Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-01-19


which the prisoner was to run. This
arrangement gave them free use OF
their sticks and plenty Of room for full
swing of their 1.-THE bodies.
In removing Beverley's clothes Long
Hair found Alice's locket hanging over
the young mans heart He tore il
rudely Off and grunted, glaring vicious
ly first ut 1t, then at Beverley. He
seemed to be nightly wrought upon.
white man thiefw he growled deep
in his throat "Stole from little girl!'
| He put the locket I'm his pouch and
resumed his stupidity Indifferent expires.
sion.
When everything was ready for the
delightful entertainment to begin Long
Hair waved his tomahawk three times
over Beveliey's head and. pointing
down between the waiting lines. said:
ugh. rum
But Beverley did not bulge. He was
standing erect. with his arms, deeply
creased where the thongs had sunk,
folded across his breast. A rush of
thoughts and feelings had taken tu-
multuous possession Of him. and he
| could not move or decide what to do. \
mad desire to escape arose in his heart
the moment that he saw Long Hair
| take the locket 1t was as IL Alice had
cried to him and hidden him make n
dash for liberty.
Ugh. rum"
The order was accompanied with n
| push of such violence from Long Hairs
left elbow that Beverley plunged and
| fell. for his limbs. after their long and
painful confinement in the rawhide
bonds. were stiff and almost useless.
Long Hair in no gentle voice bade him
get up. The shock of falling seemed to
| awaken his dormant forces; sudden
resolve Ieaped into his brain. He saw
that the Indians had put aside their
bows and guns. most Of which were
| leaning against the bOles of trees here
and yonder. What if he could knock
Long Hair down and run away? This
Indians broken arm His heart jump
ed at the possibility. But the shrewd
savage was alert and saw the thought
come into his face.
You try git way. kill dead"' he
snarled, lifting his tomahawk ready
| for stroke. Brains out"
Beverley glanced down the waiting
and eager lines. Swiftly he speculatcd.
wondering what would be his chance
| for escape were he to break through.
But he did not take his own condition
into account
Ugh. rum
Again the elbow of Long Hairs hurt
arm pushed him toward the eXpectant
rows of Indians, who fiourished their
clubs and uttered impatient grunts.
Beverley made direct dash for the
narrow lane between the braced and
watchful lines. Every warrior lifted
his club. Every copper face cleaned
steadily, mask behind which burned
strangely atrocious spirit. The two
savages standing at the end nearest
Beverley struck ut him the instant a.
| reached them. but they were taken
quite by surprise when he checked him
self between them and, leaping this
way and that. swung ont two powerful
blows. left and right, stretching one Of
them fiat and sending the other reeling
and staggering half Il dozen PAGES
backward with the blood streaming
from his nose.
This done. Beverley turned to run
away. but his breath was already short
and his strength rapidly going.
Long Hair. who WAS at his heels.
leaped before him when he had gone
but a few steps and once more flour
ished the tomahawk. To struggle was
useless save to insist upon being
Drained outright, which just then had
no part in Beverleys considerations.
Long Hair kicked his victim heavily.
uttering laconic curses meanwhile. anu
led him back again to the starting
point.
The young man. who had borli' aii
he could. now turned upon him illrl-
ousy and struck straight from tlh
shoulder. setting the whole weight OF
his body into the blow. Long liall
stcpDod out Of the way and quick AZ Il
flash brought the Hat side of his tona
hawk with great force against Bcv"r
lcy's head. This gave the amusement u
sudden and disappointing end. for til,
prisoner fell limp and senseless To tho
ground No more running the gantlel
for him that day. Indeed 1t required
protracted application of the best III
dian skill to revive him so that he
could fairly be called Il living man
There had been no dangerous concus
sion, however. and on the following
morning camp was broken.
Beverley, sore, haggard. forlornly
disheveled. had his arms bound again