The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-02-09


dozen Indians in full war paint ran
along the tree and leaped for the scow.
Five missed the boat because II had
begun to dart ahead The leader
struck just within the stern. Before
he could pull himself together. Judith.
her dark beauty flushing crimson from
excitement. rushed from the cabin and
pushed him overheard. BdIlets gathered
around the ark, but In another moment
the craft was out In the lake and the
| grapnel lifted.
A southernly breeze sprang up with
| the approach of dusk, and Hutter
spread the great square sail which
soon took them to the castle. When the
girls were safely In the house and the
ark secure behind the palisade. the
three men launched a canoe and pad
died quickly to the shore to get
| the two remaining canoes that were
I hidden in hollow trees, the possession
| Of which would enable the savages to
creep on the castle.
| They found the first without any adj
venture, and towed 1t to the middle OF
| the lake, where they set 1t free In
such a way that 1t would drift toward
| the castle. The second one was hidden
some distance down the shore. Just as
| they had launched 1t and Hutter and
Hurry Harry had taken their positions
| in it, their eyes caught the CLEAN Of an
At once they decided. despite the
! circumstances OF Deerslayer. to creep
| on the camp and try for sealps. for the
| British colonies had declared q bounty
| on the scalps of Indians fighting on the
French side. and neither Hutter nor
Harry were averse to hiiing their
| purses In this manner.
Deerslayer refused to Join them. but
| agreed to lie on shore in his canoe.
| The two frontiersmen pushed ashore
| like ghosts, and disappeared In the
black forest without q sound. The in
tense silence of the primeval wilder
ness remained unbroken as II no liv-
| ing creature were within 1t. Deerslay-
err padded in. got the vacant canoe.
took 1t out into the lake. like the frst
one. and then fioated close to the shore
| waiting.
Suddenly cry or terror rang out.
Rides roared under the trees. Bushes
and branches crashed. The two hunters
burst on the beach, but even a. Deer
slayer urged his canoe toward them,
they fell under swarm Of aavages and
| were tied up in a jiffy.
| Knowing that he could not aid his
imprudent companions DeeraIayer
/ started for the castle. On hia way he
picked up one canoe, but could not find
the other until the first gray glimmar
| of dawn showed the little boat drift
ing ashore near the foot az the noun
| tain.
He padded in. Just as he reached
the precious craft, a rifle shot came
from the woods. instantly he Jumped
like one shot fatally. and fell face
down. A painted Iroquois came bound
ing to seize the boat, only to be laid
low by the white hunters rifle.
Deerslayer padded his recovered CO.
noes swiftly to the castle and recount
| ed the experiences OF the night With
| all the canoes In tl4Blr possession they
| felt that they were Reasonably safe DUR.
ing the day; and at sunset Chin9aeh-
cook made his way through the hidden
watchers around the lake and added an
| other deadly rife to their little forca.
| They held a council of war and
agreed that to free Hutter and Hurry
| Harry by force or trick was out Of the
| question; but Deersiayer believed
that IL might be possible to ransom
them. He examined Hutter's belong.
| ings, which were scanty, as frontiers
mems possessions naturally would be.
TheeF was little to tempt savages ex-
| cept beautiful ride, which was famous
far and wide under the title Of KILL
| deer.
Famous as 1t was. however, and eag-
! or as Indians were to own 50
| mighty a weapon, 1t alone would not
induce the Iroquos to give up two such
formidable white enamies. At this
| Juncture, Judith suggested that they
omen a great chest. which Hutter al
| ways guarded with jealous care. refus.
| ing TO let his daughters peer into Il
4 After q long search the keys were
| found and the lifted lid disclosed
| splendors that were strange indeed for
a wilderness cabin. Rich coats. scarlet
| and gold. we're drawn forth--garments
i evidently made for a gentleman of ex-
| allied station. Below them lay still
richer standardization dresses in
brocade and silk, finer than any that
Judith had ever seen on the oflcers'
ladies in the forts.
Silver mounted pistols succeeded
| Next came something that surprised
even Chingach cook out Of his indian
stoicism and forced him to utter ex.
| elamations OF delighted wonder. II
| was a set OF uncommonly large ana
/ beautiful ivory chess men. The In.
dams greatest wonder was aroused
| By the castles, which were mounted on
larg elephants, and he gazed at the
"two-tailed beasts" with almost super
| stitious awe. 4
Buy whole tribe--buy Delaware. al
most! said he.
At that instant a sound outside START.
ed them. Deerslayer crent n,,t
ana saw raft at the palisades, with
an indian lad In It. Before he eonIN
stir. Hetty stood before him. A Saw
words sufIeed to explain what had han.
pened. The feeble-minded rxirI Ms
stolen ashore in q canoe. which 80
/ showed back into the lake after shs
had landed so that the Iriquois an opid
not get II, and then she had nnada ~.
way to the Indian camp.
With the vaneration that thu Trs,.
| accorded to all whose intaIlants ,,~.'
aeranged, the Iroquois offered har ~
Marin. She was permitted 20 vvsrSAs
around the camp. and to talk vvith -.
Iather ana Hurry Harry. She had sIso
seen Chingachook's bride. EIiat s-so
had managed 10 impress a. WAC .sO
feeble minded girl = r. ~ we
telling Chingachgook that SSage
would try to creep 10 a eartst,, sne
on the shore when the evening stes
should appear above the tons ~ AZ
hemIocks on the next night s"e
AFTER some hours the Indian LA -,
herried her to the castle to deIivar
message from the warriors In wh,oS
they asked for some canoes so ths..
might deliver their eaptives TO th~;r
This proposal, Of course. was m. -.
copied; but the lad offered lust an -
portunity desired by the inmates ~ ~
castle to treat for ransom. He was
permitted to examine the eiephanfs
which ELECTED evident delight. Ne ~
turned soon after with two chiefs. M
agreed to take the wonderful thinRs ~
exchange for the prisoners and hv an
next sunset Tom Hutter and HurrS