The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-05-24
CHAPTER XVI.
Take the ChaFred stick for .
Guide.

We Take the Charred Stick for q
Guide.
Luckily for US the new danger was ap-
preaching from the westward. So, by DIM
Of the maddest hurryings we got the bodies
Of the three Cherokees hoist upon the
horses, and were able to enace in part the
signs of the late encounter before the band
Of riders coming down the Indian path was
upon US. But there was no time to make
an orderly retreat. At most we could only
withdraw a little way into the wood, halt
ing when We were well in cover, and hastily
stripping coats and waistcoats to mufhe
the heads Of the horses.
|. So you are to conceive US waiting with
nerves upstrung. ready for fight or fight
as the event should decide. sitting In such
pent-up suspense as any or all OF US would
gladly have exchanged for the fiercest bat
tie. Happily, the notwithstanding interval
was short. From behind our thicket screen
we presently saw a file of Indian horse
men riding at a ~leisurely footpace down the
path. Ephraim Yeates quickly named
these newcomers for US.
"'Tis about ez 1 allowed-some o. the
Tuckaseges a-scouting down to hold a
powwow with the ho~ss-captain. Now. then;
ii them sharp-nosed ponies o their'n don't
happen to sniff the blood
The hope was dashed on the instant by
the sudden snorting and shying of two or
llilSC VI klG ~ IA pa-Shh6 ohN Wv '
hold of our weapons. keying ourselves to
the fighting pitch. But. curiously enough,
the riders made no move to pry into the
cause. So far from it, they f1ogged the
shying ponies into line and rode on stolidly;
and thus in a little time that danger was
overpast and the evening silence OF the
mighty forest was ours to keep or break
as We choose.
The old frontiersman was the first to
speak.
well. friends, 1 reckon ez how we
mought ez well thank the good Lord for
all his marcies afore W go any furder,"
he would say: and he doffed his cap and
did it forthwith.
1t was as grim a picture as any Inner
of the weird could wish to look upon. TIL
twilight shadows were empurpling the
nountains and gathering In dusky pools
here and there where the trees stood thick
est in the valley. The hush Of. natures
mystic hour was abroad. and even the
swiftly flowing river. rushing sullenly
along its rocky bed no more than q stones
cast beyond the Indian path. seemed to
pretermlt its low thunderings. There was
never a breath of air astir In all the wood,
and the leaves of the silver poplar that
will twinkle and ripple in the Hghtest
zephyr hung stark and motionless.
Barring the old borderer. who had gone
upon his knees, we stood as we were: the
va h"S R"S
infer and / the three that bore the ghastly
burdens of mortality. The bodies of the
slain had been flung across the saddles to
as they might. and to the pommel
of tina saddle which bore the trunk of the
chieftain. Uncanoola had
knotted the grisly head by its scalp-iock
to dangle and roll about with every rest
less movement Of the horse-a hideous
that seemed to mop and NOW
stare fearsomely at us with its wide
open CLASSY eyes.
With this background 1T for the stalking
Of a scene in Dant Alighieris tragic COM /.
edy. the looming mountains, the upper air !
or to dusk. and the solemn forest
aisles full Of lurking shadows. you are to !
the old frontiersman. bareheaded |
on his knees. pouring forth his soul in
the sonorous phrace of Holy Writ. now |
thanksgiving. n now in most terrible
o%eseechings that all the walls Of heavens |
wrath might be poured out upon our enc
/
His face, commonly a leather mask to
hide the man behind 1t, was now ablaze !
With the fire Of zealotry; and, truly, In |