Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1907-05-09

will take my advice you will have an
hours sleep, for you are not, as | can
see 10y your eyes. as used to doing
without 1t as | am
De Catinat was indeed weary to the
last pitch OF human endurance. Amos
Green and the seaman had already
wrapped themselves in their blankets
and sunk to sleep under the shelter Of
the stockade. The soldier rushed up.
stairs to say a few words of comfort
to the trembling Adele, and then,
throwing himself down upon a couch,
he slept the dreamless sleep of an eN-
hauyted man. When ut last he vas
aroused by a fresh sputter OF musketry
fire from the woods the sun was al
ready low in the heavens. and the
mellow light of evening tlnged the
bare walls of the room. He sprang
from his couch. seized his musket and
rushed downstairs. The defenders
were gathered at their loopholes once
more, while Du L.hut. the seigneur and
Amos Green were whispering eagerly
together.
What is it, then? Are they coming
onT' he asked.
''They are up TO some deyiltry," said
Du Lhut, peering out ut the corner Of
the embraSure. 'They are gathering
thickly at the east fringe, and at the
firing comes from the north. 2 is not
the Indian way to attack across the
open. and yet. if they think help is
coming from the fort. they might ven
cure"
1.-THE wood in front of us is alive with
them" said Amos. ''They are as busy
as beavers among the underwood"
perhaps they are going to attack
from this side and cover the attack
by a fire from the flank"
"That is what / think" cried the
seigneur. Bring the spare guns up
here and all the men except five for
each side"
The words were hardly out of his
mouth when a shrill yell rose from the
wood. and in an instant "A cloud of
warriors burst out and charged across
the open, bowling, springing and way
ing their guns and t~omahawks in the
air. Some of those in front bore canoe
between them, and as they reached the
stockade they planted them against 1t
and swarmed up them as If they had
been scaling ladders. Others fired
through the embrasures and loopholes,
the muZzles of their guns touching
those of the defenders, while others
again sprang unaided OH to the tops OF
the palisades and jumped fearlessly
down upon the inner side. The Cana
dians fred while they had time to load,
and then, clubbing their muskets. they
smashed f~uriously at every red head
which showed above the rails.
The din within the stockade was In.
fernal. the shouts and cries of the
French, the whooping of the savages
and the terrified screaming Of the
frightened women blending into one
dreadful uproar, above which could be
heard the high, shrill voice of the old
seigneur %imploring his censitaires to
! stand fast. With Du Lhut, Amos, DE
Catinat and Ephraim Savage, he was
ever in the forefront of the defense.
So desperately did they fight, the sword
and musket butt ~outreaching the toma-
hawk, that though at n time fifty lro-
quois were over the palisades they had
slain or driven back nearly all of them,
when q fresh wave burst suddenly over
the south face, which had been stripped
of its defenders. Du Lhut saw In al
instant that the Enclosure was lost and
that only one thing could save the
house.
Hold them for an Instant" he
screamed, and, rushing at the brass
gun, he struck his flint and steel and
fired it straight into the thick Of the
savages. Then, as they recoiled for an
instant, he stuck a nail into the touch
hole and drove 1t home with n blow
from the butt of his gun. Dashing
across the yard, he spiked the gun at
the ether corner and was back at the
door as the remnants Of the garrison
were hurled against it by the rush Of
the assailants. The Canadians darted
In and swung the ponderous mass of
wood into position. breaking the leg of
the foremost warrior who had striyen
to follow them. Then for an instant
they had time for breathing and for
counsel.