The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-13
their cavalcade, and keenly scanned thu

slopes.
Casting one sharp glance at the captive
children he sunk again to sleep with hand
still resting on the weapon at his side. The
two rescuers waited a few moments, then
worked themselves into a position upon
each side of the children. Above them
Cray lifted his shaggy head, his cleaning
eyes met Harry's blazing with suppressed
excitement, and that, mutual glance said
Ready"
They come up, %crouching upon one knee,
and the stiffness is shattered by the click
and sharp crack of two revolvers. like one
sound. The two nearest WARRIORS, with q
single moan, lie still, as at the loud shouts
of the white men and the streaming reports
Of their pistols the other Indians in panic
spring yelling from the ground. Bewildered
by the fierce attack in the midst of their
camp, they tumble before the bullets, dart
away, leaping from side to side to avoid tho
shots, or dropping fiat to the earth, worm
their way through tho darkness toward their
ponies.
They leave plenty Of weapons at hand
for the attackers. His revolver emptied,
Harry seizes the Spencer's carbine of the
dead warrior before him, and sends shot
after shot at the fleeing Indians. lie has
of Cray's rapid firing behind him. Four or
five warriors lie as they have fallen. and
the three children, adding their screams to
the outburst. try to dodge away from the
scene. Harry catches the eldest boy by the
collar and filings him on his back before
holds her between his knees az he fires, and
shouts to Harry, Look out for that red
skim"
One of the wounded Indians had risen to
one knee. seized his bow. and was sending
a whistling stream of arrows at the attack
ers. Twice Harry fired upon him without
checking his work, and it was not until the
third shot that this indomitable foe fell
forward and lay quiet, still olutchinR his
bow.
.Look out,' yelled Gray. "Your young
s.el's gittin' away"
down the eldest boy, who was wild to es-
cape him. but in the excitement of the
brush with the wounded Indian the young
ster once more slipped away and his tiaxen
head was fast disappearing into the night.
A buckskin lasso lay on the ground.
widening the loop as he ran. and flung it
with practiced hand. jerking it toward
him with a force suited to the stress of the
time, Master William Bottomley, caught
around the body. came back through the
air to his friends, head first n haste.
With the little girl under the arm which
held his rifle, the hunter stoored to pick up
the youngest child which, lying against II
fallen Indian, was waving Its arms ana legs
and shrieking Justify. Something held the
~voungster fast to the spot, and in tearing
him away the hunter discovered that an
arrow had pinned its bagny woollen trous-
ers fast to the body Of the dead warrior.
The children recognized their deliyerers
o ave no more trouble as the party bur
ried down tho hollow. Round the shoulder
of the hill the horses were standing undls-
turbed, md mounting, with the little ones
before them, the rescuess dashed away
under cover Of the darkness.
Southwest over the plain they sped. push
ing their horses to tho utmost. After the
first swift dash the %rescuers. saved their
horses strength by aismonnting and walk
ing up the hills, forcing their pace along
the declivities and level spaces. No signs
showed the open plains with no human
Azure in sight. About the middle Of the
Cray shot an antelope.
.We'll resk stoppin' to rest and eat,
Harry" he said. Our horses arc nigh
about petered out and Thesis children are
cryin' Tor hunger. III the Indians come
arter us we'll stand 'em off better on full |
stomachs.'
The B~ottofnleys had returned to their
tho evening before to find their chill
dren gone and their house burned. II was
worry late before the alarm could be given
at Fort Lyon, but the early sunrise saw a
troop with u dozen scouts and COW |
boys riding northeast In pursuit Of the
Indians. Toward noon they spied Il distant
group on the prairie. and dashing down
upon them saw Harry Marwood, his head
pillowed upon his saddle, lying asleep near
two grazing ponies. At II fire of buffalo