Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-06-30
XIV.
IN WHICH A RATCHET SINGS A
MAN TO CT EEp.

HeTce as tnelrs, ana picked a tree 10 set
my back against, and ran for IL.
! never reached the tree. In mid career,
when all the Cherokee wolf pack was
bursting through the holly tangle at my
heels, two men, a white mar and an In
dian, ran in ahead, as l supposed 10 cut
me off. Just then the dry roof Of the
hunting lodge roared afame, reddening the
forest far and near. The light was at my
back and on the faces of the two who ran
10 meet me. A great sob swelled in my
throat and choked me, but ! ran the fas-
ter. For these were my dear lad and the
friendly Catawba, charging CALAMITY 10
cover m retreat.
1t was a ready help in time OF need. They
ran in bravely. the chief ahead, twirling
his t%omahawk for the throw, with Dick a
pace 10 right and rear, his two great pis-
tolls brendished and the ~grandsire of
all the broadswords dangling by a thong
at his wrist.
Follow the chief he shouted in pass
ing; and at the word the Catawba stopped
short, sent his Ratchet whistling into the
yRpping pack behind me, and swerved to
run aside and point the way for me.
Left to myself, l hope l should have
had the grace TO stand with Jennifer.
But at the turning point Of indecision the
quick witted Indian read my thought, and
snatching the sword from my hand, gave
me no choice but to follow him.
So ! ran with him: but as / fled l looked
behind and saw a sight TO put the ancient
hero tales 10 the blush. One man against
two-score my brave Dick stood, while
through the underwood the mounted SOL
dieTy came to make the odds still greater.
He never finched for all the hurting
missiles sent on ahead TO cut him down,
nor gave a glance aside to where the
hDrgavpan Jap,ov{pn m C,1rFr,1nd
him. AS l looked, the two great pistols
belched in the very faces Of the nearest
Cherokees; and in the momentary check
the firearms made, the basket-hilted
claymore went TO work, rising and falling
like a weaver's beam.
I saw no more: but some heart-burstin
minutes later, when Jennifer' came racing
on behind TO share the fight his heroic
stand had made a possibility, the swelling
sob choked me once agairS and when /
thought OF what this his nscue of me
meant TO him, I could have uiubbered like
q boy.
But there was little time or space to
give remorse an inning. The Cherokees,
checked but for the moment, were storm
ing holly at our heels. And as we ran ]
heard the shouted command Of Falconnet
TO his counted men; "A rescue! Right
obliQue, and head them in the road! Gal
lop, you devils!"
We ran IN Indian file, I at the chiefs
heels and Jennifer at min l followed
the Catawba blindly; and being as yet
little better han half a man In breath
and muscle, was well-night spent before
we crashed down through q tangled briar
thicket into the river road.
We were in time, but with no fraction
of a minute TO spare. We could hear the
pad-pad-pad of the l~ight-footed runners
close Upon US, following now by the noise
we made; and on our left the ar was
trembling to the thunder of the mounted
men coming at a break-neck gallop dow
the road.
Thank Godn' says Richard, with a
quick eyeshot to right and left in the
lesser gloom Of the open. II was afeared
even the chief might miss the place In
the dark. Down the bank 10 the river!-
quick, man, and cautious! If they smell
us out now, we're no better than buzzard-
meat And when we reached the wa
ter's edge: You taught me how 10 pad
ole a pirogue, Jack; i hope you haven't
lost the knack Of it yourself"
Mo- said I; and the three of US slid
the followed log into the stream
We were afoat in shortest order, hold
ing the canoe against the current by
clinging TO the over hanging trees that
fringed the bank; yet with paddles poised
for a second dash for freedom should the
need arise. 1 should have dipped forth
with to save the precious minute, but Jen-
infer stayed me.
Hist he whispered. Hold steady
and listen. They cannot see us from
above; mayhap we've thrown them off
the scent"
I thought it most unlikely; but his guess
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 bafied them.
So there was some running to and fro
IN the road above our heads, and then the
troopers galloped down. Followed hastily
q labored confab through the linguister,
broken in the midst by a fury of hot
oaths from Falconnet; and then the chase
swept on toward the plantations, and we
were left to make their losing Of US sure
by whatsoever means we chose.
We padded slowly up stream in silence,
keeping well 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 ashofe?" said ne.
said l would. adding: They have
slaughtered poor old Darius, and j am
loath to leave his bones for the buzzards
to pick
He made no comment other thar tc
swear in sympathy. When the pirogue
grounded, the Indian was out like a cat
10 vanish phantom-wise among the trees
/ followed in some clumsier fashion, leav.
ing Jennifer TO keep the canoe; but hal,
way up the hill he joined me, and would
not turn Jack for all my urging. mo
hang me II I'll let you out OF eye-grir
again." was all he would say; and 30 we
r-axt t1gathar anA mare fn,atha. - 4. ~.
seeing of what the glowing ember-heaI
would show us.
Poor Tomas had his se~pulture already
His cord had burned in two and let hin
down so close beside the cabin wall tina
all the blazing debris from the ~overhang
ing caves had made his funeral pile. Da,
rius lay as / had last seen him; and hin
we buried in the maize clearing at tn
back, with The ember glow for funera
lights.
II was a chanceful thing TO do. Sine.
the Cherokees had left their dead an
wounded, and Fa%lconnet the body OF hi
trooper who had yielded me the musket
there was small doubt they would re
turn. Yet we had time to dig a shallow
grave for my old henchman: to dig ant
I'll IL up again; and afterward 10 make {
circuit around the burning pile 70 reacl
the river side once more.
When we had launched the canoe. ane
were af;oat and ready for the start, tn
Catawba was still missing.
Where IS the chief, think your
asked Dicks answer. IL. indeed, he CAV,
me any. was lost In a chorus OF ear split
ting yells rending the silence OF the nigh
like demon cries. Then a single ulula
ton. long drawn and fair blood chilling
answered back. and Jennifer swept IN.
p,rouge stern to strand with a quick pad
Glestroke.