Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1903-10-08
|ADaughter
Of the Sioux
By GEN. CHARLES KING.
Copyright, 1902. by The Hobart Company
CHAPTER XVIII.

CHAPTER XVIII.
The doctor started at the heels of
the corporal, but was distanced long
before he reached the scene. The SER
geant of the guard was hammering
on the front door of Blake's quar-
ters; but, before the summons was
answered from within, Mrs. Ray, in
long, loose wrapper, came hurrylng
forth from her own-the adjoining
hallway. Her face was white with
dread. "Tt is |, Mamie. Let us in,"
she cried, and the door was opened
by IA terrified servant. as the doctor
came painting up the steps. Together
he and Mrs. Ray hurried in. Rob
bers!" gasped the servant girl
"Gonc-the back way" and collapsed
on the stairs. Sergeant and corpo-
raj both tore around to the west side
and out of the rear gate. Not a sign
of fugitives could they see, and, what
was worse, not sign of sentry. Num-
Der 5, of the third relief, should at
that moment have been pacing the
edge of the bluff in rear of the north
ernmost quarters, and yet might be
around toward the flagstaff Find
Number s." were the scrgeant's or
ders, and back he hurried to the
house, not knowing what to expect.
BY that time others of the guard had
got there and the extraordinarily
was coming-the clinll of his sword
could be heard down the road. and
more windows were upliftcd and
more voices were begging for infor
nation, and then came Mrs. Dade.
breathless but calm.
Within doors she found the doctor
ministering to a stout female who
seemed to have gone off in an impro-
viSed swoon-Mrs. Blake's imported
cook, Up the stairs to her own room
again, Mrs. Blake was being led by
Marion Rays encircling arm. Three
women were speedily closeted there,
for Mrs. Dade was like an elder Sis
ter to these two sworn friends, and
not until Mrs. Dade and they were
ready, did the lady descend the stairs
and communicate the facts to the eX-
cited gathering in the parlOr, and
they in turn to those on the porch
in front. By this time Flint himself,
with the post quartermaster, was on
hand, and all Fort Frayne seemed to
rouse, and Mrs. Gregg had come with
Mrs. Wilkins, and those two had re-
lieved the doctor of the care of the
cook, now talking volubly; and, part
ly through her revelations, but main
ly through the more coherent state
ments of Mrs. Dade, were the facts
made public. Margaret the cook,
had room to herself on the
ground floor adjoining her kitchen.
Belle, the maid, had been given the
second floor back in order to be near
to her young mistress. Bitter. the
Blakes' man-of- f-all-work-lil<e McGann,
a discharged soldier-slept in the
basement at the back of the house,
and there was he found, blinking, be-
wildered and only with difficulty
aroused from stupor by a wrathful
sergeant The cooks story. in brief,
was that she was Weakened by Mrs.
Blake's voice at her door. and, think
ing Belle was sick, she jumped up and
found Mrs. Blake in her wrapper, ask
ing was she, Margaret, up stairs a
UlDu1tHJ DtIDTt. linen MIS-. blakp.
with her candle, went into the dining
room, and out jumped man in his
stocking feet from the captains den
across the hall, and knocked over
Mrs. Blake and the light, and made
for her, the cook; whereat she
screamed and slammed her door in
lis face, and that was really all she
knew about it.
But Mrs. Blake knew more. Awak-
cned by some strange consciousness
of stealthy movement about the
house, she called Belle by name
thinking possibly the girl might be
ill and seeking medicine. There was
sound of more movement, but no re.
ply. Mrs. Blake's girlhood had been
spent on the frontier. She was a
stranger to fear. She arose; struck
light, and, seeing no one in her
room or the guest chamber and hall.
way, hastened to the third room, anG
was surprised to find Belle apparently
quietly sleeping. Then she decided Il
look about the house and, first went
down and reused the cook. As she
was coming out of the dining-rooIn, d
man leapcd past her N the hall, hurl.