Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-10-23

one large man chat wears d sword and
appears to give orders"
''Strange that French soldiers should
como to such place. said Jabc.
Il see something elsew cried Nellie,
moro excitedly than before.
What is it?' asked her husband.
Il see another island with four people
on it, and they are watching the others.
One looks like a squaw and tho other
like -like-oh, Jabe! But l can't tell.
Their backs are turned this way
! Il wish could get up therer' growled
JADE, and then, restraining his impa-
thence, he added: ''And do the others
| look like Frenchmen. too?"
''Oh, no. They look ike-Jabc, Jabe,
here come tho Indians! They've come
around the point OF an island. and
they're going straight toward the
frenchmen, who don't appear to see
them
Then well have to look out" said
Eph: for they'll unite forces and come
in search of the barge. We'd better get
away from this place at once \ volley
of rifles followed the last remark
They're firing on the Frenchmen,"
cried Nellie, but | can't see through
the smoke. 1t rises now and the savages
are striking at them with knives and
| tomahawks. Two of the men jumped in
the river. An Indian fires al them and
one sinks. Oh, Jabe! it's dreadful
sight.'
BE careful, Nellie, that you don't
fall said her husband, anxiously.
Its all over, continued Nellie. Most
of the men were killed at the first fire,
and the rest didn't make any resistance
Now the Indians are scalping the dead
Where is the officer?"
Gle jumped in the river and was shot
Ger drowned"
''Coward.' muttered Jabe. "Why
didn't he die fighting? But where are
the people you saw on another island?"
Il lost sight Of them and they've gone,
| don't know where"
Il don't understand it, said Jabe.
| ''The French are their allies. Why did
they attack them?''
Its plain enough to me-" said Eph,
"Thcy've been following US for two
days: they lost us among the islands,
and then they came upon the French
men, and they said to themselves: Here
are the fellows that led Us such a
chase and then they went in without
asking any questions. Perhaps they
didn't care as long as they got a few
scalpS."
"Jabe" cried Nellie, ''they've found
some one hiding and dragged him out.
He seems to be talking to them and
pointing to the dead men,"
Hes explaining the mistake to
them," said Jabe.
They don't believe him. continued
Nellie. ''Some of them are throwing
wood on the fire; they're tying his
hands and feet. Don't you hear him
scream? l think he's negro, and they're
going to burn him. Oh, Jabe, 1 must
come down.:
She had already commenced the de-
scent, and with her husbands aid,
reached the ground, pale and trembling.
Then she sat down and wept hyster
ically.
The shrieks of the victim, partly
drowned by the yells of his tormentors,
soon died away, and dead silence fell
upon the group of fugitives, broken oc-
casionally by sob from Nellie.
So engrossed were they by thoughts of
the tragic scene enacted so near them,
and by hopes and fears of their own safety
that they were notawar of the presence
of a stranger whose curious eyes were
regarding them from behind the cover
of the trunk of the tree. Then, recog
nizing Jabe's voice, he stepped boldly
forth and advanced toward the group
with noiseless steps, when Nellie raised
her head, uttered shrek, and, rushing
forward, threw her arms around the
new conner.