The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1895-01-31


the lower Cascades. Kotieton's savage
spirit was filled with the thirst for war !;
the Ratchet had been sharpened, the
council fires burned and the scalp dance
bad been enjoyed. His fifty stalwart
braves were eagerly impatient for the red
carnival all too long denied them. Pre-
sext enough they had, because "Tolows
the snake" had chanted his death song
and loosed his spirit through gaping
hole IN his side, caused by rifle in the
hands Of . settler whose herd he had
tried, aided BY two or three OF his cronies,
to stampede. Tolowa the serpent was
willy and strong, and bis brothers missed
him from the pompom and the ghost
dance; his lonely squaw walled inces-
sanity because bis unsvenged and wound
cd body could find no rest in the happy
hunting grounds. Gloomy and black in
deed the night when Johnny-Tom and
Willipo would seek shelter from it's wierd-
Message, or any other of their band
when the blood OF the snake had been
spilled, with no sting in the heel OF the
slayer to wipe out the stigma and the
stain.
Midnight--and the whistle of the storm
filled the black night which lowered over
the sheep folds and stock corrsls OF the
Nstcheez. Was it the moaning sough of
the wind, the howl of sneaking coyote,
or the wall of lost spirit conjured from
the drsam-hazed imagination Of Jennie
Harper, which caused q silent SILVER of
inexplicable dread to creep over her
crouching form. awakened az she had
been by something hardly tangible yet
mono the less forceful, from half-tender,
halfssrrowful dream Of Teddy" Poor
Teddy" No wonder he disliked the
loneliness Of the mine, when she, cuddled
under sheltering caves, warmly protected
from the storm, yet shivered like school
girl at the mysterious sounds OF the night.
Why was she 30 nervous? There was alb
solutely nothing to fear-no traitor with
in or enemy without. The Indians had
long been peaceful, and
Father" suddenly burst in terrified
cry from her lips. "Father!'' again in
Mortified tones, as she slipped from the
bed and ran across the floor of her room
to the door and threw it open. "For
Gods sake, get up! The Indians have
set fire to the straw at the corral and are
driving out the herses!"
Now, by the spook NV Umtuch, this
do beat the Dutch!'' exclaimed Harper,
struggling rapidly into his trousers and
looking pleadingly at the old muzzle-
loading rifle whose long barrel and wal
nut stock graced pair of giant antlers
over the door OF the house. "Hale /!
Wake up, man-else some pestiferous
kyote of redskin II be runnin' off with
yer fancy cayuse. Wske-oh! Yer up,
hey ?" as the New Yorker glided quietly
into the "settin'" room, pale but COM
posed.
"Whst is it, Harper" he queried
''Iniuns, ding eml !" sententiously re-
piled the frontiersman. keep way from
that shutter if yer hair amt to be riz," he
added, rs Hale began trying to open the
barred windows for q glimpse at the out
side. Where s yer weepon? Got none.
Well, take this six, kiver that loop hole
by the side winder, an be sure you gives
EN- straight, quick shootin'. Hysr they
come. an me an my cannon is ready"
A long remembered battle it was which
that night was written upon the history
pages OF the Natcheez. Tongues of flame
which ilumed the darkness OF the night
shot up from stacks of hay and straw and
dry old barns in many stable plot
Living, as they did, so far apart, the few
settlers in those early days builded strong,
substantial houses, and relied but little
upon outside help in cases OF Indian up
risings-these being of infrequent occur
renee, because OF the wholesome dread in
which the residents of Old Town were
held by the dusky wards of the govern
ment. Neishbors half mile away were
near enough on sunshiny, peaceful days /;
but 1t was altogether another matter on
this black and stormy night. Kotieton
had divided his band. and separate squads
OF them had at concerted moment at
tackled the home of Harper and his few
brother ranchers in the immediate vicin-
ity. Assistance from without was an inn
possibility, unless some one could slip by
the assailants and, gaining the gap q. the
Painted Rocks Whose towering sides
shut off the signal fires from the vie v OF
the people of Old TOWN. bring reinforce
ments to the beleagured and harassed
settlers.
Things were in bad way at the Har-
per homestead. The women were fright
ened, Hale anxious and the old man
more than worried. The skulkibg tactics
Of the prowling devils outside prevented
= sure shot at any one of them. They had
tried to lire the building with blazing ar
rows, but the rain had dsmpened the wood
SO that this plan had failed. Once OF
twice bullet had come singing into the
room, tisttsning against the opposite
walls with its peculiar "sp-s.n-gw One
had wounded Harper in the arm, and he
glanced gingerly at the bandage hastily
improvised by Jennie out OF piece of his
shirt sleeve, rs h. rsmmed home fresh
load in his smoking rife. He knew this
warfare must be stopped. 1t Was certain
death il it continued much longer, be