The Canton times., 1895-05-31

furthest from danger and herself hlled
the hot smoking rifles. The fusillade
was thick and fast and the bullets
few In through the openings. Pat
Grogan's right arm was shattered, but
he rested hisgu on the window and
fred away vindictively. Poor Smith
was shot through the lungs and fell In
a dying condition. Mrs. Dempsey took
his place, handling her rife deftly.
Time and again some sharp howl OF
anguish told Of well-directed shot at
the half-concealed sinister foeman.
Morning was advancing; perhaps by
this time the fight from the reserva-
tion was discovered, and soldiers were
coming to help them--if only they
could keep the red devils at bay q
while longer. Vain hope! Black
Wing, chief Of the raiders, had also
thought Of soldiers; he concluded 1t
was time to make short work Of these
sharp-sighted marksmen who were
picking off his. companions There
came sudden, fearful yelling, aswift
rush and retreat Of moccasined feet,
then the pungent smell OF smoke and
the ominous cracking Of the fire licked
up the dry boards. The heat became
intolerable--to remain was sure death
from the destroying element. w
I'VE must run for it, boys!' cried
Pete Oberlin. The door Of my shanty
stands open, an thar amt no lnjuns
inside it!'
The shot-riddled portal was flung
wide, with the two little lads in the
middle, the forlorn hope sought new
refuge, their guns speaking death in
the passage. Ike Dempsey fell in his
own doorway shot through the brain.
Pat Grogan fell in the roadway, and at
the same moment the brave who had
shot him reeled and toppled down from
his saddle.
With horrible sense of sickness
Pete saw a savage horseman bury his
tomahawk in the woman's head, and
then snatch up one of the children and
dash his skull on the doorstone. The
other little fellow slipped from the
hand that grasped at him and STUN
bled over the cabin, threshold, barely
escaping bullet; sharp whistle cut
the air. Pete felt singing pain in
the shoulder, and fell to. the ground
unconscious.
With an 'exultant shout at the de-
struction Of this last enemy, the savage
band swarmed from their places of at
tack and hastily entered the buildings.
slowing away whatever was easily
portable and making sad havoc in
Grogan's stock of liquors; but they
were not yet far enough from the res
ervation to allow themselves a long
stop. The store was burning fiercely;
to force his unruly following to hurry,
Black Wing fred the saloon with his
own hand, the wooden frame blazing
like tinder. One bv one the sheds and
shacks were ignited; three or four
wretches, with fresh, CORY scalps dang
ling at their belts, rushed over to apply
the torch to the only remaining build
ing, Pete Oberlin's shanty. A young
brave stumbled over the mutilated
form in the pathway, and with a whoop
of delight waved his keen blade over
the thick black locks. just as he
stopped to his victim, an odd, long
drawn cry arrested his arm in its mo-
tion. A wild and dust-covered figure
sprang into the blood-crazed circle,
pouring ont . torrent of cultural abuse
and lamentation that somehow COM
manded attention.
The old woman-for it was Wawaga
bent above the prostrate man, wav-
ing off the armed braves, and felt for |
the faintest Of heart beats; then rails
ing herself to her full height. shaking
back her snslsy hair, and with rude,
powerful majesty, she commanded in
her own tongue:
''Go, while yet you have time! Be
fore the morning has ended the soldiers
will be on you. This man still lives. |
He is mine; do not touch him; you have |
the scalps of the others"
When Pete Oberlin. lying in his own
bunk. opened his eyes on the dim scene |
lighted by the fickering fire, he
thought he had gone through horri- |
BILE dream. Kicking off the covers, he
sat up with vigorous jerk; but the
sharp pain in his shoulder made him
grind his teeth in agony. At the same
he became aware of dark |
figure crouched in one corner holding
a bundle of white. His sudden |
motion and muttered exclamation
stirred the quiet watcher; stumbling
to her feet she bore her burden to the |
pallet and deposited it beside him.
Him live, Ill boy" she announced,
gravely. Pete sank back beside the |
sleeping child, with choking sensa-
tion half thanlrfulness for THAR escar,e
and half horror at the suddenly con-
jured picture of the boys mother and |
brother. He remembered how he was |
wounded. How had they two escaped
scalping? How came Wawaga there? |
We're the redskins still at the station? |
II So he must use the greatest caution. |