Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-12-24
NUMBER 81.

For a long lime the log remained mo-
tionless. AT last the sergeant, who was
still looking from the doorway, ex-
claimed:
Lieutenant, the stone is moving It's
sinking into the ground"
Raymer at the moment was looking
from the eastern window. BY the time
he Joined the sergeant there was no
stone to be seen in front Of the log.
1T is gone, and here comes the log"
he said. "They must have dug under
meath with their knives and sunk the
stone.
"Yes, sir, aud they're safe to move
that breastwork up to the cabin door
and make an end Of us, said Cunning.
ham.
"If there were two or three more
stones in the way, sergeant, the delay
might serve us until help arrives. "
Lets put thom in the way, lieuten-
ant "
"What do you mean?"
IF you and the padre will cover me
with your rifles, I'll run ont there and
drop a couple Of big stones in the way. "
"All right, sergeant, and when you
return I'll drop two more.
Explanations were made 70 the priest.
anil preparations We're begun 70 carry
out the plan. The sergeant replenished
the fire on the roof aud then selected
from the loose rubbish which had been
torn from the top Of the chimney two
good sizcd tones.
Removing his shoes, the sergeant,
with the assistance Of the lieutenant,
raised the rocks into the hollow Of his
elbows, holding them firmly against his
breast The two others stood with their
rifles in their hands at window and
doorway and revolvers at their feet. At
the word the sergeant started out at u
rapid walk, setting his feet without
noise and going nearly 10 the moving
log. He dropped the stones, one before
the other, about three yards part, with
out attracting the red mems attention,
and regainod the cabin without a shot
being fred OH either side.
Now it was the officers turn. The
same preparations Were made III his case
as in the sergeant's, and he selected
stones Of nearly the same weight. Feel
ing that he must not be outdone by his
brave cOmrade. after leaving ono stone
in line with the other he took the last
even nearer than any had been placed.
A. he was about 10 dropit a loud yell OF
warning rang from the east side Of the
rayine, and an Indian looked over the
log and fired his rife.
The bullet struck the falling rock and
sent shower Of singing splintcrs into
Raymer's face. He turned and fled, his
face streaming with blood.
With the discharge Of the Indians
weapon the priest and sergeant openeda
rapid fusillzde with thoir rovOlyers and
successfully covered the retreat TO the
cabin. But all saw that they had taken
their last chance at obstacle dropping
Several terribly long hours had crept
past since the party had seen Nic's
plumy tail turn the butte on her errand
to the valley, and Judging by the time
il had taken the Nayajoes 70 bore tun-
mel under their log and undermine the
first sergeant's trigging stone 1t was es-
timated that two more hours must pass
before the next three distractions could
be removed unless the foe took more
speedy method.
Ii was fully nine miles to camp, and
the dog could easily reach there in an
hour. II she had arrived, help must be
on the way But if she had been killed
by the besiegers before she reached the
n.th end Of the butte or had been torn
in pieces by the gray wolves
Should the log once reach the cabin,
although no one gave utterance 10 the
thought, all knew that no one would
survive the struggle. The mon resolved
that the price OF their lives should be
dear 10 the enemy.
While the defenders stood silently at
their posts watching the relentless roll
ing of the log or It's silent waiting while
the obstructing stones were being un.
dermined, specializing in no very hope