The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-04-16
~ hut he stepued back a tribe oIsconcert-


ed. at which Ed took heart to proceed.
s'You see what l have DONE" Ed con-
tinued, with an impressive gesture toward
the dead horse at his feet. "Shall cast
my terrible eye upon your" and he paused
dramatically.
The Younger braves whispered among
themselves and looked askance, while the
old chief shifted about uneasily.
"You do not know the white brother
whom you disturb. He is big medicine.
If he should care to, he could look upon
you with his evil eye and send every one
of you to the happy hunting ground"
Ed harangued them, trem bling inward
Iy. vet putting on bold face outwardly-
for he well knew he was talking for his
life
AS he went on he saw, with thrill of
hope, several of the young Indians make
strenuous efforts to dodge with dignity be-
hind others of the party whenever he lock-
ed in their direction. They would gaze in
tently toward the horses or into the tops
of the trees-almost anywhere rather than
toward him.
Even the old chief seemed to be interest
ed in another quarter when Ed attempted
to look him in the eye. All the same,
Eds heart beat so heavily that he almost
feared the old Indian might hear it and
have his suspicious aroused again.
Then Ed tried new tack and began to
reassure the wavering Shawnees.
"White man your FRIEND" he exclaimed
earnestly, and with as patronizing tone
as he could call up in his dry throat
eff you had not disturbed him, be would
not have destroyed the horse" he added
which was not far from true
Again that exasperating "Ugh" and a
redoubled whispering.
But the men appeared as undecided as
before. They regarded one another inter
rogatively-not, however, putting up their
arms.
eff they would let down the hammers
of those musketsp' wished Ed, but vainly.
The most ELUSIVE declarations of his re-
gard for red men in general, and this lit
tie party in particular, had not the slight
est apparent effect in that direction.
Perhaps the Indians kept their arms in
their hands as a possible protection against
his evil eye.
Ed argued with them still further, but
all the time he was calculating as to which
one of two ponies near by was the faster
and fresher mount. "I've got to make
break for it, was his silent conclusion.
And then the big chief turned his head
and was off his guard for an instant. 1t
was the moment Ed had been waiting for.
Out went his fist in true American style,
and down went the old SCARED and paint
bedaubed Shawnee.
There was a momentary hanging back
of the others of the party, some of them
fearing perhaps that this great chief had
been felled by the evil eye
At any rate Ed was given time to spring
astride the best looking of the two ponies.
The guiding rein of moose skin was still
fastened to the muzzle of the little beast.
Ed seized it, and driving his heels into
the sides of the startled animal, was of
into the thicker growth of chaparral like
an arrow.
A yell went up from the maddened In
dams, which was anything but pleasant
to the ear. A struggling fire was discharg-
ed after the flying horse and rider, and the
bullets cut the twigs about his head, but
fortunately not one of the shots found its
mark.
The Indians pursued Ed for some dis
lance, but his sturdy little mount finally
distanced the others, proving to have been
a lucky selection.
In the early morning Ed reached our
camp in safety. He felt justified in keep
ing the pony on which he had made his es-
cape-in exchange for the rifle and revolv-
er of which he had been robbed.
OF course be never saw his stolen arms
again. But in securing for the party Of
Shawnees, in the hope Of regaining them,
and incidentally giving the savages les
son, we did come upon the body of bull
buffalo that he had hit.
Ed now has the buffalo head in his Ii.
brary.-New York Press.