The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-12-06

trunk Of the fve-feathered chieftain. I'm
canoola had knotted the grisly head by
its scalD-lock TO cangle and roll about
with every restless movement Of the
horse a hideous death-mask that seemed
TO mop and NOW and stare fearsomely at
US with fits wide open CLASSY eyes.
With this background 1T for the stag
ing Of a scene in Dante Alighierfs
tragic comedy, the looming mountains, the
upper air grazing on TO dusk, and the
solemn forest aisles full OF lurking shad-
ows. you are TO picture the old frontiers
man. bareheaded and on his knees. pour
ing forth his soul in all the sonorous
phrase Of Holy Writ, now in thanksgiv-
ing, and now I'm most terrible beseechings
that all the Walls OF heavens wrath might
be poured out upon our enemies.
His face. commonly a leather mask TO
hide the man behind it, was now ablaze
with the fire Of zealotry: and. truly, in
these, his spasm-fts OF supplication, he
stood for all that is most awe-inspiring
and unnerving, asking but a little stretch
OF the imagination 10 figure him as one
OF those old iron-hard prophets of denun-
citation come back to earth to be herald Of
the wrath of God.
Twas close upon actual nightfall when
the old man rose from his knees and, with
the rising. put of the beadsman and put
on the shrewd old Indian fighter. Fol-
lowed some hurried counselings as to how
we should proceed and in these the hun
ter set the pace for US as his age and vast
experience in woodcraft gave him leave.
His plan had all the merit of simplicity.
Now that we had the horses. Richards
notion Of an approach from the head of
the sunken valley became al once the
most hopeful OF any. So Ephraim Yeates
proposed that we betal1e ourselves to the
mountain top and 70 the head of that ra-
Z
covered. Here we should leave the horses
well hidden and secured. make our way
down the ravine and. with the stream for
a guide. follow the sunken valley 70 the
camp az its lower end. Once on the
ground without having given the alarm.
we might hope TO free the captives under
cover OF the darkness; and our retreat
up the valley would be far less hazardous
than any open fight by way of the unex-
plored road the powder train had used.
So saic the old backwoodsman: but nei-
Their Dick nor I would agree to this in
toto Dick argued that while we were
killing time in the roundabout advance
we should be leaving Margery wholly at
the mercy Of the Baronet. and that every
hour Of delay was full of hideous menace
20 her Hence he proposed that three
of US should carry out the hunters
plan. leaving the fourth TO take the
hint given by the charred stick
and the swimming ambush crew. and
so penetrating to the valley by the stream
cavern. be at hand to strike a blow for
our dear lady's honor in case Of need.
'Tis thing TO be done. and am with
YOU. Dick" said T. This was before Eph-
rain Yeates could object. Should there
be need for any. two blades will be better
than one. II IL comes TO blows and we
are killed or taken, Yeates and the chief
must make the shift to do without our
help"
As you would guess. the old hunter de-
INJURED 20 this halving Of our slender
force, but we Overpersuaded him. II all
went well, we were TO rendezvous on the
scene Of action to carry out the plan of
rescue. But If our adventure should prove
disastrous. Ycates and Uncanoola were to
bide their time. striking in when and how
they might
Touching this contingency. I drew the
old man aside for word in private.
"If aught befall US. Ephraim-if We
should be nabbed as we are like 10 be
you are not to let any hope of helping US
lessen by a feathers weight the rescue
chance Of the women You'll promise me
this2"
.'Sartain sure: ye can rest easy on that,
Csp'n John. But don't ye go for to let
that rampaging boy Of our'n upset the fat
fn the fire with any O. his foolishness.
fng IN this world so ride lous foolish ez
lovesick boy-less'n tbs a lovesick gal"
promised on my part and so we went
our separate ways in the gathering dark
ness: though not until the lashings Of
the hacks had been cut and the powder
and lead. save such spoil Of both as Eph-
rain Heates and Dncanoola would re-
serve. lad been spilled into the river. AS
for the bodies of the dead Indians, the
old hunter said he would let them ride
till he should come to some convenient
chasn for a sepulcher; but / mistrusted
that ne and the Catawba would scalp and
leave them, once we were safely out Of
sight
At the parting We took the rivers edge
for il. Richard and l. keeping well under
the bank and working our way cautiously
down the gorge until we were stopped by
the pouring cross-torrent of the under
ground tributary Here we turned short
10 the left along the margin Of the bar
rfer stream. and tracing its course across
the gorge. came presently to the northern
cliff AZ the lip Of the spewing cavern
mouth.
But now the night was fully come and
IN the wooded dehle We could place GUS
selves only by the sense of touch.
"Are you ready. Dick?' said l.
LAS ready as a man with a shaking
sgue can be- he gritted out This dogs
brought my old curse upon me and / am
like 10 rattle my teeth loose"
let me 20 alone. then. Another cold
plunge may be the death Of you"
NO" said he, stubbornly- wait but
a minute and the fever will be on me;
then I shall be fighting-fit for anything
that comes"
So we waited. and could hear his teeth
clicking like csstanets. Having had a
tertian fever more than once in the Turk
ish nDaigning, I had fellow-feeling
for the poor lad, knowing well how the
thought OF a plunge into cold water
would make him shrink.
In a little time he felt for my hand and
grasped it.
I'm warm enough now. in all con-
science he said, and with that we
slipped into the stream
Twas n diss poointment Of the grateful
sort 10 find the water no more than mid
Thigh deep. The current was swift and
strong. but with the pebbly bottom to
give good footing twas possible to stem
81 slowly. Laying hold of each other for
the better breast Of the flood we felt our
way warily to the middle OF the pool; felt
for the low-sDrung cavern arch, and for
that scanty lifting Of Il where we hoped
70 find head room between stone above