The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-08

Reuben's ear. and Ike a fash he pulled
the trigger on the red marksman. shoot
ing him through the chest and bringing
him heavily 10 the ground
With yen Of fury the second Shawnee
fOurished his f0mahaWk and plunged
forward The lads first impulse was 10
meet the attack with MS empty muskes-
but ne saw that the redskln was stall
Wart fellow. and he remembered that The
two shots would be sure 10 bring the
main body 10 the spot in hurry. so
he instantly turned and fled down the
shore OF the creek. bent only on escaping
in the canoe 10 warn his friends The
Indian came hOtly ia pursuit. screechinS
al every jump Both were GOOD runners.
and Reuben might nave outClStanccd his
Zoe but for an unlucky accident. His foot
caught in a muskrat hole and ne iell
headlOng, breaking his musket in two
upon a rock. He jumped up at once.
TO md that his left ankle was badly
sprained and that the Shawnee was near
ly upon him.
His arms were streached above his head,
and even then there was hardly space Tor
his body. But with superhuInan effort
he drew himself higher and higher, grasp
ing and clutching at knOthOles and pro-
jections. al last mis- fingers caught the up
per edge of the trunk and with hard tug
he brought his head level with the OPEN
ing. AT the same instant his ankles were
tightly clasped by the Shawnee who had
climbed that far into the trunk. II was
dOubly hard 10 be thus captured when
freedom was so eager. but the plucky lad
did not lose hope. With the strength OF
anger and desperation he struggled for q
few moments, only 10 realize that he could
not tear his feet from the grasp OF the In
dian.
Then an unexpected thing happened. The
rotten and sOreiy strained tree sWayed 10
and fro, gave way al the roots with a snap
ping noise and lurched heavily forward. II
struck the edge Of the terrace, landed fuiI
length on the grass below, and bounded
over the bank into the deep waters OF the
creek.
Reuben had hardly time to realize what
II all meant when he found himself i'm
mersed in the blackness- With admirable
presence of mind under these trying cir
cumstances he held his breath and made
one last and terrific struggle for life. His
head emerged from the hollow trunk and
then his shoulders. He clawed at the wa
ter with both hands. and now he felt MS
body slipping free. Another jerk and his
feet were out. Up, up he shot to the sour
face, and that first gup of frosh air was
the sweetest he had ever breathed.
The lad now gave himself up for lost,
but with the instinct of desperation he
dashed on through the bushes as fast
as he could. Close on his ear rang
blood curdling whoop of triumph, and
that very instant he caught sight OF the
mouth of the cave few feet TO his right.
CheeIed by the hope that the Indian
could not follow him, he darted at the
cleft and wriggled through with the
speed of a serpent Running as far as
the middle of the cave, he looked behind
him, the hole was blocked by the Shaw
nee who was slowly but surely squirm-
ing has way inside, tearing with both
hands at abe soft earth and stones.
The trick had failed and now Reuben
was at his wits end. he had dropped
the broken musket, ana frantic ana
hasty search failed 10 reveal a single
piece Of rock large enough 10 use IN OPP
posing the entrance Of the foe This way
and that he glanced in vain. while the
Indians body doomed larger in the creN-
ice when suddenly he spied an iron cook
ing pan hanging from the wall. But be-
fore he could reach II the ShaWness
wriggled clear into the cave and sprang
to his feet with a savage yell, he had
broken his tomahawk and only the hiit
remained in his grasp.
Reubens cheeks turned white, and for
one terrible second he faced what seemed
certain death, Then, as a last chance
flashed into his mind, he turned and sped
TO the ar of the cavern. He clutched
at the roots and drew himself up into
the hollow Of the tree.
But brief time had elapsed since the fir
ing Of the two shots and as yet the peace
full solitude was unbrOken by sounds of
danger. The lad looked behind him to
see the rear end of the trunk, with the
Indians moccasined feet prOtruding, bob
to the surface and sink as quickly from
sight. Then he swan Justify through the
falls to his canoe, climbed in and padded
down the creek with all his might.
The current was swift and steady and
I'm less than an hour Reuben reached the
little river side colony and told his thrill
ing story. The four families FASTENED to
McKee's fort, and word of the threatened
raid was spread by messengers in all d.
rection.
That night the sky was red with the
flames of the numerous cabins, including
those at the mouth of PENIS creek, and
for many a weary and perilous week the
settlers and their families were housed
in the Susquehanna forts. Two years
passed before Reuben and his parents
were able to build and occupy their
old home, and the following spring a
freshet stranded rotten and water soak
ed log at the mouth of the creek. A blow
from an ak split IL in two and inside was
found the whtened skeleton Of the luck
less Shawnee