Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-11-13

prOdCn our CaDln closer IMAM LUU
yards-so we thought; but when dark
ness settled down it was different
matter, and we very well knew that
an Indian on the warpath preferred to
call when the hour was darkest
The next few days we were busy ar
ranging our cabin for defense. We cut
loopholes so as to command all ap-
proaches. We built double door to
slip into place in case of necessity.
Then we removed the dried grass from
around the cabin for quite distance
to guard against fire.
A couple OF weeks went by and, hav-
ing seen no sign of the Indians, we
commenced to think that all our fears
had been needless. Fortunately we
never relaxed our vigilance. When rid.
ing upor down the valleys or out on
the plains we kept our eyes open for
signs of the red men. We would oc-
casionally climb UP on the mountain
side and scan the plains for great dis
tances, but we never saw anything be-
yond a few buffaloes grazing.
One Sunday afternoon | was sitting
Just outside the doorway of the cabin
enjoying an after dinner pipe and
thinking of the folks back home, when
there seemingly arose right up out of
the ground at my feet the form of a
Cheyenne buck Indian He had on an
old blue flannel shirt, and pair Of
trousers of Indian manufacture, hav-
ing fringe of beads down the outer
seam. Standing fully six feet in his
moccasins, straight as an arrow, he
was fine specimen Of his race. How
he had gotten there without my
seeing him was mystery, but there
he stood.
How he grunted.
"Howdy," l answered back, and con-
tinued smoking.
Then by pointing to our water buck
ct standing on shelf bracketed on
the wall near me. he indicated he
wanted drink of water.
handed him a dipper full. which he
simply tasted and threw the balance
away. Then by signs and an occa-
understand that he wanted to buy
some ammunition. I told him we had
nothing to sell, but If he would sit
down l would give him pipe of to-
bacco
Meanwhile he kept trying to peer
into the darkness of the interior of our
cabin. Bud had not shown himself nor
had I heard him moving about. I
thought he was asleep. as that was his
announced object after dinner.
Then Cheyenne suspected ! was not
alone and this fact he wanted to de-
termine. Instead of sitting down and
smoking the proffered pipe he started
to enter the door. Although I was UNI
armed I stepped before him to bar
his entrance. Quick as flash he
whipped out from under his belt a big
hunting. knife and the next moment I
would have been dead had not the cold
barrel of, Buds Winchester beer SHOW.
ed past my ear in the face of my
enemy.
Drop It," was Buds command. and
with a look OF bafned rage the Indian
sullenly let theBknife fall at my feet.
Now gilt and the Cheyenne needed
no second invitation.
We knew instinctively that our visit
or was but spy sent to find out all
about US. and that as soon as he re-
ported back to the chief of his tribe
something would happen-possibly be-
fore morning.
We got in a supply of fresh water
ready for siege.
We slowed all our bedding saddles.
and supplies of every kind in small
cave we had dug in the back end of
our cabin
This cave was shaped like small
house. only the entrance was down
the chimney instead of through a
doorway. The sides of the cave and
the roof. which ran to an apex in or
der to lessen detection by sounding,
were lined with timber to hold the dirt
in place. The chimney. which was
not larger than barrel head, was
fitted with planks shaped to fit the
hole and covered with dirt, tamped so
that when fitted in place it looked not
unlike the floor of the cabin
Ventilation was provided by two
long hollow poles placed at either end
of the cave and running to the sur
face of the ground outside the cabin
In such way that their presence
could not be readily detected.
We had no intention of using this
cave ourselves only as a place Of last
resort, but we had prepared it as we'll
as we could for all contingencies.
Charles Edwards in the American
Boy.
(To be Continued)
a