Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-08-04
CHAPTER XXI.
HOW THE FATES GAVE LARGESS
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- 80 haANf
Ephriam Yeates was gone a full hour.
When he returned he gave US cause 10
wonder at his lack OF caution. since
he filled his earthen Indian pipe and
coolly struck a light wherewith to fire
II. But when the pipe was aglow he
told us or his findings.
Twas about ez / reckoned; them
varmints waded I'm the shadows a spell
TO throw us off, n then came out
and forded higher up"
That will be a shrewd guess OF
yours. | take 1t. Ephriamg' said i; for
the night was black as Erebus.
Meier a guess at all, I've had EN-
fair at eye-holts. this as calmly as III
we had not been for ten long days pin
ming our faith to ill-defined trace of
footprints. "Ez l vas a-going on to
say, they're incamped on tother bank
rurher eenside o. two sights and a
horn-blow from this. ! saw EN- and
counted EN-: seven redskins n two
gals"
Thank Cod" says Richard. as fer
vently as IL the rescue OF the ONE
were already a thing accomplished.
Then he fell upon the scout with an
eager question: How does she look.
Ephriam?-tell me how she looksi"
Listen at HIM" said the old nan
las "a AAhtiT Aha6A - T." A1oN 80
tarnation am ! going to know which
She he's a-stewing about There's a
pair of EN-. and they both look like
wimmin ez have been dragged hitter
skilter through the big woods for some
better n a week. Natheless, they're fit
ting 10 set up and take their nourish-
ment. both on EN-, They was perching
on a log afore the fire. with eyer last
one o. them redskins awaiting on 'em
ftfyA thar xs~un a 4 ~ ~ ftaa nttnAnQ
l reckon as how the hoss-captain gave
them varmints their orders, particular
Dick Mas upon his feet, Juggling out
the great b~roadsword,
SHOW us the way, E,ph Yeates,' he
burst out impatiently. w are vast
ing a deal OF precious time!"
But the old nan only pulled the
more placidly at his pipe, making no
move to head a sortie.
Fair and easy. Cap'n Dick: fair and
easy. There amt no manner o. hurry,
with a wheen o. full redskins. and me
with my stummick growed fast to my
backbone, / jest ez soon walt till them
same redskins are asleep. Bime-by
they'll settle down for the night. and
We'll go up yonder and pizen EN-
immejitly. II not ooner But there
amt no kind o use to Spite 1t all by
round TOO soon.
There was wisdom undeniable In this.
and, accordingly, we waited, taking
turns at the hunters terrible pipe in
lien at iannar, and LAYING ca: pias OF
attack. This last was simple enough
as our our or rather our lack OF
them. would make 1t. AT midnight we
would move upon the enemy, feeling
way along the river till we should
discover the ford by which the captive
party had crossed. The stream safely
passed. we would deploy and surround
the camp of the indians, and at h sig
nal, which was to be the report OF
smite, giving no quarter.
The old borderer dweit at length upon
the need for this severity, saying that
q single Cherokee escaping would
bring the warriors OF h Frat tribe
down upon US to cut off all chance of
u retreat With the ome
t0nless I'm nightly out q my reck-
oning, this here spot were asserting on
amt more than a days Injun-running
from the Tuekasege Towns. With them
gals 20 hender US We amt a-going to
De All rTs frtti= fvT a rNiitprr-scaruper
race with a fresh wheen o. redskins.
Therefore and wherefore. says /. make
thera chopping-knsves o your'n cut
come again, aven TO the dividing
erpart of soul and marrer,H
Dick laughed. and speaking for both
of us. said between his teeth that we
we've not like To be o~vernaerciful.
But now the old wolf OF the border
gave us a glimpse OF an u~nsusrected
side of him, taking Jennlfer sharply
10 task and reading him q hessils n;s
the sin OF vengeance for v~engeance's
sake. In this harangue he evinced a
most astonishing --tongua-grasp of
scripture, and for a good half hour the
air was thick with texts. And TO cap
the climax, when the sermon paused
he laid his pipe aside. dotted his cap,
ana vent upon his knees Il pour forth
such a militant prayer as brought my
fathers stories OF the grim old fighting
lRnundheads ploss sivldly TO mind.
Here. being as good a place as any,
r may say frankly that I never fully
understood this side OF Ephriam
Yeates. Like all the hardy borderers.
he was 4 fighter by snssinct and IN
ciinations and / can bear him witness
that when ne ssnote the sAmalekites, /"
as he WOULD call them-red skin or red
coat-~he smote them hip and thigh.
and was as ruthless AS thai British
Captain Tnrnbull who slew the wonnd-
ed Yet withal. on the very edge OF
battle. or Inayhap fair IN. the midst OF
sit, he Was like to fall upon hts knees
TO pray most fervently. though, as /
have limited. his prayers were like his
btoMswof the biting sort. full Of scrip
tural ~anAthena upon the enelmy.
Hi1hard ~Jcnnifer. scArelssaly profano
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