Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1895-01-07

EVERYTHING which would catch or re-
tain water was spread out on the ground.
while the canvas covers of the wagons
were arranged in folds and pouches.
| They were scarcely ready. when the
storm broke The rain poured down
copiously for half an hour, and by that
time all suffering had ended, and the
| supply on hand was enough for three
| days.
f'Let us give three cheers" cried one
of the more enthusiastic men as the
storm passed away and the sun showed
it's face again.
"Harkl' whispered the captain. The
gal is giving thanks to God. She is
right. We should pray instead of
cheerr'
The downpOur OF rain had shattered
the plans of the redskins. They could
no longer be held to the siege, knowing
that the climax was indefinitely post
poned, nor could the bombastic talk of
the chiefs bring them up to another as
sault They were ready to go, but be-
fore moving off they had one last card
to play Better for the renegade he had
not meddied with it.
Huntley, the man who had been taken
prisoner, was now brought forward, the
white man holding one arm and stall
wart warrior the other. When within
speaking distance he said:
Captain, they have got me. and they
declare that if you don't surrender
they'll burn me aliver'
1--WE are sorry for you, Jim!'' replied
the captain, but you know what sur
render would mean. They would butch
er every man Of US inside of ten min
utes"
''But think of me-" walled the man in
sorrowful tones. Think of the tortures
they will infict before they kill met
Its bad, Jim-terrible bad! I'd give
an arm to have you inside with as this
minute"
'But | can't die-oh. | can't diel'
shrieked the man.
The captain seemed to be thinking,
and the prisoner knelt down. clasped his
hands and walled out:
Captain, for the love of God, do some
thing for me! Come out here and talk
it over and make them an offer They'll
let you come and go safely
at is only trap for your shouted
half dozen voices at the captain.
AYE, lads, know it. but I'd take
almost any risk for poor jim He's
nigh scarf to death. and seeing what
IL store for him, we can't blame him
linen raising his voice he called to
Huntley:
Keep up bravely, Jim. We can't
help you just now, but the time may
come within an hour. Don't give up yet"
Few white men have been known to
fire on a flag of truce, no matter how
treacherOus the enemy who bore it.
Huntley had been brought forward IN
der one. and it was respected. Had one
of the trainmen gone out with a flag he
would have been shot down or made
prisoner, and the others ridiculed for
their confidence.
When the three had returned to the
lines the captain asked for Peters heavy
rifle. | had been carefully loaded for
Che occasion, and the captain wasted it
across the rocks and waited minute
until the renegade came into view.
Every man in the inclosure held his
breath and watched for the result of the
shot 1t was minute before the sights
covered the renegade, but when the
rife cracked he was seen to throw up
his arms and fall heavily to the earth.
There was q howl from the Indians
and cheer from the fort, but both were
drowned in a volley of musketry,
chorus Of yells and the thunder of horses
feet. The relief party had arrived.
Out of this, boys, and go for 'em"
shouted the captain as he caught sight
OF a large body of cavalry charging
down the slope.
1t was quick work. The Indians had
been caught mapping, and their only
idea was to get away. In quarter of
an hour the last one of them had been
chased out of sight, and those who
counted up the corpses counted thirty
eight. In that struggle to wipe out the
wagon train the Indians lost, as was aft
erward confessed, total of ninety-fve
men, and their sole offset was one pris-
oner
Joe had found the party in grove
fifteen miles from the forks. They had
come on as the nature of the ground
would permit, dreading that they might
be too late, and their arrival had at last
set the little band free. There was
cheering and shouting and wild enthu-
siasm as the battle ended and the men
rushed to shake each others hands
Bess had hidden herself in the wagon
to give thanks to God and indulge in
little cry when some one sprang upon
the seat and held out his hand. The
figure was dressed as an Indian, and she
screamed in terror.
mot redskin, but Joel" laughed a
voice she was longing to hear.
"And you did this for-for u.s." she
stammered as she moved toward him.
"For-fOr us, but more particularly
for YOU" he replied as he seized her
hand.
CHAPTER VIII