The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-06-04

/ left to remind them of the rain storm
| except the wet ground and the mill
| lions of glistening rain drops clinging
| to the trees.
On they travelled, over hills and
| across valleys, until near noon when
| Helen sank down upon a rock and
| declared she could go no further
| Frank hastily assembled a small tree
| that stood near to see if any Indians
We're in sight, but seeing none came
down and sat on the ground at her
| side. BY kind words and caresses he
| attempted to cheer her, but the poor girl
| was so nearly worn out by the Jour
Iney and experience of the last twelve
hours that Franks efforts had but lit
| tie effect.
The dawn of the morning being
marked by bad weather the Indians
were slow to stir in the village and
the sun was just coming above the
| trees when they discovered that the
guard had been killed and Frank and
Helen were gone. The village was in
an uproar almost instantly, and OH
Saura ordered his men to mount their
horses and make thorough search for
them. They were sure the prisoners
| could not have Travelled far on ac-'
/ CONT of the darkness and unfavorable
weather of the night but that thy
were hiding somewhere near and,
therefore, confined their search to the
reighborhood. They reported about
noon to the chief Nho. after holding
/ a consultation with the head men of
| the tribe, ordered them to continue
the search far and near, and not to re-
| turn until the escaped ones should be
| found
The warriors secured the country in
all directions and searched Every
place in which Helen and Frank might
be concealed. When the sun was
about an hour high one party of the
Indians came across the tracks of
man and woman going in the direc-
ton of Colonel Martins home which
| they concluded were those made by
| Frank and Helen and followed until
they came to the place where they
| nad rested on their journey about
| noon. Though night had now come the
! Indians did not give up the pursuit.
but followed with more eagerness
| than ever, feeling that they were Oh
Z +hr right track.
I Helen and Frank, all that time.
weie travelling as fast as they could.
! qs the loss of o few minutes might
| result in their naD ura. AboT- three
! hours in the night, as Frank reckGned
it, they spied light in the dlstarcc
from across the hills and Frank III
| Yected their course for it in a bee
beard the swapping of twigs behind
which nearly chilled them, though. as
they were sure they were closely pur-
sued However, their apprehension
greatly stimulated their efforts and
| they were able to travel with more
! haste. AS they 1roy nearer the Light
Frank determined that it came from
the house of soma settled and bent
the house of some settler and bent
haste.
Crash. crash" went the twigs
again. and this time they were not
mistaken in the sound. and Frank
thought he heard the sound of
horses feet upon the ground. By al
most superhuman strength he caught
| Helen up in his arms and began to
run. She had now tainted, but on he
stumbled bearing his precious burden
until he almost fell in the door of
| the house where the light was.
The pursuing indians. who We're now
! close upon them, seeing that they had
been defeated, gave a piercing war
| whoop and turned to retrace their
steps and report to the chief. who was
anxiously waiting for them in the viii
1 lage.
Frank recognized the, place as the
| Colonel's home as he stumbled into
| the door and staggered to the bed,
| carrying Helen, whom he laid upon it
and turned to face the Colonel. The
| Colonel who was alone and reading,
was almost dumbfounded by the pro-
/ ceeding, and demanded of Frank what
he meant by bringing his daughter
| home in that manner. Frank waved
his hand toward the Colonel to be
quiet as he was too much exhausted
/ to speak. but after he had rested a lit
/ tie he told him that he would, with
| Helen's assistance, explain all later.
Helen soon regained consciousness
and began to call for Frank. He went
| to the bedside and took her hand in
| his and when they had rested suf-
| ficiently they told the Colonel their
story. Helen told her father of how
she had been surprised and captured
by the Indians the morning she stroll
ed off to pick wild flowers, and taken
with them; of how she saw them beat
Frank until he lay insensible upon the
ground and she thought he was dead;
of how he had been her friend and
protector during her captivity; of how
he had planned and effected their
escape and brought her back safe to
her home and her father.
BY this time the old ColonePs eyes
were bedimmed with tears, and he
rose from his seat, went and embraced
both Helen and Frank and took them
each by the hand and said
my children, / desire the young
mountaineer to claim his bride. if it
pleases you
Frank slipped his arm about
Helen's waist who looked sweeter
than ever before in her life. and asked,
when shall it be, dearest?"
Tomorrow, Frank she simply re-
piled, but her downcast eyes told the
story.
ToCtronoo NJ n