explained
briefly to the poor captive that her res
cue would then and there be attempted.
Poor Daisy! Her face was white as that
of the dead, but she replied that she was
ready.
Then stoop low to keep the bullets
above you, and run swiftly toward the
door. Harry will meet you there" ad-
vised Harvey from a loop-hole.
The Indians were growing impatient,
and had demanded her return. There
was no further time to waste. Harry
Grey sprang to the door to assist the cap
tive, while the others held their guns to
the loop-holes.
Daisy Murdock did not lack courage
when the proper moment came to exer-
else it fully. 1t was short run, but
veritable run for life and liberty. The
Indians fired several times after her, but
her STOPPING motion had made the shots
rattle harmlessly over her head. She
was soon clasped safely in Harry's arms,
which quickly placed h er, almost faint
ing, within tho fort.
Then began siege which lasted one
week. Many Indians were killed, but
small bands would each day come along,
and thus keep the besiegers reinforced.
a g had hoo4a a1vron4o1 I
the quarry back of the milk-house, and
began an attack from that quarter. The
torpedo was exploded at the right mo-
ment, killing several and severely
wounding dozen. They tried in every
way to burn them out, but with no sue
cess.
When the number of Sioux had in
creased to one hundred, and the whites
had begun to consider their case hope
less one, troops came and drove the red
men away.
For miles and miles the direst devas-
tation had been wrought to the homes
on these prairies. Not a building re-
mained; only ashes and blackened ruins
marked the spots where happy homes
had once been.
Daisy Murdock's home had been
burned, her father butchered before her
own eyes, and she had been taken cap
tive.
By making their fight there on the
prairie they had, no doubt, held large
force of the Sioux from committing
countless other bloody depredations on
other settlers.
In due time their homes were rebuilt,
and they were again prosperous. Harry
and Daisy never forget to lift grateful
hearts to Providence for their preserva-
tion during the terrible Sioux outbreak.
"A. II. Gibson, in N. Y. Ledger.
Detected by Photographs.
During the last Belgian maneuvers,
General van der Smissen had ordered