The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-06-30
IN WHICH A RATCHET SINGS A
MAN TO SLEEP.

when I'll the S.nerOkee WOlI pack wa,
bursting through the holly tangle at m!
dian. ran in ahead. as I supposed to Gu
me on. Just then the dry roof Of tn
hunting lodge roared aflame, reddentng tn
forest far and near. The light was at m!
back and on the faces OF the two who RAJ
to meet me. A great sob swelled in m!
throat and choked me, but I ran the fas
ter. For these were my dear lad and tn
friendly Catawba, charging calamity Z
cover my retreat. F
1t was a ready help in time Of need. The!
ran in braYely, the chief ahead, twirlinl
his tomAhAsk for the throw, with Dick
pace to'right and rear, his NJ great pis
tolls brandished and r the %grandsire o
al the broadswords dangling by q thong
at his wrist.
Follow the ch:ef!," he shouted in pass
ing; and at the word the Catawba stopped
short, sent his Ratchet whistling into tn.
yapping pack behind me, and swerved t.
run aside and point the way for me.
Left to myself, I nope l should havt
had the grace to stand with Jennifer
But at the turning point Of INDIGESTION the
quick witted Indian read my thought, and
snatching the sword from my hand. gave
me no choice but to follow him.
So 1 ran with him: but as 1 fed I looked
behind'and saw a sight to put the ancient
hero tales to the blush. One man against
two-score my brave Dick stood, while
through the underwood the mounted sol.
diery came TO make the odds still greater
He never flinched for all the hurting
missiles sent on ahead to cut him down
nor gave a glance aside to where the
horsamen We're depicying to surround
HIM. AS I looked, the two great pistols
belched in the Very faces of the neares,
C~herokees; and in the momentary check
the firearms made, the basket-hilted
claymore went to work, rising and falline
like a weayer's beam.
1 saw no more; but some heart-burstinR
minutes later, when Jennife came racing
on behind to share the fight his heroic
stand had made a possibility. the swelling
sob choked me once agairy and when j
thought of what this his o. scue of me
meant to him, I could have uiubbered uke
q boy.
But there was little time or space to
give remorse an inning. The Cherokces
checked but for the moment, were storm.
ing holly at our heels. And as we ran ]
heard the shouted OF FalconneI
to his mounted men: "A rescue! RICH,
obliQue, and head them in the road! Gal.
lop, you devils!"
We ran in Indian file, I at the chiefs
heels and Jennifer at mine. followed
the Catawba blindly; and being as We,
little better than half a man In breath
and muscle, was well-night spent before
we crashed down through a tangled brial
thicket into the river road.
We were in time, but with no fraction
OF a minute to spare. We could hear the
o~ao-pad-pad Of the light-footed runners
close upon us, following now by the noiss
we made; and on our left the air was
trembling to the thunder of the mounte
men coming at a break-neck gallon down
the road.
ssT<hopL Co5,s 900, n -
quick eyeshot to right and left in the
lesser gloom OF the open. "I was afeared
v the chief might miss the place in
the dark. Down the mi to the riyeri-
quick. man, and cautious! II they smell
US out now. we're no better thar buzzard.
meat!" And when we reached the va.
ter's edge: You taught me how to pad
die a pirogue, Jack; I hope You haven,
lost the knack of it yourself"
NO" said 1; and the three of rs SLID
the followed log into the stream.
We were af1oat in shortest order, hold.
Ing the canoe against the current by
clinging to the over hanging trees thai
frlnged the bank; yet with paddles poised
for a second dash for freedom should the
need arise. I should have dipped forth.
with to save the precious minute, but J,ln.
infer stayed me.
"Hist!' he whispered. Hold steady
and listen. They cannot see us from
aboye; mayhap we've thrown them OF
the SCENT"
I thought 1t most unlikely; but his cues,
was right and mine was wrong. Though
any OF these savages could lift a trail In
daylight, following 1t at top speed like
q trained bloodhound. yet now the dark.
ness baffied them.
So there was some running to and frc
IN the o above our heads, and then the
troopers gallopedfdcwn. Followed hastily
a labored confab through the linguister
broken in the midst by q fury OF ho1
oaths from Falconnet; and then the chase
swept on toward the plantations, and w
were left to make their losing OF US sure
by whatsoever means we chose.
We padded slowly up stream in silence
keeping we'll within the blacker shadow OF
the tree fringe. When we came opposite
the glowing ruins Of the hunting lodge
Jennifer backed upon his paddle.
You'll go asho1e?" said he.
said I would, adding: ..They hav.
slaughtered poor old Darius, and I an
loath to leave his bones for the buxxard,
to pick"
He made no comment other than t.
swear in sympathy. When the pirogue
grounded, the Indian wal out like a cat
to vanish phantom-wise among the trees
I followed in some clumsier fashion, leav.
ing Jennifer TO keep the canoe; but hal,
WAY up.tne NH ne Joined me, and would
not turn back for all my urging. mo
hang me II I'll let you out OF eye-rrir
again." was all he would say; and 10 VIZ
vent together, and were together at the
seeing, OF Whist the eluwinSy ernber-hear
would show US.
Poor Tomas had h:s sepulture already
His cord had burned in two and let MIN
down so close beside the cabin wall tina,
all the blazing debris from the ~overhane
ing caves had made his funeral pile. Da.
RUS lay as I had last seen him: and hin
We buried in the maize clearing at the
back, with the ember glow for funeral
lights.
1t was a chanceful thing to do. Sine.
the C~herokees had left their dead and
wounded, and Falconnet the body OF I'D
trooper who had yielded me the musket
there was small doubt they would Ne.
turn. Yet we had time to dig a shallow
grave for my old henchman; to dig and
MI 1t up again; n afterward to make 9
circuit around the burning pile to reach
the river side once more.
When we had launched the canoe and
were afoat and ready for the start. the
Catawba was still missing.
Where Is the chief, think you?" j
asked; Dicks answer. If, indeed, he rave
me any. was lost in a chorus OF ear sput.
ting yells ssnding the silence OF the nigh,
like demon cries. Then a single ulula.
ton. long drawn and fair blood chilling,
answered back, and Jennifer swept the
p.rouge stern to strand with a quick pad