The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-09-21

number reached the fort from the rear
 and sealed pole to the roof Hearing
 the chatter on the roof, Mrs. Kennedy
 understood what it meant, and the fact
 that the reds were daring enough to at
 tempt the feat also convinced her that
 they knew her husband was away.
 She sprang from the porthole to the
 fireplace, flint and steel in hand. There
 was a flash and flames and pungent
 smoke from the feathers rolled up the
 chimney.
 HoWls of disgust and d quick clam
 berng from chimney to roof told that
 the movement had been successtul-the
 Indians who had started down the
 chimney retreated from the heat and
 stifling smoke. Mrs. Kennedy struck a
 light to the talloW dip, so that if the Indians broke into the fort she might escape into the darkness with her little ones, while the assailants were tempo rarily blinded by the light She had just set the light on the table in the center of the room when there came
 battering at the door of the fort. The Indians in front of the place had taken advantage of the opportunity offered by the ruse of the reds on the roof to secure a large timber and charge against the door in an attempt to bat ter it in. At the third blow the lower half of the plank in the center of the door gave way, leaving an aperture large enough to permit man crawling through. Mrs. Kennedy sprang to one side of the door and stood with up- raised axe. A painted face appeared at the aperture, but as Mrs. Kennedy stood close to the wall and on one side and the children on the other all keep ing quiet, the little ones obeying every sign of their mother and, like young ready to run and hide at her signal, the warrior saw nothing. The painted face was thrust further into the opening and seeing nothing, the Indian started boldly through the broken door.
 Mrs. Kennedy compressed her lips until blood was forced from them, and when the Indian had got well within the room and was about to draw his tomahawk she brought down the axe with crushing force on his skull, then hastily pulled him aside while death luleleu nm. The lnuldIlS, llInklIlS tlldl there was no danger, their compan- ion having uttered no sound, started another of their number through. But he caught sight of his predecessor in leath agony and started back, uttering ] wild yell, Mrs. Kennedy struck at put only wounded him. He ran off yelling at the top of his voice. Shots rom another quarter at this moment ,aused stampede of the Indians to the imber A moment later there was a signal which Mrs Kennedy under itood, and she gave one in return. In ew seconds her husband was at the door of the fort, which opened, and al hough several shots were fired by the Indians from the edge of the clearing, lone was effective, and the master of he fort entered unharmed. Hastily the door and putting the 'hildren to bed, husband and wife took tation at port holes on opposite sides of he fort and watched till morning, but he Indians did not return. Next day he dead Indian was taken to the forest | md buried The wounded ones were arried away by their comrades. The | Sennedys strengthened their fortifica- ions, but never again was their fort | Louis Republic