Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-12-04
they repeated the prayers taught
them at their mothers knee.

they repeated the prayers taught
them at their mothers knee
Where is the sentinel? There were
two wagons. Neither of them shows
in the picture. He stood or sat be-
tween them. as much for the COM
pany of the inmates as for their pro-
lection. At midnight the guard is
changed. The full moon is now sink
ing in the West. In front OF the
watcher is a large cactus-the ugly,
useless plant which thrives bet
where the hand of man can neither
cultivate nor ornament 1t stands
ever as a sign board of desolation. 1t
is milestone to mark the sutiC~algs
and despair Ut men who have Ieen
lost on the sterile and inhOspitable
plains Of the West.
All has been quiet up to midnight
The relief takes up the same position
as his predecessor did. He notes the
same surroundings. The only change
is in the position of the moon, which
has been sinking away until the big
cactus now throws dark shadow to
the east. That shadow is the black
est spot in all the foreground, but it
excites no special attention Why
should it? What Should there be
about a shadow cast by the June
moon to create alarm.
1t is l o'clock.
Though standing on his feet the
sentinel had nodded-almOst slept.
He rouses himself with shake turns
to every point Of the compass to peer
and listen, but all is quiet.
The shadow! 1t has grown many
feet longer in the hour. 1t is like u
great black tongue thrust out to-
wards him from the base of the plant,
but his eyes do not dwell upon it.
The wagons also cast shadows to the
east; so do the horses yet standing on
their feet. Shadows are but shadows.
The perfect silence of the night lulls
the watcher into a feeling of security,
and he says to himself that the night
will pass without even an alarm to
wake the lightest sleeper.
"Ha. WHAT'S that"
A movement. a rustl ng, a faint
noise as of something stirring. A
prowling wolf or coyote--that's it!
The beast is lodging about in hopes
to pick up something from the even
ing meal of the emigrants--that's all!
How silly to be startled by the sound!
The shadow! 1t has grown until
it now almost touches the sentinel's
feet. Will he take warning now?
Will he heed the black object which
has been creeping forward as the
black shadow crept--nOisele as the
football Of a spectre, fierce as the
growl OF a wounded tiger? No! He
takes a step or two to relieve his
limbs, glances over at the horses,
wonders if his two hours are not UP,
and!
From the blackness of the shadow
dark figure rose up and sunk his
tomahawk into the sentinel's skull,
and next moment horde OF dusky
demons were in the camp-shOoting,
shouting, tOmahawking. using knife
or war-club. Ten minutes later
there were no more victims to kill.
Thank God, none were carried away
to torture and captivity.
A few minutes more in which to
hack and mutilate. to plumber, to re-
joice, and then the camp of the dead
was left for the dead to guard. The
wolf came creeping down to the
horrid feast, his eyes blazing with
greediness and his yellow 1angs sharp
ening as he drew closer and closer.
Half mile away, on the limb of
dead tree, the vultures crew their
heads from under their wings and ut
tered a hoarse croak! croak! They
could not fly in the darkness, could
not be present with the wolf to gorge
themselves. Dut morning would do.
There would be plenty left!-New
York World.