Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1906-04-09
CHAPTER. Ky.

| i ut Hour ol midnight udu piSStu VII,
aud other hours had followed in its
| noiseless track. 1t was near the break
| of day: but the hush of night lay more
| deeply. and far more darkly. upon the
| face Of the earth than since the sun
| went down. The moon had finished her
course, and passing away to other re-
| gions left darkness aud gloom on the
| places where her beams had hickered so
| pleasantly.
| Daniel Boone and Mr.. Fleming stood
near the gate that opened from the
stockades for ingress and egress. Each
| Of the sturdy pioneers held in his hand
| Ills trusty rifc-weapons which had been
proved upon many a bloody day.
| "This," said Captain Boone, sis the
hour which has ever been so fatal to our
| countrymen. The savages always select
1t for a surprise: and how many hun
| dreds have been slain between sleeping
and waking"
| Eyes, my brave lads, this is the time
when We may naturally expect the onciv
iized Critters" said Joel I.ogston. who
| appeared at that moment, followed by
| Nesuvius.
| "Yon ought not to go abroad in the
| open air until you have recovered from
| your recent wounds" observed Captain
Boone.
| The air'll do EN- good: | never was
afraid of the air: nin't one O them
kind. l can't sleep where there's any
danger. or any reasonable prospect of n
| fight. Isn't ii SO. tesuvius!"
| At this instant the singular quadruped
referred to began to give vent to low
! lr
erecting the hair upon his back, and
walking defiantly about the enclosure
near the stockades.
"What does that mean:" asked Flem-
ing.
| st means that he scents somethin' as
he don't like" replied Logston.
| Il suspect that there are Indians
near" remarked Daniel Boone.
| III you're alters as near the truth as
| that. you won't have to answer for
much sin Of that natur'." said Joel.
perhaps we had better call out the
men," added Captain Boone
II think you had. by all means; for
| therell be an uncommon uproar here
soon. 'cordin' to my notion of things
replied Joel.
The settlers now began to leave their
| cabins and gather about their leader in
silence. Mr.. Aston appeared among
| them with a melancholy and detected
air. for he was doubtless thinking of
his daughter.
II cannot bear this torturing suspense
and inactiOn much longer" he remarked,
approac ching Captain Boone. "Although
not very skillfuI in Indian tactics, and
unused to the trail, | shall. nevertheless.
make some effort to recover my beloved
kosalthe."
Il can appreciate your feelings. Mr..
Aston. You feel as all fathers would
under the circumstances" said Boone.
"Eut rest assured that there are those
now in pursuit Of your daughter who
are far more experienced than your
self. and who will never return without
some tidings Of the lost one.
Eyes. | must try to bear mp like
man" replied Aston. signing. "Is there
| any immediate danger of an attack"
Il am strongly inclined to think So"
| was the reply.
II am differently persuaded. think
| the danger has hcca greatly magnified
| As you are aware. have but little
| faith in this story of fearful CON
splracy." rcjoincd Aston.
Look yonder. in the name of heaven.
| and tell me what new mystery is that
which | now behold" exclaimed the for
ester. with startling emphasis.
| Instantly all eyes were turned toward
| the block house. where lie Bland was
supposed to be yet In durance. Dusky
| figures were seen on top of the structure.
| disappearing one after another through
| the roof. The hardy pioneers gazed at
this astonishing sight in mute wonder.
| For moment they seemed like men ut
terry deprived Of the powers of voltion
| The danger had appeared in an unex-
| pected quarter and in n more dreaded
| form than they had anticipated.
| Captain Boone was the first to spea K
and to act 1--WE must stop this!' he
exclaimed, "or we are little better than
dead men, and instantly discharged his
rifle at one Of the dark forms. Three
or four of the settlers followed his ex-
ample The fire was Immediately re-
turned from the block house with effect,
for one Of the men fell.
| I'VE are to be shot down from our
own block houses and through the loop
holes pierced by our own hands," cried
the captain. "Mr. Logston," he added,
take half dozen men and take pos
| session of the other block house and
prevent any more from entering the
works, while try to drive the enemy
| from this"
Brandishing hatchet the old pioneer
| rushed toward the stronghold occupied
by the Indians. The little party was met
10y severe fire: Mr.. Aston, who was
| among the foremost received a wound
which prevented him from taking any
further part in the struggle.
The sayages had the advantage, the
guns lcveled from the several loophoies
| completely covering Boone and his men.
A few of them reached tho door Of the
block house: but it could not he forced
open. and even had they succeeded in
doin. SO it would have been rushing to