The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1903-05-02

parched with thirst The heat of the
sun-we were in the middle of the sum-
mer-was intense even at this early hour,
"My captors talked together for few
moments. thought they were going to
kill me then and there But in this |
was mistaken. They lashed my body to
slender tree, and then bound my hands
behind me, my arms encircling the trunk.
The change was certainly for the better; |
breathed freely now the gag had been
taken away, while | could again stretch
my aching legs. | was thankful, too, that
the tree sheltered me from the sun.
The Indians attention was next given
to the horses, the animals being hobbled
with rope and then turned loose to Craze.
After this the men lay down one by one
under the shade of clump Of trees not
more than 30 yards away, apparently with
the intention of sleeping. Evidently they
felt quite sure that no one could follow
the trail, or a watch would have been
kept.
1T was impossible for me to move. |
tried to picture what had taken place at
home Lille | knew, would lose not
minute in giving the alarm, while there
would be no dearth of volunteers when
once they could be informed of what had
happened The settlers at that time hated
every redskin ike poison. And little was
this to be wondered at, taking into consid-
Grafton, the fendish murders that had
been committed
Il found myself continually wondering
what my captors' motives could be in max
Ing me prisoner. had never known or
heard of the Indians carrying off a man.
Was | going to be tortured Perhaps
they intended to keep me till the arrival
Of some more members Of the tribe, when
| should be done to death before yelling
crowd of braves and squaws
The Indians never moved. They
seemed to be sleeping soundly. No doubt
they had been wandering the greater part
Of the past night At the end Of what
appeared TO me about an hour | felt a
heavy drowsiness creeping over me, IN
spite of the whirl of thought which was
passing through my mind. | remember
at.ributing this TO the heat. The air had
become sultry to degree; there was not
breeze sufficient to stir leaf.
Al last, in spite of all efforts TO keep
my eyes open, my head fell forward and |
slept
when | woke i, was with start \
hand had gripped my arm. | looked
and saw my darling crouehing by my
side, with upraised finger and parted lips.
Something higher than reason or in
stinc, had guided her to me. A hand that
guides all of Us, if we only knew it, had
pointed her the way
swiftly and silently she cut the cords
that bound me, and then slipped the knife
and revolver, which she had carried since
morning, into my hands The horse she
/ had ridden, Pretley's horse, stood at the
mouth Of the gorge felt at the moment
/ that would have died thousand deaths
to see her away from the awful danger in
which she stood If were to be killed
aud she left to the mercy of those devils
Creep back instantly, whispered; /;
creep back instantly, mount the horse
again, and wait there-rOund the corner
/ Just out Of sight. | must cut the hobbies
( Of their horses-it is our only chance
Without word my darling turned and
did As | told her. knew that if the In
dians should wake and be able to catch
their horses without trouble our chances
Of escape would be small indeed, for one
could see many miles across the fat barren
country below.
The horses, their hunger satisfied,
were gathered under the shade of small
! clump Of trees about midway between the
mouth of the gorge and the spot where the
Indians lay erept like snake through
/ the long grass. Some of the animals be-
came restiye at my approach. Proceeding
with the utmost caution | managed ut
length to free them all.
The last one whose hobbies | cut was
horse of my own, the same one which
had carried me to the spot. Knotting
some of the short pieces of rope quickly
together, | made rough halter, which |
slipped over the animals head. 1t was
my intention TO lead him back to where
/ Lille was waiting and mount there.
Il was within few yards of the gorge
when a shrill yell from one of the Indians
broke upon my ear. The horse | was
leading took fright and, swerving wildly,
broke one of my hastily tied knots and was
free fired my revolver into the group
| of horses which the Indians were already
trying to encirele My bullet struck one
! of the animals-in the flank, | think.
| He bounded forward, followed by the 9TH
ers, and, to my relief, | saw them all
stampeding madly across the plain. The
/ Indians then made rush toward me- one
of them again firing; but the next moment
l had sprung up behind my darling, and
Pertley's good old gray, who had had am
pie time to regain his wind, was bearing
US headlong up the gorge.
"A few minutes brought us to the sharp
turning | have already described. The
descent was steep, but | cried to Lille,
who still held the reins, not to check the
animal pace. We speed at wild gallop
down the narrow way.