Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-12-21
LINDSAY'S RUSE.

on the platform of the Fort Hunter stock
ade looking very discontentedly at the au-
tumn landscape.
1t was more than a year after Brad
docks disastrous defeat near Fort Du-
quesne, and the murderous Shawnees and
Delawares in their slow and unopposed
advance with scalping knife and toma
hawk, had penetrated to this part of the
province of Pennsylvania.
A dozen families were under the protec-
ton of Fort Hunter, which was garrisoned
by two sergeants and "a privates. Mr.
Lindsay, with his wife, had gone on to
Philadelphia to urge the need of more eff
cient protection upon the assembly, leav
ing Oliver in care of neighbors at the fort
All through the summer he had looked
forward to the joys of October. Now, in
stead Of gathering nuts for winter or
tracking deer and smaller game, he was a
prisoner behind the tall stockade
He could have better stood danger and
excitement, but there was not even that to
relieve the irksomeness of life at the fort
No Indian atrocities had occurred within
80 miles, and the scouts who went out
daily reported no signs of savages
I'd like to stretch my legs on the
mountain and pick up few che5tnuts, ;"
Oliver remarked to the sentry below him.
They're just dropping out of the burs
now. | wonder if there's any danger"
Private Gideon Gimble, having an ex-
allied idea of his own dignity and of the
rigid duties of his post fTowned slightly
by way Of reply, but Sergeant Piper who
Glanced to be passing along, overheard the
latter part of divers remark
Don't be afraid, sonny, he said reas-
suringly. Your hair amt in any danger
of bcin lifted. Why, I'd make my afterda-
Wit there ain t a redskin within 40 miles.
They know better than to NEEDLE with
provincial troops, an as long as you people
stay in this fort you're safe.
Il didn't mean that, " Oliver began in
dignantly but the sergeant had already
paced out Of hearing and was negotiating
a loan of tobacco from his fellow officer.
A moment later Oliver jumped down
from the platform and thoughtfully
crossed the yard. Sergeant Piper says
there's no danger" he reflected, and he
ought to know. I'm just ravenOus for
chestnuts, l needn't go far, and 1 can
easily get back before I'm missed"
A glance around satisfied him that the
coast was clear. He mounted the stockade
on the river side, climbed over and dropped
lightly down in the grass.
From the bluff on which the fort stood
the lad descended to the ravine of the
creek, and after following this for half u
mile he struck across the thick timber to
the first mountain.
He sorely wished that he had his gun
along, for quail and turkeys constantly
started up before him, and once he caught
a distant glimpse of deer.
Bcguiled by the beauty of the day and
by the intoxication of his freedom, Oliver
strayGd across the valley to what was
known as Little mountain, where he filled
his bag with Chestnuts in short time. 1t
was now long past noon, and he ruefully
discovered that he was hungry and good
distance from the fort.
AS he lay stretched on the sunny slope
of rock partly up the mountain bright
idea occurred to him. Only l 2 miles
away the sharp face of Peters mountain
dropped into tho Susquehanna, and he
could see the very clump of trees behind
which the home clearing stood.
He remembered that in the hasty prep
aration for flight he had concealed his
fowling boat under bushes at the mouth
of the run. What was to prevent his get
ting it now and padding down the river
to the fort?
The more he thought of the plan the
better he liked it, He felt strong desire
to see how the place looked after week of
solitude. Perhaps the chickens and ducks
had not been able to scratch a living for
themselves and were dying of starvation,
or Brown Bess, the COW, which his father
had driven far into the woods, had re-
turned to the empty stable and missed the
of the two horses, who, by
this time, had carried Mr. Lindsay and his
wife to Philadelphia.
At last he broke from the shadowy oak
and chestnut timber into the meager clear
ing where stood the log house and stable.
AS he paused with natural instinct of
caution he felt a sharp pang at the con-
trast between his life here and at the fort.
The door was still closed, and there was
no sign of Brown Bess. The chickens
were scratching about as calmly as though
they had not been at the mercy of four
footed providers for week past, and the
occasional quack of a happy duck came
foot of the clearing.
A few steps farther brought Oliver to
the house, and he opened the door and en-
tered. He glanced carelessly through the
two lower rooms, noting that what furni-
ture had been too heavy to take to the fort
was undisturbed.
Next he climbed the rickety steps to
the loft overhead, where he knew that
some maple sugar was stored in a Granny
of the rafters He easily found it and was
rolling "A delicious morsel in his mouth
when a noise outside stiffened his limbs
with sudden terror.
He heard footsteps on the frosty ground,
the cackling of frightened and fleeing
fowls and the gutteral tones of several hui
man voices. Then the intruders came into
the house, and moccasined feet shuffled
softly over the floor.
For minute he simply could not move
from fright, and his throbbing heart
seemed to come clear up into his mouth.
resistless fascination kept his eyes on
the opening at the head of the steps, where
he expected an Indians scalp lock to APP
pear every second.
When the suspense was more than the
lad could endure and no prying feet had
yet been planted on the steps, he noise
essly lowered himself to his hands and
knees, let go of the bag of nuts and crept
4 few inches to spacious crack in the
floor, He looked timidly down and saw
1rfrh 70, ,ttl~ fs. Cd cold