Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-10-15

uo right by her. Marryin is a mighty good thing, but
 Kenton had been peeping under the low hanging scrub oak boughs while Oncle Jazon was speaking these last words, and now he suddenly interrupt ed:
 1'"The deuce! Look yonderr' he growl- | ed out in startling tone. ''Injuns"
 It was sharp snap of the conversa- ton's thread, and at the, same time our three friends realized that they had been careless in not keeping better lookout. They let fall the meat they had not yet finished eating and seized their guns.
 Five or six dark forms were moving toward them across little point of the prairie that cut into the wood quarter of a mile distant.
 "Yander's more of em,' said Oncle Jazon, as if not in the least concerned wagging his head in an opposite direc- ton, from which another squad was approaching.
 That he duly appreciated the situa- hon appeared only in the celerity with which he acted.
 Kenton at once assumed command, md his companions felt his perfect fit ness. There was no doubt from the arst as to what the Indians meant, but even if there had been it would have soon vanished, for in less than three minutes twenty-one savages were swiftly and silently forming circle in- +H,n %n men, who had covered themselves as best they could with trees, waited in grim steadiness for the worst
 Quite beyond gunshot range, but near enough for Oncle Jazon to recognize Long Hair as their leader, the Indians halted and began making signs to one another all round the line. Evidently they dreaded to test the marksmanship of such rifiemen as they knew most border men to be. Indeed Long Hair had personal knowledge of what might certainly be expected from both Ken ton and Oncle JaZon. They were terri ble when out for fight. The red war rtors from Georgia to the great lakes had heard of them; their names smack ed of tragedy. Nor was Beverley with put fame among Long Hairs followers, who had listened to the story of his lighting qualities brought to Vincennes by the two survivors of the scouting party so cleverly defeated by him.
 "The liver colored towards" said Kenton, ''are afeared of us in shoot in match They know that lot of em would have to die if they should undertake an open fight with us. It's some sort of a sneakin' game they are studyin' about just now"
 I'm a-gittin' mos too ole to shoot wo'th a cent" said Oncle Jazon, "but I'd give half O my scalp ef thet Long Hair would come clost enough fo', me to git bead onto his lef' eye. It's toP ble plain thet we're gone goslin's this time, I'm thinkin' Still 1t d be mighty satisfyin' if could plug out 8 lef' eye or two fore I go."
 Beverley was silent The words of his companions were heard by him. but not noticed. Nothing interested him save the thought of escaping and mak- lng his way. to Clark. To fail meant in finitely more than death, of which he had as small fear as most brave men, | and to succeed meant everything that life could offer. So in the unlimited self1shness of love he did not take his companions into account
 The three stood in a close set clump of four or five scrub oaks at the high est point of thinly wooded knoll that sloped down in all directions to the prairie. Their view was wide, bat in places obstructed by the trees.
 ''Men," said Kenton after a thought full and watchful silence, "the thing 1 looks kind O squally for us. don't see much of chance to get out of this alive, but we've got to try"
 He showed by the density of his voice and certain gray film in his l face that he felt the awful gravity of 1 the situation, but he was calm, and not l a muscle quivered.
 '"They's jes' two chances for us," said Oncle Jazon, ian them's as slim as a broom straw. We've got to stan here an fight 1t out or wait till night | an sneak through atween lem an run l for it''
 t'I don't see any hope O sneakin' l through the line," observed Kenton. ''Its not goin' to be dark tonight" "Wa-a-l," Oncle JaZon drawled non- chalantly while he took in quid of to- bacco, "I've been into tighter squeezes 'an this many time, an I got out too"
 Likely enough" said Kenton, still refecting while his eyes roamed around the circle of savages.
 'T fit the skunks in Ferginny fore yes thought of, Si Kenton, an down 1 in Car'lina in them hills. If ye think I'm a-goin' to be scalped where they ain't no scalp 'ithout tryin' a few dodges, yer a dad dasteder fool 'an used to think ye was, an thets maxim 1 big compliment to ye.''
 "Well, we don't have to argy this 1 question, Oncle Jazon. They're a-git- N E24RE1YzEH||EX9