The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-08-19
way than to attack. She was almost

! when it occurred to her that. tile tort
being dark-she had not lighted the
| tall0w dip-the Indians might con-
clude. after accommodating, that no one
was there. ana would go away again.
But this was not to be. The forms
drew nearer until she could distinguish
one from another. She raised her rifle
again. aimed and fired. A form leaped
| into the air. there was q shrek of pain
and hurrying of footsteps back to the
shelter of the trees. Mrs. Kennedy
| quickly reloaded her rife, and, know
| ing the tactics of the Indians, made
| circuit of the room and looked out OF
the ro:tholes--there were four, one on
each side of the fort-to see If an ap'
proach was attempted from any other
Doint. She could see nothing.
Another contingency now presented 1t.
self. She no sooner thought of it than
she emptied the mattress on her bed
of its stufiings of geese and turkey
feathers into the fireplace. Then, to
be prepared for an emergency, she
awakened her little ones and made
them stand near the door, ready to run
| for the timber if it should he necessary
1 to attempt to save herself by flight.
Another circuit Of the portfolios was
made, but nothing was developed.
After a few minutes shots were hred
I in front of the fort. Mrs. Kennedy
rushed to the portfolio on that side and
raised her rife. But she did not fire.
She waited FOR one of those dark forms
to appear. so that she might fire eftec-
lively. None appeared, but the ruse
of the Indians was effective, and one
or two of their number reached the
| fort from the rear and scaled pole to
the roof. Hearing the clatter on the
roof. Mrs. Kennedy understood what
it meant, and the fact that the reds
were daring enough to attempt the feat
also convinced her that they knew her
husband was away. She sprang from
the porthole to the fireplace, flint ana
steel in hand. There was flash and
flames and pungent smoke from the
feathers rolled up the chimney.
Howls Of disgust and a quick clam'
herring from chimney to roof told that
the movement had been successful-the
Indians who had started down the
chimney retreated from the heat and
sitting smoke. Mrs. Kennedy struck
a light to the tallow dip, so that If the
Indians broke into the fort she might
escape into the darkness with her little
ones. while the aSSailantS were tempo
rarily blinded by the light. She had
lust set the light OH the table in the
centre of the room when there came
battering at the door Of the fort. The
Indians in front Of the fort had taken
advantage Of the opportunity offered
| by the ruse Of the reds on the roof TO
secure a large timber and charge
against the door in an attempt to
batter it in. At the third blow the
lower half Of the plank in the centre
OF the door gave way, leaving an aper-
ture large enough TO permit a man
crawling through. Mrs. Kennedy
sprang to one side of the door and
stood with upraised ax. A painted
face appeared at the aperture, but as
Mrs. Kennedy stood close to the wall
and on one side ard the children on
the other. all keeping quiet, the little
ones obeying every sign Of their
mother, and, like young partridges,
ready to run and hide at her signal, the
warrior saw nothing. The painted
face was thrust further into the open
ing. and, seeing nothing, the Indian
started boldly through the broken
| door.
Mrs. Kennedy compressed her lips
until blood was forced from them. ana
when the Indian had got well within
the room and was about to draw his
tomahawk, she brought down the ax
with crushing force Oh his skull, then
hastily pulled him aside while death
uuieted him. The Indians, thinking
that there was no danger, their COM
rade having uttered no sound, started
another Of their number through.
But he caught sight of his predecessor
| in death agony and started back utter
ing q wild yell. Mrs. Kennedy struck
| at. but only wounded MIN. he rail OIL
yelling at the top of his voice. Shots
from another quarter at this moment
caused a stampede OF the Indians TO the
| timber. A moment later there was
signal which Mrs. Kennedy under
| stood. and she gave one in return. In
q few seconds her husband was at the
door of the fort, Which opened. ana
although sew raj shots were fired by
the Indians from the edge Of the clear
ing none was effective. and the master
of the fort entered unharmed. Hastily
barricading the door and putting his
children to bed. husband and wife took
station Mt portfolios on opposite sides
of the fort and watched till morning,
but the Indians did not return. Next
| day the dead Indian was taken to the
forest and buried. The wounded ones
were carried away by their comrades.
The kennedys strengthened their for
tifications, but never again was their
| fort moleSted.-St. Louis Republic
| Honest But TactfuI.
/ -.