The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1894-12-14
start. I'll pocket flask Of brandy in
case it should be wanted"

CdoC ~ SuOulu DC Wdubo0s sF4sA l
Shaking hands with our stay-at-
home comrades, who were hardly like
ly to see all of us again, we entered
the bed Of the creek, our movements
being perfectly screened by the high
topped wagons until that purpose was
served by the bank itself.
Sometimes wading in the water,
sometimes skirting its edge, we safely
gained the timber.
Then for three hours we struggled
through an underground SO dense that
our progress was necessarily slo "; but
the sun was still high when we arrived |
at the end of pass, which fresh trail
of pony tracks ut once proved to be the |
right one.
Carefully examining the telltale
hoofmarks, Abe said: "There's from |
fifty to sixty warriors in this band,
boys. Our only hope Of saving the |
guide is in surprise so sudden and |
complete that they won't have q |
chance to kill him, which, If not too
busy saving themselves, is the first
thing they'd do on being alarmed.
I'VE must, somehow, manage to get |
within rife shot before they know it.
| II we can do that, success is certain.
Take to cover now and sneak along as
quiet as ghosts, for there's no telling
| how near the redskins may be; but
don't shoot, whatever happens, till l
give the word"
| On either side of the trail and well
up on the slopes of the pass was a
heavy growth of trees and bushes,
now in full leaf. Spreading ourselves
out. each one wormed his way as If all
depended upon his individual caution,
though the whole twenty of US kept
almost within touch of each other.
For hours, silently as shadows and in
tently listening. we crept on and on;
but during all that time had probably
not advanced over one mile.
Then, as If by word of command, the
line stopped; for, right before us, the
gulch opened out into kind OF am
phitheater, nearly bare OF under
growth. and we heard the gentle
sta mping Of invisible ponies, and a
confused murmur of voices from
group Of dismounted warriors num-
bering over half hundred, who
seemed to be engaged in an excited
discussion. We could see them quite
plainly. though completely hidden our
selves in the dense scrubwood.
The sun was now within few min
utes of setting; but the light was still
good. Presently the arguing Indians
had apparently settled some disputed
point, and then we saw sight which
drove us nearly mad with fierce impa-
thence for our leaders signal. Four
toll warriors disappeared for mo-
ment behind big rock, and on emery
ing bore between them the bound and
half-naked form of our old guide.
Meantime two Others of the red fiends
busted themselves in preparing, from
green rods, number of small, pointed
stakes. The four braves in charge OF
Somers then carried him to clear
spot of ground and cut the thongs
from his wrists and ankles prepare
tory to further proceedings.
No sooner, however, were the gal
liant fellows limbs free than, uttering
a haunting shout, he struck out right
and left like lightning and sent two
. of his captors headlong to the earth,
his evident design being to provoke
the crew into killing him at once. But
a dozen of the miscreants threw them
selves upon him in a body and bore
him down again.
Then. while some of the other de-
mons held his arms and legs, Others
drove the sharpened stakes into the
ground, and soon the poor fellow
never for a moment ceasing to revlle
his enemies as ''white-livered squaws
and towards" was stretched out, face
:, M. and securely bound by his extend
ed hands and feet to the stakes. The
monsters intended to build hre upon
his stomach and thus slowly burn hin
to death-and all this within fifty
> wards of where we crouched!
|, Every man of us, half crazy for &C
tiop. held his rife ready for instant
use: but still there was no signal from
Abe. and nothing but our perfect con
!. fidence in his judgment prevented al
, attack. Our cruel wait was nearl,
ended, however.
While the main body of savages
!. yelling and prancing in hellish delight
formed a great ring around their vic
:, tim two braves approached, one o
: whom bore an armful of dry twigs ant
!, the other lighted brand.
: The circle was just opening to lie
them pass. when, like the trump o
doom, there rang out from the lips o
y our leader the signal word Now
= Twas the last earthly sound hear
> nv nearly a score of blood-thirst
!, Apaches, for rifle bullet mes iaste
= than its report, over so short space
y and those who fell dead on the hrin
| 49, I, >yx1