Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-04-25
res take me alive. All. mol

I walked to the table n opened n little
hox that held all my TREASURES. / was
quite cool and steady now, valro as death
itself, whilst I heard the crackle OF the
flames below and saw their lurid light
against the cold gray sky. Well, my lovers
portrait should be the last thing that ny
eyes rested upon in Efe. All, Heaven! it
was Joy unspeakable to know he would
never realize the actual agony of these
moments during which l could say II yet
livel'
A veil of exultation-the door was down
and those fiends in human form rushed in,
scattering the hot embers with their feet!
now!
what was that? An answering shout
from English throatsl / dropped the re-
volver and flew to the window. Yes, it
was as | believed; l saw my rescuers, /
heard the thunder of the hoofs of half a
score of horsemen who galloped over the
| short turf and drew bride at the gates.
The wolves were well in the trap now.
LEANED out of the window and cried to
nv rescuers to surround the doors, They
understood; and then anne an awfulhan
to-hand encounter. The Cherokees were
three TO one OF their antagonists, but the
Englishme. fought like lions and held OK
with the t~enGcity Of bulldogs.
1t was an ugly struggle and a hot one
while it lasted. but there wa no doubt
about the issue from the first.
/ unbarred my door and stood at the top
of the ladder, watching the GREATNESS,
deadly contest with fascinated, Mortified
eyes. must be with them, | felt, facing
the same fearful odds, though / could do
nothing.
1t was over at last. The Red-men were
ANONYMOUSLY routed, and fed, making no
attempt to carry OF their dead or wound
ed, and leaving my rescUers masters OF the
field.
l was just dimly conscious that the fight
was won, and then | remembered nothing
more, for / had tainted. Nature will have
her way, and, after such adesperate strain
is removed, there comes the inevitable re-
action.
When l recovered, I was lying upon the
kitchen floor, with my head resting on
someone's knee.
"Father-is father safe?" l asked, look
ing in a dazed bewildercd way at the anX-
ious faces surrounding me.
Eyes, Phyllis; I'm safe enough, my BARN.
We're all right, except poor Joe and Abel.
pa 10 ~ NdNtb, lJbOA lass, ~ b'tNS ~ 'A
in" he added, in a lower tone,
I opencd my eyes again, aud looked up
languidly to see who it was that was sup
porting me; till then it had not occurred
to Inc as strange that it was not my father.
phyllis, my ownIp murmured a low
voice, whilst my wondering eyes met
Charlie Ripley's.
1t was no dream then, no delirium, but
his own dear face bending above me-, his
honest gray eyes looking into mine with
tender anxiety.
"You are not hurt, phyllis?' he asked,
in the same low eager tones.
He was kneeling beside me. Ny head
lay upon his shoulder now; l could even
feel his heart beating close to mine, and
knew it was no dream. | tried 70 smile as
shook my head, bat u passion OF to9r2
came to my relief instead--I was SO safe,
so happy now.
3 They let me weep, whilst my lover
soothed me, and the rest left us alone fOl
q while; they were busy securing the horses
and making the house safe for the night
though they resolved TO guard against
possible surprises by keeping watch il
turns.
When my father and brothers-whOm !
now noticed for the first time-returncd &c
the fire, I was sufficiently recovered to re
count what had happened during that ter
rible hour in which | held the house sin
gle-handed against the Indians. OF course
they told me | was a little heroine, ana
seemed as though they could never max,
enough of me. After that / had to hcal
the explanation of what hal previously
appeared to me n sort Of miracle-that il
Charles timely arrival, and my father!
return a good half-hour before l thought
it possible he could be home.
1t appeared that Hugh Dalton had a
last "seen his way" whilst he and Alic'
had SOAR sc tied matters that they were
married the day before Charlie left Eng
land. Hugh was to carry Oh the old farm
for Mrs. Ripley rs well as his own, anC
everyone was satisfied. Nevcrthel less
Hugh had $50 much mind" that he haC
not been able to make it up in time for tn,
las mail: therefore Charlie had decided t
bring the great ne vs. in person by the frs
ship as the quickest aud mos agreeable
way. He had procured Il guide at Fl DO
RADIO city, who had obliginGly conducteC
him TO the "diggings' at Heron Gulch
WlSGt lily blOlllNAS liluNiO MIN bAl
welcome, and decided to celebrate the oc
casion by bringing h'm on home the mex
day.
It was lucky they did so, and doublJ
fc. tunate that they fell in with my fathe
and the "boys' returning from work
Charley was the first to espy my lam
shining ut the window, they at once cam
to the conclusion that the unusual ligh
meant danger of some sort, and pushed o.
at a gallop, arriving in the nick of time, a
l have already narrated.
y x =
Well, | nm now almost ri old woman
and | have been Charities wife for man
happy years; but, if / live to be a hundred
/ shall never forget the agony Of that aw
full hour during which ], u girl Of nint
teen, held our Lighthouse, alone and unaiC
ed, against the Redskins.
Her Father n Literary Man.