The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-06-10

80 or 60 in the party"
Her sister became instantly grave
and turned back to her wheel. But it
was now getting too dark to work,
and one after another the girls left
their spinning and gathered round the
fireplace. Presently Mrs. Rodgers
lifted the pot from the crane and
emptied its contents into huge plat
ter on the table. Then she took the
Johnny cakes from the board and an
nounced supper.
AS she did so there came wild, pc
culiar cry, some thing between the howl
of wolf and the whinny of horse.
Mrs. Rodgers turned excitedly.
"Your fathers back" she cried;
"that's his horse"
"No, no, mother" expostulated one
of the girls, chats only loon. You've
often heard Betty initiate them," and
she looked at the young girl for con-
frmation of her words.
But Betty did not answer. She was
sitting with her head slightly bent
forward, and an intent, puzzled express
sion on her fair young face. Again
came the wild, quavering cry. Betty
rose hurriedly and took down her gun
from its place on the wall tits no
loon," she said, calmly, but with a
strange light blazing in her eyes. "a
looms cry isn't so perfect as that. 1t
shakes more. An, besides, looms don't
cry in storm like this. It's an Injin
runner calm the rest. He's likely
found my tracks, or something.
Hark!' as the cry came once more
through the darkness. "That means
for all the rest to hurry to him, quick's
they can. Fasten the door an win
der, an don't open 'em for nothin'
nor nobody till you hear me whistle"
and before they could divine her in
tention she had slipped through the
door and out into the darkness.
Mrs. Rodgers sprang forward to in
tercept her, but was too late. "You
don't s'pose she's goin' to fight the
whole Injin tribe, do you?" she asked,
TREMENDOUSLY.
NO. mother; you can trust Betty to
take care of herself" treasured the old
est girl. "She has thought of some
plan to help u.s." But her actions were
less confident than her words, for she
took down her gun, then paused irreso-
lutely.
II s'pose I'd do her more harm than
good" she said, doubtfully. 81 don't
know the woods like she does, an
would be sure to get lost an need her
help" She stood still moment, then
replaced her gun on the wall.
Half an hour passed. Then once
more they heard that strange, weird
cry. But this time it was fainter, and
seemed to come from lower down the
valley. They looked at each other
questioningly. Another ten minutes,
and 1t came again, very low and faint
this time and scarcely to be distin-
guisheds En,f4he noise OF the storm.
A sudden look of intelligence flashed
into the oldest girls eyes.
"Why, it's Betty herself" she cried.
II wonder we didn't think of it before.
The child has gone round on the other
side of the Injuns an is calm 'em
away. She's maxim 'em believe that
crys made by one of their own rum
ners, an they're follerin' it. To think
of Betty foolin' whole war party!"
She rose excitedly, and once more took
her gun down from its pegs. 1 wisht
there was some way for us to be help
in her, girls. 1t don't seem right for
us to be here, dom nothin', an her
out in the storm viii whole pack of
Injins behind her.
Hour after hour went by, and still
they waited, silent and watchful, but
trying to avoid each others eyes.
There was nothing they could do, only
wait. Outside the storm had increased
in violence and was now raging and
shrieking about the little cabin.
AT last there was slight noise ont
side, followed by clear, boyish whis-
tie.
In an instant six figures were crowd
ing about the door, each trying to
undo the fastenings.
'Why, you poor things!" cried Bet
ty, few minutes later, as she olsen
gagged herself from their grasp; you
wv do tiiouS IL l. u DcCll Oh Il war Dd n,
sure enough. 'Twan't much; but I'm
jest beaten out" and she dropped
YEARLY on one of the benches. 81
fooled 'em down fur's the Saugatucket,
an then slipped off an come back by
a roundabout way. l must "a gone
Is miles, there an back. They won't
be apt to come here ag'in, for the
storm'll wash my trail out long afore
mornin'." A sparkle came into her
eyes and she broke into a merry peal
of laughter 81 guess they'll think
t was old Bad Medicine himself who
was leadin' 'em. twas lots of fun"
When Willett Rodgers returned from
Plymouth and heard the story, he
placed his hand proudly on Betty's
brown curls.
"Thc Injins have been maxim bad
raid down the country" he said, grave.
ly, "burnin' houses an runnin off cat.
tie. If it hadn't been for this little
girl ] expect our cabin would "a gone
with the rest. But we're safe now,
for hear the soldiers are out an driv.
in 'em back toward the bin river"