Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-08-25
CHAPTER XIV.

| DurluR iu' lhpliiuS i'buN'u A'l'A
Henry Kyle that he was going 10 find
Captain Brandon, at the same time de
| string Henry % remain with the ladies'
Then Boutun lay down to sleep in an
ticipa,ion Of long night ride He had
not slept long when he was awakened
by Patch. who informed him that one
of Black Eagle Indians had come in.
Bouton got up and questioned the In
dian, who told him that he had seen
Captain Brandon and the Prophet to-
gether.
The Indian was right. The Prophet
and Captain Brandon had counted their
| forces On hearing Of Louis kyle's cap
ture, the Prophet st out on foot alone
% rescue him and came within n couple
Of miles Of Black Eagles warriors be-
fore night He kept ON, nor haulted for
breath or in doubt about the way, until
he stood Oh the rim Of Kyle's valley and
saw far beneath him the stars reflected
in the placid lake.
"They are coming. | hear them far
behind. | have outstripped them a. !
would the wind on such mission. -
Down the steep hills the Prophet. sped
10 the meadowlike expanse that III the
sunlight looked like great emerald III
the granite setting Of the mountains. As
he nearcd the house, the location marked
by the darker outlines Of the surround
ing trees, the resting cattle started up IN
alarm and the deep baying Of hound
was heard i'll front.
Down, dog! down" said the Prophet
ns the dog came fiercely toward him.
The dog obeyed and slunk IN ahead ~ If
ashamed Of his mistake. The Prophet
ran up To the house and beat with his
clinched fist on the door
"Who il there?" demanded Valentine
Kyle from within.
"I-I- A friend, " was the reply.
"Your name?"
"Men call me Daniel the Prophet.
Arise! Awake The Philistines arr in
the hills, and they come this way with
the speed u a mountain torrent and the
destruction Of a prairie fire. Up, Nalen-
tine Kyle! Up for the sake Of your
home, your wife and your daughter!'
Still, as he spoke the Prophet contin-
ued his pounding on the door, and the
echoes round about took up the hollow
sound. In few minutes the door was
opened, and Valentine Kyle appeared
shading light and bending forward to
get a sight Of his visitor. When his eyes
became accustomed 20 the gloom, he
discovered the weird, gigantic form Of
the Prophet, and he druw back, with
his hand on the pistol he had hastily
fastened % his waist.
Fear not, " cried the Prophet. In
Gods name, believe ! am "A friend "
Il do. Enter and tell Us your mis-
sion. "
Il have no time TO sit down, nor
have you time 70 hear me. Bouton and
his gang even us speak are entering
your valley
Entering my valley"
Even a. tell thee. +"
But Why"
"Why does the wolf enter your folds;
He comes for plunder or worse. Hark
10 the barking Of your hound! The wind
sweeps this way and he has scented
them Call your daughter, secure your
arms and follow me with your wife.
Delay not; "a minute may be worth q
lifer'
These mere words can give no idea OF
the effect of the Prophets manner. 1t
was simply irresistible, and, with a
woman's quick apprehension, Mrs.
Kyle saw that he spoke with reason and
felt that il would be wise 10 obey him.
LET us follow the Prophet, hus'
band, >" she said eagerly. NO harm can
come Of it, for we have ever heard Of
him AS good man. i"
Valentine Kyle had come TO the con.
clusion that il was not false alarm
and was hastily putting on his equip
ments when his daughter Nora, the In
dian girl Kushat, and an old herder
came rushing in. The herder called out:
There are horsemen III our valley,
and they are galloping this way3'
THAT is Bouton's gang " said the
Prophet. Hurry For your lives, hurry"
In less time than it takes 10 describe
it Mrs. Kyle and her daughter threw on
such covers as they found handy, Mr..
Kyle extinguished the light and all
went out If Valentine Kyle had enter
tanned any doubts about the vicinity OF
considerable body Of horsemen, they
vanished after he had been minute in
the open air. His ears told him that
they were not 200 yards away.
Follow me, he whispered. 81 know
every place of concealment about the
valley"
With his rife in his left hand and his
wife clinging TO his right, Valentine
Kyle led the way, followed by Nora and
Kushat, while the Prophet and the In
dian herder brought up the rear.
A few hundred yards back Of the house
the foothill Of the highest mountain in