The National tribune., 1902-10-02

Outcries above them had changed some
what from their former direction, showing
that the Forester was keeping UP Il sort of
running fight with the Indians. In the
midst of this flight the whistling fugitive
| suddenly emitted one of those sharp notes
peculiar to his mode of expression, and
dropped swiftly to the ground. Stark, un-
derstaDding that some new discovery had
been made, dropped beside him, fairly pull
ing the woman after him. At that mo-
ment Il war party of Indians, evidently
Fastening to the assistance of their kin
dred engaged in the fight beyond, crossed
their pathway less than a rod ahead. An
opening in the tree-tops made one of those
windows in the forest through which the
moon sent its light with that mellow ca
dence which gave to each object a weird
transformation from the real into the I'M
real. Across this patch of borrowed light.
with cat-iike steps and awful mien. stalk
ed upon the heels of his hated foes the
wolf demon.
Unconscious of the close proximity of
their dread slayer, the Indians were pur-
| suing their course with that Indifference
to their immediate surroundings that they
might have passed the three figures in the
underground without discovering them.
However, this problem was not up for So
luton, as d single howl from their terrible
pursuer instantly altered the current of
the scene. With cries Of terror the In
dians swiftly scattered like so many deer
before the presence of that animal they
dreaded above all others. But as quick
as this movement was made, it was not
speedy enough to save the crested head
Of the rearmost from the uplifted hatchet
in the wolfish grasp. His death-cry was
succeeded by yolley of bullets from some
of the Indians in their hasty coyerts, but
unmindful Of this rain of lead which whis-
tied harmleSSiy around his upraised head
the Wolf Stalker continued his pursuit
If the shots fred by the Indians missed
the prey for which they were intended
one of them found u most unexpected vic
tim. The speechless captive, whether
thinking the Indians had passed so far
beyond them that it was expedient to re-
sumo their flight to the canoe, or from
some other reason, rose to his feet at the
unfortunate moment when the leaden hail
riddled the foliage about him. One of the
bullets entered his body, and he sank
back upon the ground with low groan of
pain.
Seeing him fall, and realizing that he
might be mortally wounded, John Stark
felt that his first duty was to get the wo-
man to the canoe, when it might be so he
could return for the body of their compan-
ion. The cries of the Wolf Stalker showed
that he was continuing to advance, while
the Indians were still endeavoring to cs-
cape ny d IelIedt. ne pldceu HIS H;iHn on
the heart OF the strange man, to find that
it was beating, when he was OverjOyed to
hear well-known, but most unexpected
voice at that moment, close beside him.
ITO the birch with the female, lad. 1t
is clus by. The reds have gone into am
bushment."
This order from his friend the Forester.
who had somehow eluded his enemies and
come into his presence without having been
discovered by him, though he had been
constantly on the watch, John Stark i'm
| mediately carried out, leaving the other to
| follow with the wounded stranger in his
arms. Thus he had barely reached the
| canoe and was in the act of pushing it
out from under the fringe Of ovcrhanging
bushes, when his companion also reached
the place with his burden.
The limp figure Of the man he placed
carefully in tbs bottom of the frail craft,
helped the woman into the bow. and seat
, ed himself in the stern, while John Stark,
after pushing the canoe out into deep wa
ter, took up the paddle to send the light
bark down the stream. All this had been
quickly performed without word being
spoken. Prolonged yells occasionally came
from the Indians, while random shots were
being fired. Once The ominous howl of
the Wolf Stalker was borne to their ears,
but after that silence seigned over the
wildwood, while they kept on their way,
the Forester maintaining careful sur
vey over their surroundings. The river
widened considerably soon after they had
started, SO the moon, unobscured by clouds,
lighted the waterway to almost midday
brightness. In order to avoid as much as
possible the risk of being discovered by the
eyes Of any Of the Indians who might be
prowling in that vicinity, the Forester
steered the canoe in close under the over
hanging growth, where deep shadows fell
over them in their silent fight.
''The reds pear to have gone into am
bushment," remarked the scout, after Pc
riOd of silence. 'The chief will see that
they are properly amused without any
waste O. discretion. Aweel, nows me, they
be in good hands, and I'm net forgetful O.
that two-legged wolf that shows sich wan
tonness o. spirit"
"Do you mean that Philip, the Sokokis,
has come back, ForesterT
"Ay, lad, and I'm ne'er lacking In pur-
pose enough to say that he did not come
at goodish time. It was tangled web
o. m ama1ement, Lad, swan it was"