Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1895-01-21
Re came up and seized her as she sank
CJOqOn.

he came up and seized her as she sdTI
Doom.
I'VE are too mistrustful and suspi
cious," replied the father as he looked
from the wagons, still in sight, to the
renegades searching the trail. mo one
would dare modest US with the camp
only few miles away, and the mar
viii be back with the pins before sun
down anyhow"
He spoke thus to encourage himself
as well as his wife and daughter, but
neither Of the three felt any the less
anxious. The settler looked to his Win
chester to see that it was in order, re-
moved the brides from the horses that
they might feed while he waited and
then stood on the alert for what might
happen.
The sun was only a handbreadth above
the horizon when the three renegades
returned to the wagon and exhibited one
Of the pins, which they claimed was
found full mile away. A pry was now
got in position, the heavy body Of the
wagon raised so that the wheels could
be slipped on the a1letree and then one
wheel was made secure.
The settler and lis family watched
the three men closely while they worked,
but they seemed intent only on helping
the people out Of their trouble
eve may be rough in looks and bad
in spots, exclaimed Bob as he wiped
the sweat from his forehead with his
buckskin sleeve, ''but we amt mean
huff to abandon lone family to the
tOmahawks of the Indians
1T is very brave and generous on
your part, and | thank you thousand
times over, p" replied Brown. Il wouldn't
have believed that the train people
would act SO selfshly."
4 reckon we've been parceled out as
the worst Of the lot. but that don'tmal1e
Us so. don't claim we are saints, but
do say that when the pinch comes we
can be depended on as white men.
There comes Pete, and | reckon your
Oubles are about over"
It was dusk now, and the man called
Pete was not seen until within few
rods of the wagon He dismounted Oh
coming up, handed Brown couple of
inchpins and said the train had gone
into camp at the river. Brown walked
to the wheel which needed the pin and
was placing it in position when a sud
den great light flashed before his eyes
and he sank to the ground in heap,
having been struck on the head with an
Ak which one of the men pulled from
the wagon.
While the women had been nervous
and anxious, the arrival of the man with
the pins seemed an act Of good faith
and they We're congratulating them
selves on soon rejoining the train when
Bob sprang up in front of them, seized
one with either hand and said:
Come out of this! We've got bust
ness with your
''Daniel-father!' shrieked mother and
daughter, but there was a laugh from
all the men, and Bob pulled the women
TO the ground with the leering remark:
Daniel has got particular business on
hand just now. and he begs you will ex-
cuse him!'
For q moment the women were help
less with surprise and fear. They saw
the body of husband and father stretched
on the sod, and both realized that he
had been struck down by the renegades.
AS they stood trembling and helpless
two of the men began hitching the
horse to the wagon, 2 third was busy
rcbbing the dead, while the Fourth
looked r = wheels to see if all was
right.
Brave nen and women think fast and
plan quickly. When life is in peril one
must not give way to feelings of grief.
Both women knew that murder had
been done, and both fully realized the
plot OF the renegades, but after the first
shock of surprise and the first moment
Of weakness their courage returned
RUM
L was the mother who whispered the
word as she noticed that all the men
were busy for the moment.
They sprang away together, but sep
arated almost at once, and were hidden
by the darkness before being missed.
''Jack, you stay by the horses-the
rest come along!'' shouted Bob, and nei-
Their woman was a hundred yards away
when pursuit began.
The mother bore to the right, the
daughter to the left. The mother made
s4lf circle to come back toward the
wagon on the opposite side from which
she had started, but the daughter ran
away. Hidden by the darkness
and having the advantage of the start,
she would have escaped but for accident.
AS she ran she stepped on a stone and
twisted her ankle until the pain made
her cry out.
That cry located the girl for one of
the renegades who was rushing hither
and yon at random, and he came up and
seized ler as she sank down, helpless to
bear Eounds weight on the injured
limb The search ended here.
''Let the old one CO." said Bob as
Lizzie was carried back to the wagon.
She's headed back for Nebraska, and If
the wolves don't pick her bones before