Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-10-15

l fore we shoot. g.,
 The time was short, for the Indians came on at almost race horse speed.
 Oncle Jazon fired first, the long, keen crack of his small bore rife splitting the air with suggestion of vicious energy, and 1.-the young warrior who was outstripping all his fellows leaped high and fell paralyzed.
 Cant shoot wo'th a cent" nut tered the old man, deftly beginning to reload his gun the while, "but I jes' happened to hit that buck. He'll never git my scalp, thet's sartin and sure." Beverley and Kenton each likewise dropped an Indian, but the shots did not even check the rush. Long Hair had planned to capture his prey, not kill 1t. Every savage had his orders to take the white men alive. Hamilton's arger reward depended on this.
 Right on they came, as fast as their aimble legs could carry them, yelling like demons, and they reached the Erove before the three white men could reload their guns. Then every war flor took cover behind tree and be- gan scrambling forward from bole to pole, thus approaching rapidly without much exposure.
 A struggle ensued which for desper- ate energy has probably never been surpassed. Like three lions at bay, he white men met the shock, and lion- like they fought in the midst of seven teen stalwart and determined savages.
 Don't kill them. Take them alive Throw them down and hold them," was Long Hairs order, loudly shouted in the tongue of his tribe.
 Both Kenton and Jazon understood every word and knew the significance of such command from the leader. It naturally came into Kenton's mind that Hamilton had been informed of his visit to Vincennes and had offered reward for his capture This being true, death as spy would be the cer- tain result if he were taken back. He might as we'll die now. As for Bever- ley he thought only of Alice wonder as he had left her prisoner in Hamil- toms hands. Oncle Ja2on, if he thought at all, probably considered nothing but present escape, though he prayed audi biy to the Blessed Virgin even while he lay helpless upon the ground pinned down by the weight of an enormous Indian. He could not move any part of himself save his lips, and these me- chemically put forth the wheezing sup plication.
 I Beverley and Kenton, being young and powerful, were not so easily mas tered. For awhile indeed they ap- peared to be more than holding their own. They time and time again scat tered the entire crowd by the violence l of their muscular efforts, and after 1t had finally closed in upon them in a I solid body they swayed and swung it back and forth and round and round until the writhing, savage mass looked as if caught in the vortex of whirl- { wind. But each tremendous exertion could not last long. Eight to one made too great difference between the con- tending parties, and the only possible conclusion of the struggle soon came. Seized upon by desperate, clinging, wolfike assailants, the white men felt their arms, legs and bodies weighted down and their strength fast going.
 Kenton fell next after Oncle Jazon and was soon tightly bound with raw hide thongs. He lay on his back pant Ing and utterly exhausted, while Bev- erley still kept up the unequal fight.
 Long Hair sprang in at the last mo- ment to make doubly certain the secur Ing of his most important captive. He flung his long and powerful arms around Beverley from behind and made great effort to throw him upon the ground. The young man, feeling this fresh and vigorous clasp, turned himself about to put forth one more mighty spurt of power. He lifted the stalwart Indian bodily and dashed him headlong against the buttressed root of tree half rod distant, breaking the smaller bone of his left forearm and well nigh knocking him senseless.
 It was a fine exhibition of manly strength, but there could be nothing gained by it. A blow on the back of his head the next instant stretched Beverley face downward and uncon- scious on the ground. The savages turn ed him over and looked satisfied when they found that he was not dead. They bound him with even greater care than they had shown in securing the others, while Long Hair stood by stolidly look ing on, meantime supporting his broken forearm in his hand.
 ugh, dogp' he grunted and gave Beverley kick in the side. Then turning fiendish stare upon Oncle Ja2on, he proceeded to deliver against his old, dry ribs three or four like con- tributions with resounding effect. 'Polecat! Little old greasy woman" he snarled Make good fire for war rior to dance by!" Kenton also re ceived his full share of the kicks and verbal abuse, after which Long Hair gave orders for fires to be built Then he looked to his hurt arm and had the bone set and bandaged, never so much as wincing the while.
 It was soon apparent that the Indians purposed to celebrate their successful enterprise with feast. They cooked large amount of buffalo steak. Then, each with his hands full of the savory