Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1905-08-03


far too rapid for swimming.
Satisfied of this, he came out. drip
ping and With monitory word to us
to keep sharp lookout, disappeared
up stream in the growing dusk, his
long rifle at the trail. and his body
bent to bring his keen old eyes the
nearer to the ground.
CHAPTER XxII.
HOW THE FATEs GAVE IARGEss
OF DESPAIR.
Ephriam Yeates was gone full hour
When he returned he gave us cause TO
wonder at his lack of caution. since
he filled his earthen Indian pipe and
coolly struck light wherewith to fire
It, But when the pipe was aglow he
told us of his findings
Twas about ez l reckoned; them
varmints waded in the shadows a spell
to throw us off, and then came out
and forded higher up"
THAT will be shrewd guess of
yours, take IL, Ephriam?" said I, for
the night was black as Erebus.
"Ne'er a guess at all: I've had EN-
fair at eye-holts," this as calmly as If
we had not been for ten long days pin
ming our faith to ill-defined trace of
footprints "Ez j was a-going on to
say, they're incamped on t'o,her bank
ruther eensiGe O two sights and a
horn-blow from this. ! saw 'em and
counted EN-: seven redskins and two
gals.
Thank Cod" says Richard, as fer
vently as If the rescue of the women
We're already thing accomplished.
Then he fell upon the scout with an
eager question: How does she look
Eph,iam ?--tell me how she looks!'
Listen at him said the old man.
y. xtl
tarnation ann going 10 know which
she he's a-stewing about? There's a
pair of en-, and they both look like
wim,nin ez have been dragged hitter
skilter through the big woods for some
better n a week. Natheless, they're fit
ting 10 :et up and take their noursh-
men1. both on en-. They was perching
on a log afore the fire, with ever last
one o them redskins awaiting on 'en
like they was a couple Of iniun queens.
! reckon as how the boss captain gave
them varmints their orders, parlic lar.
lick V.;ls uIon his feet, Juggling out
.lle great broadsword.
Show us the way, Eph 1eates. he
burst out iinpatiently We are vast
ing deal of precious time
Eut the old man only pufred the
more piacidly at his pipe, making no
move to head sort!e.
Fair and easy, I'ap'n Dick: fair and
easy There amt nc manner O hurry,
ez | allow. Whenst I've got To tussle
with wheen o. full redskins. and me
with my stummick growed fast to my
backbone, ! jest eZ soon wait till them
same redskins are asleep. Bime by
then we'll go up yonder and rizen EN-
immejltly, if not sooner. But there
amt no kind q use to Spite it all by
rampasing round too soon.
There was wisdom Endeniable in this
an6, accordingly, we waited, taking
turns at the hunters terrible pipe in
lieu of supper, and laying our plan OF
attack This last was simple enough
as our resources. or rather our lack of
them. would make 1t. AT tnidnigh, we
would move upon the enemy. feeling
our way along the river till we should
discover the ford by which the captive
party had crossed The stream safely
passed, we would dcploy and surround
the camp of the Indians and at the sig
nal, which was 70 he the report of
Yeates rife. we we're to close in and
sinite, giving no quarter.
The old bordcrer d@elt AT length upor
the need for this severity, saying that
{. single Cherokee escaping would
bring the warriors of the Erati tribe
down upon as 10 cat off All chance OF
our retreat with the women
confess J. m nightly out q my reck
oning, this here spot were asserting on
amt more than days Injun-running
from the Tuckasege Towns. With them
gals TO bender Us we amt a-going II
be in no fettle for a skilnper- scampei
race with q fresh wheen q redskins
rher ore and wherefore, says I. make
tb chopring knives o. yourn cut
u 4 come again, aven to the dividing
fpart of soul and marrer."
Dick laughed. and speaking for both
Of us. said between his teeth that We
We're not like to be overmerciful.
But now the old wolf of the border
gave us glimpse of an unsupported
side of him. taking Jennifer sharply
TO task and reading him a homily on
the sin of vengeance for vengea noes
sake In this harangue he evinced a
most astonishing tongue grasp OF
SCRIPTURE, and for good half hour.th
the CLIMAX, when the sermon paused
he laid his pipe aside. DOTTED his cap
and went upon his knees to pour forth
such o militant prayer as brought my
fathers stories of the grim old fighting
Roundheads most wildly to mind
Here, being as good a place ar amy
may say frankly that never full,
understood this side of Epb,jarr
Yeates Like all the hardy borderers
he was a fighter by instinct and in
clination: and can bear him witDess
that when he smCte the "Amalekites "
as he would call them-red skin or RED
coat-he smote them hip and thigh
and was as ruthless as that British
Captain Tufnbull who slew the wound
ed. Yet withal, on the very edge Of
battle, or n1ayhap fair in the midst OF
1T, he was like to fall upon his knees
to pray most fervently. though, as
have limited. his prayers We're like his
Dlows-of the biting sort. full Of scrip
-ural anathema upon the enemy.
Richard Jennifer. carelessly profane
as all men were in that goddess day
would say twas the old borderer's way
of swearing; that since he left out the
oathA in common speech-as, truly, he
did-he would fetch up the arrears AND
wipe out the score in one fell blast upon
his knees Be this as 1t may. he was a
good man and true, as
have eajd; and his warlike sup
plication that our blades should
be as the sword of the Lord and OF
Gideon in the coming onfall was nc
whit out Of place.
1t wanted yet full hour of midnight
when Richard began again to plead
p,teously for instant action. Yeates
thought it still over-early. but when
Jennifer pressed him hard the old bor-
derer left the casting vote to me.
What say We. Capa Johp2 Your'I