The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-28

stuyor. To rouse himself he stopped the
pibroch he was playing and started an eN-
citing strathspey. Even to the blood of the
listening Indians the lively Tilt brought a
tingle and the crouching figures almost fell
into the step of the war dance. But the
chief was on the alert. Why had this form
been sent alone into the very center of the
war camp? The others must be lurking
near. No savage came within the circle of
light until hey were certain that this man
was absolutely alone. Scouts We're sent
skirrnishinC into the forest to get tidings of
the piper's fellows. but this time they had
to deal with men as crafty as themselves.
and they returned, having seen nothing. re-
porting the forest empty. Gradually in on
the fated piper closed the silent circle. and,
as II premoniticn touched him, his playing
became less and less certain, and he stag
gered rs If dizzy with his round. Suddenly
the playing ceased. and the piper saw be-
fore him his Captain, reproaCh on his white
face.
why are you here. Angus" he asked
sternly. "lilting dance music when the clan
Is waiting for you""
"Ah. Captain. I have been looking for
you: all through the forest l have been
looking for you" said Angus, drawing his
hand across his brow.
I'VE are all here and waiting for you"
The piper gazed broad with n smile on
his face. and there in the avenues of the
forest he saw his company. standing at at
tention.
Captain. I am ready He hitched up his
pipes and strobe forward as the descending
tomahawk from behind sank into his skull.
A warwhoop went up rs the piper fell. but
It was drowned hv the crack Of rifles all
round the camp. The massacre OF the night
before was re-cnacted. but this time with no
return fire from the sentenced. Each Indian
knew that the Great Spirit had allowed the
ghosts to return and massacre them. They
made no effort at useless escape. but sto-
ically folded their arms and stood to be shot
down by the pioneers.
Amos and his company had surrounded the
camp, but held their fire. hoping to save the
piper. The downfall of the demented man
was the unprecedented signal of attack.
and If Angus played his fellows to the realm
of the unseen, their foemen must have ac-
companied them within sound of the music.
Poor fellows Amos had said as he saw
the Highlanders march forth from the
Poor fellow" he mt as
he helped to separate the dead piper from
the heap of dead foes massed about him.
and to lay hin in a nook among the trees
by himself. The pioneers knew that no FEM
nant OF the company had escaped. and being
practical men. that turned their thoughts
from the dead to the living. as was the
necessity in those grim times. The garrison
at Fort Charlotte had never been attacked
In the open; no Indians life was risked nv
an assault on the stronghold, and even II
the chief had known he was to capture the
place by storm and lose but one brave In
the fight. he would never have given the or
der TO charge. The reckless courage of tho
white man from over the seas the Indian
looked upon as mere madness cast over
the foe by the Great Spirit. The steaItbv
GOODNESS of the pioneer. seeking cover AL
ways and dealing out death when he could
the Indian understood and appreciated hut
he could not comprehend the insanity of
soldiers. In his beleaguerinp of
Fort Charlotte, the chief and his men do
pended on an ally more potent that tbe,n.
selves-starvation. All source of SUNNY
was cut off, and time did the rest. If If took
one month or ten. it mattered nothing To tho
red man: a creature of infinite patience. n
whom time was valueless. The garrison in
the fort was chewing its last moccasin. and
the Indian behind the tree knew a, ,ra
wait. ready to shoot with deadly ac-
curacy if a head showed above the wall
himself unseen.
Amos had not closed an eye for two NIGHTS
and one day. travelling nearly the whole
time, yet he was as bright and active os
any of his following. He had come throrgb
to the stockade in the night. starving, and
there had eaten and filed his pouch with
pemmican-that marvel of food invented nv
the red man for the sustenance of himself
on the march, and now adopted by his
enemy. 1t was composed of lean yenisop
dried and shredded. mixed with berries
into a bag of deerskin, and consoli-
dated by having the melted fat of the deer
poured over 1t and through it. A slice of
this in the pouch. and a woodman win
march for days on It.
The relief party had taken from the SET
Element what food they could carry ON ca
rapid a journey, but the moment it was
known that a fight was in prospect, the