Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1907-05-02

lie was a tall. powerful man, and
his bristle of scalp locks and eagle
feathers made him look like a giant in
the dim light, for a good eight feet lay
between his beaded moccasin and the
topmost plume of his headgear. One
side Of his face was painted In soot
ocher and vermilion to resemble a dog
and the other half as a fowl. His gun
was thrown forward, and he crept
along with Bonded knees, peering, lis
tening, p%ausing, hurrylng on, a breath
ing image of caution. Two PAGES be-
hind him walked a lad of fourteen.
clad and armed in the same fashion.
but without the painted face.
They were just abreast Of the bush
when something caught the eye of the
younger warrior, some displaced twig
or futtering leaf, and he paused, with
suspicion in every feature. Another
instant and he had warned his COM
panion, but Du Lhut sprang out and
buried his Ratchet in the skull of the
older warrior. De Catinat heard a dull
crash, as when an ak splinters It's way
into a rotten tree, and the man fell
like a log. kicking and striking with
his powerful limbs. The younger war.
rior sprang like a deer over his fallen
comrade and dashed on into the wood.
But an instant later there was a gun.
shot among the trees in front, followed
by n faint wailing cry.
THAT is his death whoop." said Du
Lhut composedly.
AS he spoke the two others came
back. Ephraim ramming a fresh charge
into his musket.
"Ah, he's gone.' said Du Lhut. AS
he spoke the Indian gave a last spasm
with his hands and feet and lay rigid.
Hes a great chief" said Du Lhut.
ut is Brown Moose Of the Mohawks.
and the other is his second son. We
have drawn first blood, but | do not
think that it will be the last. for the
Iroquois do not allow their war chiefs
to die unavenged He was a mighty
fighter"
They turned away, leaving the<red
figure stretched under the silent trees.
AS they passed on they caught n
glimpse of the lad lying doubled up
among the bushes where he had fallen.
The pioneer walked very swiftly until
he came to a little stream which pratt
tied down to the big river. Here he
slipped off his shoes and leggings and
waded down it with his companions for
half a mile or so.
They will follow our tracks when
they find him. said he, but this will
throw them off, for it is only on run
ming water that an Iroquois can find
no trace. And now we shall lie In this
clump until nightfall, for we are little
over a mile from Fort Poitou, and it is
dangerous to go forward. for the ground
becomes more Open"
And so they remained concealed
among the alders while the shadows
turned from short to long, and the
white drifting clouds above them were
tinged with the pink of the setting sun.
Du Lhut coiled himself into a ball. with
his pipe between his teeth, and dropped
Into a light sleep. pricking up his ears
and starting at the slightest sound.
The two Americans whispered together
for a long time, but at last the soothing
hum Of a gentle breeze through the
branches lulled them of also. De Cati-
nat slone remained awake, his nerves
in y Jingle from a strange, sudden
shadow which had fallen upon his soul.
So clear 1t was and so vivid that 1t was
with a start that he came suddenly to
himself and found that the night vas
creeping on in the forest and that Du
Lhut had reused himself and was ready
for a start.
"Have you Deen awaken asked the
pioneer. Have you heard a%nythingf'
Nothing but the hooting of the OWL
cit seemed to me in my sleep that ]
heard a gunshot In the distance"
"In your sleep?'
eyes. l hear as well asleep as awake
and remember what l hear. But now
you must follow me close, and we shall
be In the fort soon"
"Peste! You are a woodman indeed!'
al believe that these woods are
swarmIng with Iroquois, although we
have had the good fortune to miss
them. So great a chief as Brown Moose
would not start on the path with a
small following or for a small object
They must mean mischief upon the