Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-01-18

One by one we overlook them. Our
horses We're jaded, but theirs were
even worse. We gained on them an
inch at a time. Here and there a bull
let from u carbine tumbled a warrior
from his saddle, but in most cases the
saber did the work. Not an Indian
threw up hand in token Of surrender
Loaded down with plumber and Il
fresh scalp at each belt, they must
have realized that no quarter would be
shown They heard the trooper COM
ing nearer, but they did not even
glance back. They could hear the Ia
bored breathing of the horse with his
nose at the pony's fiank-they could
feel his breath-they knew that stout
hand clutched sharp saber, but they
rode with their faces to the south and
their eyes on the ground A foot or
two nearer and the saber whirled
through the air, and the trooper rose
in his StirrupS to give the cut which
cleft the skull as if it had been paper.
Three are Wn-fye-Seven-nin
OF these the avenging husband has
killed three. His saber is red with
blood. and blood has run down its
blade and smeared his hands afresh.
He utterS no cheer-he has no battle
cry. His horse is the freshest of all,
and he daShes up alongside a warrior.
seizes his weapon with both hands, and
when he strikes Il corpse rolls to the
earth.
Nine-ten-elevent Ony one left, and
that warrior carrying away the cap
tive. He has been safe from our bull
lets for fear of injury to the woman
His war pony can Outspeed our horses,
but not the animal which our avenger
rides. 1t is Il race between the two
Slowly but surely the avenger gains,
We cheer him as we realize it-cheer
him as we follow in his footsteps.
He has pulled his horse to the left
and is ranging up alongside when the
conscious form of a woman is flung
to the earth. The vindictive Indian
has first driven his knife to her heart
The body falls almost under the feet
of the horse coming up, but the
avenger does not draw rein. With
eyes blazing and teeth hard shut he
rides straight on. Now his bloody fin
gers clutch the bloody hi1t OF the
saber; now the weapon is raised high;
now he leans forward, presses hard
against his stirrups and strikes q blow
which separates the head in halves
clear down to the chin. Of the u not
one has escaped. AS we gather about
the dead body of the woman the
avenger comes riding back.
He knows what has happened. He
throws himself from his horse and
kneels beside the body, and we draw
away to leave him alone with his dead.
1t is Il wipe-out of a band of fiends.
If any one were inclined to pity, there
are seven fresh Scalps attached to the
belts of the dead as proof that such
devils deserve no pity. They have
slaughtered old and young-men, WO-
men and children. We shall leave
their bodies to the wolves crawling out
of their lairs on the bush-lined ridge
separating the valleys, and to the vul-
lures gathering in the evening sky
above us.
We return to the ayenger and his
dead. He must have his wounds
dressed, and he will point out the spot
where we shall bury the dead. We
halt 100 feet away, and the captain
advances and dismOunts. The man is
still lneeling beside the body, his head
pillowed upon it. The officer lays Il
gentle hand upon his shoulder and ut
ters words of sympathy. There is no
movement-no response. The avenger
is dead beside his dead.