Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-11-17
CHAPTER VIII.
What Of Huntley?


one had thought of him, but after mat
tcrs began to calm down u little his
friends began to make anxious inquiry.
He was last seen a moment before the
renegade was shot. The attack on the
Indians had been so sudden that many
of them had fled on foot, and it was
hoped that those having the prisoner in
charge would leave him behind in their
panic.
A search was made for two miles
around, but no trace of the captive
could be found. Hurried as they were
the sarages had managed to run him
off. When this fact became generally
known more than one man sadly shook
his head and muttered:
Poor jim! Better for him If he were
lying hero corpBe!
The party Of soldiers and hunters were
anxious to get on, and an hour after the
fighting had ceased the wagon train
moved out of the inclosure in good
shape, and with no fear of being again
molested for days to come. Most of the
dead warriors were stripped Of their or
naments, at least, while arms and am
munition were carefully gathered up.
No one thought of burying the dead.
The Indians would return for that pur-
pose. If not. let the wolves and vultures
| have their feast.
Let us trace the fate Of IIuntley. You
may be one of those who believe that
the Indian has been grievously wronged.
You may believe he has the sentiments
! o+t ,ih cd tn II ht- ctc
may have read that the feeling Of mercy
has a lodgment in his heart.
When the man rode out of the fort on
his scout he firmly believed that the In
dams had withdrawn. He was a brave
man. None but brave man would
have periled his life to back his
opinions in the face of the warnings he
received. When he rode out for half Il
mile and turned TO the left the last
doubt vanished. The Indians had with
drawn He had made assertions and
proved his sagacity.
Next moment, as he disappeared over
the crest of the ridge. he found himself
in the midst of horde of Indians lying
i'll concealment. lie uttered one loud,
farreaching shout of establishment, and
was pulled from his horse to be menaced
to silence by tomahawk and knife. But
there was 10 need TO menace him.
A great terror seemed to have frozen
the blood in his veins. He could not
have cried out again had they pricked
him with their knives. He was dumb.
He was helpless.
The captivc's signal of alarm had been
heard and understood at the fort. and
the Indians, angered that their trap had
been exposed, now showed themselves,
and affairs turned as related il the pre-.
vious chapter.
Brave men have no fear of bullet
} grape and canister when charging q
battery. Men go to the gallows without
flinching. The fear OF death itself
makes but few towards. 1t was what
would be before death that broke thi:
strong man down and held him in chains
) Of terror. lie looked about him witt
horror in his gaze. His bronzed face
grew deathly white. His lips had that
bloodless. blue look which the lips OF
the dead carry.
1t was not until he had been cruelty
beaten about that he partially threw
off the horrible incubus and secured
strength enough to go forward and make
the appeal he was told to make. HI
heard his own voice, but he could no
recognize it.
Huntley had been mounted to b,
taken away before the attack came. In
decd he and the two warriors guarding
him had already made a fair start to the
southwest and We're beyond pursuit
After II ride Of ten miles over the broker
ground Il halt was made at a grove
which appeared to be an old campinl
ground. As the Indians fed before tn,
vengeance of the whites they made fo
this grove, and at length all who haC
escaped death We're reunited here.
A score of tigers starved for day
tould not have been il worse temper
Wounded and uuwounded alike thirstec
for vengeance. Had they held hun
bred prisoners each one would hav
been put to the torture, and yet the suf
ferings Of all would not have placate,
the defeated and decimated band.
They had but one.
Fifty enraged savages rushed at hin
to chop him to pieces with knife ant
tomahawk, but the chiefs restraine,
; them. \ speedy death would be to-
merciful and deprive them of antici
pated enioyments. AS soon as the scout
posted on the distant ridges signale
! that the white men were moving for tn
forks there was no occasion for furthe
=, delay.
Huntley's demeanor had undergone
change. That dumb terror which ha
; made woman of him had passed ava
and his own brave spirit had returned t
! make a man of him. lie reproache
J. himself for his cowardicc in begging G
the fends to spare his life. He thirste
i for revenge. He eyulted over thei
bloody defeats.
= Let pack of wolves follow on tn
.rail Of IA brave man and he may seek I
rutrun thcm-dOdge-esc He wi
t fear them. Let them drive him into
= cul de sac from which there is no escap,