Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-03-07

I saw of the struggle in front for with a cry OF dis
may, the Mamis composing the rearguard broke from
their posts beside the wagons and running back
past US in panic of wild terror. l Sergeant Jor
dan throw himself their line of flight, striking
fiercev with his gun and Cursing them for a pack of
Cowardly hounds but he thrown helpessy aside
in their blind rush for safety
''Wayland! De Croixr' he shouted, staggering to
his knees, "hep stop these ours, if you would
our lives!'
1t was fool thing, yet in the excitement I did it.
and De Croix was beside me. Two three of the
settlers foot rallied with and together struck
hard against those covering renegades that for the
moment we held them, though their fear gave them
desperation difficult to withstand
A wild yell, with the mad thrill of the war-whoop in
it. suddenly assailed our ears; the Miamis broke to
the left like flock of frightened birds, and my startled
glance revealed horde of naked Indians, bowling
like maniacs, and with madly brandished weapons
pouring over the cambridge not thirty feet away from
us. With shout of warning, which was half curse
at my own mad folly drove the spurs deep into my
horses side in a vain endeavor to fling myself between
them and the girl Hardly had the startled animal
made quick plunge, when we were locked in that
human avalanche if gr pped by wise of steel
A dozen dark hands grasped my bride clutched at
me- their swarthy faces fierce with blood-lust, the
eyes that fronted me cruel with passion and int1amed
by hate 1 heard shots not far away; but we were all
too closely iammed to do than fight in desperate
hand-to-hand struggle with club and knife
L
rifle yet stood high in my wooden stirrups and struck
at every Indian head saw, battering their faces till
from the very horror of it they gave slowly back.
won yard-two Yards three-my horse biting vic
iousy at their naked flesh, and lashng out with both
fore-eet like a fend while l swept my gun-stock in a
widening circle of death For the moment dreamed
we might drive them back; but then those devils
blocked me- clinging to my horses legs in their death
agony, and laughing back into my face as struck them
down
Once I heard De Croix swearing in French beside
me, and glanced around through the mad turmoil to
see him cutting and hacking with broken blade, push
ing into the midst of the melee if he had real Joy in
the encounter. While thus had him in view, knife
whisted through the air. there quick dazzle in the
sunlight and he reeed backward off his horse and dis
appeared in the ruck below.
Never in life of fighting have I battled I did
them feeling that alone might hope to reach her side
and beat back these foul ends till help should come to
u.s. The stock of my rifle shattered like glass; but [
swung the iron barrel with what seemed to the
strength of twenty men, striking, thrustng, stabbing,
my teeth set my eyes blurring with mist of blood,
caring for nothing except to hit and kill. know not
now whether advanced all in that last effort though
my horse trod on dead bodies. Only once in those
awful seconds did I gain glimpse of Mademoiselle
through the mist of struggle, the of upifted
and striking steel She had reined her horse back
against a wheel of the halted wagon, and with white
face and burning eyes lashng desperately with the
loaded butt of her riding whip at the red hands which
sought to drag her from the saddle.
The sight maddened me, and again my spurs
driven into my horses TANKS. As he plunged for
ward, some one from behind struck me crushing blow
across the back of the head, and [ reeed from my
saddle red mist my eyes, and went hurting face
downward upon the mass OF Keeling, tangled
bodies.
Continued next week