Waterbury Democrat., 1900-11-14
lCoryrcht. .ss7, by F Tennysoa Nesly.l

ky". klHo # 7
 lCory-tcht. :ss7, sy Tsnnyson Nesly.l
 "Let gc, you coward!' yelled the old man in fury, as he kicked himself loose, and then went bounding out upon the porch. God, what a sight! Sweeping up the gentle slope, bran dishing rifles and lances and war clubs, racing for their hapless prey, came 50 Ogallallas, Burning Star aHnong the leaders. Bullets could not stop them now. The two men who had stood to their posts Enelt grim and desperate, and Lannion's last shot took effect. Within 50 yards of the walls Burning Stars rushing pony went down on his nose, and in the fury of his pace, turned sudden and complete somersault. crushing his red rider under him, and stretching him senseless on the turf An inspiration, almost GCd-given, seemed to flash upon the old trader at the instant. Bare- headed, in his shirt sleeves, throwing upward and forward his empty hands, he sprang out as though to meet and rebuke his assailants. "Hold!" he cried in the tongue he knew so well. Are my brothers crazed? Look! I am no enemy. It is your friend! It is old John." And even in the rage of their charge, many Indians at sight of him veered to right and left;
 many refined up short within ten paces of the unarmed man: two sprang from their ponies and threw themselves between him and their brethren, shouting to be heard. And then in the midst of furious discuss sion, some Indians crying out for tho blood of all at the ranch in revenge for Chaska, some demanding instant surrender of every woman there in expiation for Lizette, some urging that old John be given respectful hearing, but held prisoner, there came flashing into their midst a young brave, cry ing aloud and pointing down the now well-lighted valley where. darting about q mile away, q few Indians wer- evidently striving to head off the conn., ing of some hostile force. Leaving two or three of their number trying to restore consciousness to the strick- en chief, and dozen, Folsom'c aGyo. caues among them, to hold possession of the rancn, away scurried most of the warriors at top speed to the aid of their outlying scouts.
 Meantime, under cover of the fierce argument, Jake and Lannion had managed to crawl back within the building. Folsom himself, in such calm as he could command, stood si- lent while his captcrs wrangled. The warriors who pleaded for him were Standing Elk, a subchief of note, whose long attachment to Folsom was based on kindnesscs shown him when a young man, the other was Noung- Shows-the-R6ad, son of a chief who had guided more than one party of whites through the lands of the Sioux before the bitterness of war arose be- tween the races. They had loved Fol som for years and would not desert him now in the face of popular clam or. Yet even their influence would have failed but for the sound that told of hotter conflict still among the foothills along the opposite side of the valley. With straining ears, Fol- som listened, hope and fear alternat- ing in his breast. The mingling yells and volleying told that the issue was in doubt. Man after man of his cap tors galloped away until not half dozen were left. Now, Jake and Lan- nion could have shot them down and borne him within, but to what good? Escape from the ranch itself was inn possible. Such action would only in tensifv the Indian hate and make more horrible the Indian vengeance. For 20 minutes the clamor continued, then seemed to die gradually away, and, with fury in their faces, back at full gallop came q dozen of the braves. One glance was enough. They had penned in their foe among the rocks, but not without the loss of several at least of their band, for the fore most rode with brandished war club straight at Folsom, and despite the leap of his two champions to save, felled the old trader with one stun ming blow, then gave the savage or der to burn the ranch.
 By this time the sun was just peer ing into the valley. The smoke and flame from the corral were dying or drifting away. Eagerly half a dozen young braves rushed for flag