The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-06-29
The MACTED nE ADD EpV{
Hill lAAOI LIN vi M LID Il
IN WHICH A RATCHET SINGS "A
$500 -..1.-. NJ A n tr0Lrrr NHn $1,000
BY Francis Lynde.

eSNS I'LL HOlIyG LLIChtI WALL SSiasoS
fierce as theirs, and picked a tree to set
back against, and ran for it.
I never reached the tree. In mid career,
when all the Cherokee wolf pack was
bursting through the holly tangle at my
heels, W men, a white man and an In
dian, ran in ahead, as I supposed to cut
me off. Just then the dry roof of the
hunting lodge roared af1ame, reddentng the
forest far and near. The light was at my
back and c n the faces of the two who ran
to meet me. A great sob swelled in my
throat and choked me, but I ran the fas-
ter. For these were my dear lad and the
friendly Catawba, charging CALAMITY to
cover my retreat.
1t was a ready help in time of need. They
ran in bravely, the chief ahead, twirling
his tomahawk for the throw, with Dick a
pace to right and rear. his two great pis-
tolls brandished and the grandsire Of
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
Eapping pack behind me, and swerved to
aside and point the way for me.
Left to myself, l hope 1 should have
had the grace to stand with Jenntfer.
But at the turning point Of indectsion the
quick witted ndian read my thought, and
49, ~ bilS -" L JAZZ H. Gin u Y
me no choice but to follow him.
So I ran with him; but as I 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 mounts SOL
diery 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
horsemen We're dep.oying to surround
him. AS I looked, the two great pistols
belched in the very faces OF the nearest
Cherokees; and in the momentary check
the firearms made, the ba~sket-hilted
claynore went to work, rising and falling
like a Weaver's beam.
saw no more; but some h~eart-bursting
minutes later, when Jennifer came racing
on behind to share the flight his heroic
stand had made a possibility. the swelling
sob choked me once agar : and when /
thought Of what this his n scue of me
meant to him, 1 could have numbered 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 hee.s. And as we ran I
heard the shouted command OF Falconnet
to his mounted men: "a rescue! Right
oblique, and head them In the road! Cal
lop, you d~evils!"
We ran N Indian file, I at the chiefs
heels n Jennifer at mine. I ollowed
the Catawba blindly; and being as yet
little better thai half a man In breath
and muscle, was well-night spent before
we crashed down through a tangled briar
thicket into the river road.
We were in time, but with no fraction
OF q 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; n on our left the air was
trembling to the thunder of the mounted
men coming at a break-neck gallop down
the road.
THANK Cod" 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 to the river!-
quick, man, ard 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 to pad
die a pirogue, Jack; I hope you haven't
lost the knack Of it yourself"
NO" said I; and the three Of us Sid
the followed log into the stream. d
We were a1oat 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. I 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; mnyhap 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 it at top speed like
a trained bloodhound, yet now the dark
ness baffed them.
So there was some running to and fro
IN the road above our heads, and then the
troopers galloped down. Followed hastily
a 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
tho tree fringe. When we came opposite
the glowing ruins of the hunting lodge,
Jennifer backed upon his paddle.
youth SO ashote?' said he.
I said / would, adding: "They have
slaughtered poor old Darius, and / am
loath TO leave his bones for the buzzards
to pick"
He made no other than to
swear in sympathy. When the pirogue
grounded, the Indian was 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 half
way up the hill he Joined me, and would
not turn back for all my urging. mo:
hang me If I'll let you out of eye-grip
again." was ali he would say; and so we
went together, and were together at the
seeing of what the glowing ember-heap
would show, rs -..