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

ears he fought loose from the Indian and
flung himself down. crying as II bis heart
would break
20 Godl she's losti she's lostI And
have missed the chance to die with her
or for her!"
CHAPTER xxx
HOW EPHRAIM YEATES PRAYED
FOR HIS ENEMIES.
However much or little the Catawba
understood of Richard Jennifer's grief
or its cause, the faithful Indian had
thing to do and he did 1t, loosing his
grasp Of mo to turn and fall upon Dick
with pulIings and haulings and buffet
ings, fit to bring man alive out OF
very stiffening rigor of despair.
So, In a hand-space he had him up.
and we were pressing on again, In mid
night darkness once we had passed be-
yond the light of our grilling fires. No
word was spoken. Under the impatient
urging Of the Indian there was little
breath to spare for speech. But when
Richards afterthought had set its fangs
in him he called halt and would not
be denied.
go on. you two, II you are set upon
1t" he said "I must go back. Bethink
you. Jack, what II she should be only
manned and not killed outright It's too
horrible I'm going back, l say"
The Catawba grunted his disgust
Captain Jennif' talk fas': no
run fas'. What think7 White
squaw yonder-no yonder.'' pointing
first forward and then back In the direc-
tion of the stricken camp. 4
Richard spun around and gripped the
Indian by the shoulders. Then she Is
alive and safer he burst out Speak.
friend. while 1 leave the breath In you
to do It'll"
'UghW said the chief. in nowise moved
either by Jennifer's violence or by the
dog-like shake. What for Captain Jen-
mfr think pappoose thinks bout the Gray
Wolf and poor InJun2 Catch UNI white
squaw hrs'; then blow UNI UP Chelakee
camp and catch UNI Captain Jennif and
Captain Longknife If / can. Heap do
frs thing frs, and las thing las. Wah"
1t was the longest speech this devoted
ally Of ours was ever known to make;
and having made it he went dumb again
save for his urgings of us forward. But
presently both he and had our hands
full with the poor lad. The swift transit
ton from despair to Joy proved too much
for Dick; and. besides. the fever was in
his blood and he was grievously burned.
So when went stumbling on
through the cloud-darkened wood locked
arm in arm like three drunken men. trip
ping over snares and bramble nets
spread for our feet, and getting well
sprinkled by the dripping foliage. And
at the last, when we reached the ravine
in the fever delirium and we were we'll
nigh carrying him a dead weight be-
tween u.s.
Twas a most heart-breaking business,
getting the poor lad up that rock ladder
of escape in the darkness; for though
had como out Of the fire with fewer
burns than the roasting of me warrant
ed. the battle preceding 1t had opened the
old sword wound in my shoulder. So,
taking 1t all in all, I was but a short
breathed second to the faithful Catawba.
None the less, we tugged 1t through
after some laborious fashion. and were
glad enough when the steep ascent gave
place to leveler going, and we could snin
the fragrance OF the plateau pines and
feel their wire-like needles under foot.
BY this the shower cloud had passed
and the stars were coming out, but II
was still pitch black under the pines; so
dark that l started like nervous wo-
man and went near to panic when q
horse snorted at my very ear, and q
voice, bodiless as it seemed, said: We'll.
now; the Lord be praisedi II here amt
the whole enduring"
What Ephraim Yeates would have
said. or did say, was lost upon me- For
now my poor Dicks strength was quite
spent. and when the chief and I were
easing him to lie at full length upon the
ground there was a quick little cry out
Of the darkness. a swish Of petticoats.
and my lady darted in to fall upon Rich
ard in a very transport of pity.
'Oh, my poor Dickl they have killed
you'll" she sobbed; "oh. cruel. crueli"
Then she dashed out at US. why don't
you strike light2 How can I ind and
dress his hurts in the dark7"
Your pardon. Mistress Margery," I
said; "'tis the fever has overcome him
He has no sore hurts. as believe. save
the fire scorching."
"a light" she commanded; 1T must
have light and see for myself"
We had to humor her. though 1t was
something against prudence. Ephraim
found dry punk in a rotten log. and fir
ing 1T with the flint and steel of great
kings musket-one of his reavings from
the enemy-soon had a pine-knot torch
for her. She gave 1t over to the Cataw-
ba to hold; and while she was cooling
over her patient and binding up his
burns in some simples gathered near at
hand by the Indian. had the story Of
the double rescue from the old hunter.
Set forth In brief, that which had
come as miracle to Dick and me fig
ured as a daring bit or strategy made
possible by the emptying of the Indian
camp at our torture spectacle.
Yeates and the Catawba, following out
the plan agreed upon. had come within
spying distance while we were yet in the
midst Of that hopeless back-to-back bat
tie, and had most wisely held aloof. But
later, wnen every Indian Of the Cherokee
band was busy at our torture trees. they
set to work.
With no watch to give the alarm.
twas easy to rife the Indian wigwams
of the firearms and ammunition. The
latter they threw into the stream: the
muskets they loaded and trained over a
fallen tree at the northern edge of the
savanna, bringing them to bear point
blank upon the Lighthouse guard gath
cred again around the great fire.
The next step was the cutting out Of
the women; this was effected while the
baronet-captain was paying his courtesy
call on us. Like the footing Of the In
dian camp. twas quickly planned and
daringly done; 1t asked but the quieting
of, the two trooper guards on the forest
side of the tepee lodge, warning word
to Margery and her woman. and a
shadow-like fitting with them over the