The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-08-12

air, rolled to the middle of the glade,
quivered convulsively, and lay still and
quiet.
Elated by the success of his shot,
Sandy could scarcely repress a shout
of triumph. With his empty musket
clutched in one hand he jumped up and
ran forward. He found the brute
stone dead, the ball having penetrated
its brain.
BY this time the young Indian was
fellow, loosely clad in buckskin
breeches and fringed moccasins, and
armed with tomahawk. a few
Jagged and bleeding scratches were all
that he had to show for his terrible
encounter with the panther.
| For several moments, the two lads,
so widely different in nature and ap-
pearance. scrutinized each other Curl
ouSly. Then Sandy wisely concluded
that it was time for him to leave, and
just as he was about TO do so without
ceremony hand was reached over his
shoulder, and his musket was torn
from his grasp.
With a start and gasp Sandy
wheeled around to find himself face to
face with Shawanee warrior-a huge
braWny savage decked out in war
paint and eagles feathers: his coun-
tenance was cruel and ferocious, and
two freshly severed scalps dangled at
his belt 49,
Uttering a cultural exclamation the
Shawanee pinned the lad by the throat
with one hand, while in the other he
lifted high glistening tomahawk
But before the deadly stroke could fall
the young Indian gave an eager cry
and thrust himself between the two.
Sandy was instantly released, and he
stood trembling and closely watched,
while the two Indians conversed in
their native tongue. They were evil
IDENTIFY father and son. and it was
equally clear that the latter was telling
the parent how he had been rescued.
Tor he pointed twice to the dead
panther The discussion lasted but a
Few moments, and then the elder saw
age turned to Sandy
How white boy come here?" he de-
manded in fairly good English. What
do? Where live?''
II live down yonder by the river
Sandy stammering explained. pointing
behind him. Il was going toto see
some one
The Shawnee appeared to under
stand, Come" he said, with shrewd
look. Me show you
He led Sandy to the opposite edge
or the mountain, and CHANGING far
across the intervening slope and
swamp, the lad saw a column of
smoke rising from the charred ruins
of David Leslie's cabin. Bitter tears
filled his eyes, and he clenched his
fists with uncomfortable rage and in
dignation, forgetting for the moment
his own doubtful plight.
No stay here" the Shawnee added,
touching Sandy on the shoulder.
More Indians come-mebbe kill white
boy. You shoot panther-save little
warrior. Me grateful to white boy
You go home-tell your people make
haste to fort
The savage looked cautiously on all
sides for moment. listening intently
Then he stripped the lad of his powder
and shot and made signs for him TO
lead the way.
Silently, and in single file, father
and son followed Sandy over the
ridge, down the rugged slope. and
thence along the two miles of winding
forest path. 1t was plainly their pur-
pose to protect him from other In
dams.
On the edge of the clearing and in
sight Of Donald MacNeaIs cabin, the
two Shawnees silently shook hands
with the lad and swiftly vanished in
the depths of the wood
Sandy hurried on. grateful for his
escape, but grieving bitterly for his
lost musket and for the terrible fate
of the kindly old Scotchman. How
ever, on bursting into the cabin, the
first person he saw was David Leslie.
The settler had given the savages the
slip. and had arrived but a few mo-
ments before.
Sandy was greeted as one dead. his
parents having abandoned hope of his
return. He hurriedly told his story
and as It was too late to warn the
settlers farther up the Juniata-if,
indeed, they had not already been
massacred-the little party at once
took boat down the Susquehanna to
Fort Hunter, giving the alarm along
the way.
That night a number of families
came into the fort for protection and
the murderous band of Shawnees and
Delawares took but few scalps with
them when they left the neigbborhood
a day or two later, after ruthlessly
destroying the crops and cabins of the
settlers.
Sandy grew up to manhood among
those times of deadly perils and played
a prominent part in the history of
the province. But he never afterward
saw either of the Shawnese who had
befriended him, and in the autumn of
his life he loved ito tell the story to
his grandchildren, as they sat on his
knee in the dusk of the winter even
ings.