Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-12-24

me charge was lone from. 1fle- Z
would be a feint on the south side to
distract attention, but he left only three
men to resist it, All others were scat
tered along the north side, arranging
sundnws They know whar we ar
bound fur, and they ar determined to
stop ye.'
"Wcll. what else?" asked the captain
as the renegade paused.
They wanted to wipe We out to the
last man, bat I've prevailed upon 'eln to
spare y.e in e,;,se yell turn back. That's
what I've come to tell ye.'
IF we turn back we won't
harmed?'
mot a hair Of yer heads. Jist ia
the back track and that'll end the IL
ter at once.
And suppose we don't?'
''Then Goo help We. Yell be chaw
to pieces in ten 1ninitsr
"You go back and tell your friends
begin chawiny as soon as they please
shouted the captain, and every man
the Enclosure cheered the words.
There was more delay as the renegaC
went back to report, and every ma.
worked to build the breastworks higher
and strengthen it. Wagons and horses
occupied a solid square Of less than half
an acre. It was the highest ground
within cannon shot. This was as good
as another foot on the height Of the
breastworks. Twenty five men distrib-
uted around that Enclosure would make
a terribly thin line, but twenty
Winchester rifles would maintain ter
ribly destructive fire.
But treachery had not yet exhausted
itself. Your noble red man of Cooper
eulogy depends upon that even when at
lacking women and children. Back
came the renegade to say:
eye better take the chance hold out
to ye The Indians hev got mad, and
nothin but yer promise and the quick
performance Of it viii save yer scalps.
If a gun is fired | can't hold 'em a
mint
eff we turn back we will not be mo-
lested?' queried the captain.
mot a red shall cum nigh ye.'
"But we have only your word for it"
(Which orter be good huff. | am
workin to save We scalps."
''And you think the way to do it is to
turn us all over to them! Get back, you
lying renegade-get out of range or
We'll drop your
The renegade beat a hasty retreat,
and a few minutes later the Indians dis
mounted, crept about the plateau to
form a circle, and opened fire on the
breastworks from three hundred rifles.
They had waited too long for rush,
but the little band was encircled.
Water! Not drop!
Forage! Not an ounceI
Provisions! Yes, but they must be
eaten in q raw state.
The Indians had but to preserve their
circle of fire about the fort and nature
would do the rest Men may escape the
bullet, but thirst kills.
And what of Joe and Bess? As soon
as the Indians appeared on the TANKS of
the train he had hidden her out Of sight,
and he had hopes up to the opening of
the battle that she had not been seen.
When he knew that danger was i'm
minent he did not conceal the fact from
We're not stationed moment too soon.
AT the sound of shrill WarwhOop ut
tered by Iron Heart, who was the rank
ing chief. Il fusillade was opened against
the south side, and hundred or moro
warriors, the pick of all the force,
sprang out of the gully and dashed at
the north side They expected to find it
unprepared.
Crack! Crack! Crack! One of the
very first tufted heads showing above
the bank received bullet. Twenty-one
Winchesters famed and roared as fast
as men could throw out the shells and
pull trigger.
A bosom of death and destruction was
let loose. A wall of flame swept for
ward to scorch and shrivel.
The charge of hundred men is bat
tering rama landslide-a great wave.
1t cannot be staid at once. Its own
momentum carries it forward to GER
tain point. The charge was failure
from the outset, but the wave did not
flow back until a brawny redskin
reached the breastworks right in front Of
Bess. It was only hip high to him, and
he was swinging his tomahawk for
blow at her when bullet from her re-
volver, held aloft, entered his throat and
threw him backward to die after a brief
struggle.
It was all over in five minutes. It had
been desperate charge at the weakest
point and twenty-three warriors lay
dead on the slope, while a dozen more,
more Of less seriously wounded, crawled
away to secure shelter.
Then the great red sun touched the
plains with his golden rim, sank silently
into the sterile ground, and twilight
came to make shadows race about
among the dead-dead but hideous-
corpses in the war paint as they lay with
legs drawn up and eyes staring into the
darkening heavens. :.