Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-21

! Fleming took position near the opening. He
! kuelt his right knee and braced his left foot
/ against q solid rock; He rested his rife on his
! left knee and waited. The dogs and Boyd were
| already in the cave. He could hear loose stones
! rafting down as they made their way over the
! uneven surface of the rocks inside, and expect
| ing every moment to see wolf come bounding
out of the cave he raised his rifle TO his shoulder
to be ready.
At that moment Boyd appeared at the OPEN
! ing above and called out in a suppressed voice:
HFor Gods sake hidel the redskins are COM
ing over the prairie yonder with prisoner
Fleming was a cool, courageous young man,
who could think and act quickly in an emer-
gency.
He raised cautiously up, and saw a band of In
dams approaching, and even at that distance
could recognize from their peculiar dress that
they were Sacs and Foxes. There were in all
about twenty or thirty, and in their midst, ap-
parently bound fast to the pony she road, was
white woman, her long fair hair floating out on
the wind as she rode. Two powerful Indians,
one on each side rode beside her, each holding
the bride of the pony to which she tied.
IT'S those cursed sacs and Foxes!'' he
whispered back to Boyd, ''they are. riding
straight for the ford to water their ponies; they
have evidently ridden long distance
''And they are. evidently, fleeing from pur-
suit,'' replied Boyd. excitedly. Can't you
hide in there until they have gone on? Their
halt is not likely to be q long one. -
But this was clearly impossible. Even If there
were no danger in encounter ng the wolves, that
be almost impossible to enter the exposed open
ing without being seen by the Indians, always
alert, and keen of vision.
While he hesitated, a new danger presented it.
self-another band of Indians, apparently q de-
tachment from the first, came in sight from q
point which commanded view Of the cliff from
base to summit.
Not moment was to be lost. Taking his rifle
in his hand, he in crouching posture
little way up the creek until he reached place
where the shallow stream deepened into dark,
still pool, around which was a growth of tall.
coarse weeds. Laying his gun in dry place, he
waded into the pool, breaking off reed with
hollow stalk, which he put in his mouth. Then
he sat down in the creek and, the water being
over his head, he let the reed project out of the
water to breathe through.
Scarcely had the ripples settled into quiet
over his head when the Indians rode up and dis
mounted. Fleming could gather from the con-
fused sounds he heard that they were making
preparations to burn their prisoner at the stake.
Two or tn ee times he on the point of
emerging from concealment to go to her rescue,
but second thought told him that he would
only be placing himself in their power, and not
only himself. but his young wife.
a sickening feeling came over him as he heard
the woman S pitiful screams, and it required a
powerful exercise of selfcontrol to rest rain him
from making an effort in her behalf. He dared
not raise his head to lock, but he heard them
driving stake in the ground at what seemed
distance of about twenty yards away. Then he
heard the screams again, and knew they were
tying the prisoner to the stake. Then they
formed a circle around her and began dancing