The Weiser semi-weekly signal. (Weiser, Washington Co., Idaho) 1904-1911, 1904-06-04
MENTIONED
in ORDERS
loriginal.1

| the Indians were preparing to rise
and since his information had proved
porrect he was trusted implicitly. The
Indians not only rose, but soon after
left the reservation and laid siege to
! the fort. 1t was but a two company
post, incapable of long defense
against the thousand Indians who en-
eamped around it, and unless succor
arrived in time it would be taken and
the garrison massacred.
There was one person in the fort
who mistrusted Joe, and that was Luz
ella, daughter of the commandant,
Major McGregor She often caught
Joe casting longing eyes upon her, and
somehow she did not quite like their
expression. She warned her father to
look out for the half breed, but as she
gave no reason and Joe had given in
formation of the rising the major de-
clined to be influenced.
One evening Joe appeared hurriedly
before Lucia and told her that her ia
ther had sent him for her. She follow
ed him, and he led her to an angle of
the fort, where he rolled away barrel,
disclosing a small aperture. Before
the girl could gather his intent he had
seized her and forced her into a sort
of casemate that opened into the pow
der magazine. This done he pulled the
barrel back where he had found it.
Lucia would not have known she was
in the magazine had not lighted Ian
tern been left there on a shelf some
distance from the powder to enable
those coming for ammunition to see.
But Joe left her no time to consider.
Removing a barrel of powder, he ex-
posed second aperture. Then after
binding handkerchief which he had
brought for the purpose over her
mouth he pulled her through, and they
were outside the fort.
Had Lucia not been horror stricken
at her situation she would have now
realized Joe's real intention in going
to the fort with the information that
the Indians were about to attack it.
While 1t would warn the garrison, it
would enable him to win the white
mems confidence, look about him and
possibly find weak spot through
which he might introduce the savages.
Joe had during dark nights dug q hole
in the earth into the casemate connect
ing with the powder magazine and an
other hole outside. He could lead an
attacking force at night, a part of
whom could engage the garrison, while
another part might steal into the pow
der magazine. In truth, one man en-
tering there would hold the garrison
at his mercy. The wonder was that
Joe had not put time fuse there and
blown the fort to atoms. He had been
seized with a desire to possess the ma
jor's daughter, and this led to his ulti-
mate plan.
Joe hurried his victim. along, she
meanwhile, if not recovering from her
fright, at least realizing that she must
make some move, invent some strata
gem, before 1t was too late or she was |
lost. The only thing that occurred to |
her was to pretend to faint. She sank
down with a groan. Joe Immediately |
picked her up and carried her on. But
the night was dark, and Joe was in
very much of hurry. The conse-
quence was that, stepping into hole
ne did not see, he fell with his burden.
Lucia took advantage of the accident
TO get up and run like a deer toward
the fort Joe could have easily caught
ner but for two reasons-first. he had
nurt leg; second, Lucia ran more
recklessly than he dared run, risking a
TALL at every step. She longed to cry
'ut' out dared not lose second in re-
moving the handkerchief that gagged
Ter. She reached the fort and entered
ne hole not ten seconds before loo
pushed his larger body more SLOWLY
through it. When he got inside he
Jaw Lucia standing beside one of the
barrels OF powder, the head of which
lad been removed, holding the lamp
II the lantern over the powder.
stop or drop the light"
Inc man saw desperation in her ewes I
md halted. N'e'
Come away" be said. "You win
III yourself as well as me-"
Her only reply was TO move +ba I
,gnt' holding 1t within a few inches of
ne powder, and give piercing shrek
A sentry walking past in front of the
door heard the cry. At an.
tner time he would have called the
OF the guard, who would have s
eported the matter, and the author
'eu person would have come with the
ey ana opened the door, but for sew
raj days constant access to the am
lunition had been necessary and the
Dor left unlocked The sentry brought
- piece sc 10 a level and flung open the :
Dor. tnere stood the colonel's daugh. 5
=, wnlte as a ghost, holding a lamp
yer powder barrel. Joe was glanc. 5
y az her. trembling from head 10 I
f"TQLa