The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1911-04-21

CON W0010 % az e10 mercy q To
avenxing host from the malnlaAa
and Marion would b. Ais own IT
ever! He heard again the deep rum.
BILE Of . heavy gun and from tn e0lls1
detonation he knew that Il was nred
from . ship 1t sea. A nearer crash q
returning fire turned him into ! a.
serted street down which 10 raA wild.
". on past the last houses St The
town. until he came to the tSok ot q
hill up which he climbed more slowly,
painting ike . winded animal.
From It's top he could look down
upon the scene OF battle. 10 the ea1t.
ward stretched the harbor line with
its rim OF nres A glance showed
him that the light was not to center
about these. They had served their
purpose had forced the matnlanaess
to seek landing farther down the
coast. The Hight OF dawn had already
begun to dtsperse the thick gloom oe
night, and an eighth Of mile below
Nathaniel the Mormon forces were
creeping slowly along the s.,ore. The
pale ghostly mfstiness Of the SEA hung
like curtain between him and what
was beyond, and even - he strained
his eyes to catch q glimpse. OF the
avenging feet = vivid light leaped out
Of the white distance, followed by the
thunder of cannon. He saw the head
Of the Mormon line falter. In an In.
slant it had been thrown into con.
fusion. A second shot from the 500
a storm Of cheering voices nom out
of that white chaos of mist-and the
Mormons fell back from the shore in
a panic.stricken. fleeing mob. Were
those frightened towards the fierce
fighters Of whom he had heard SO
much? Were they the men who had
made themselves masters of a king
dom in the land Of their enemies
whose mere name carried terror for q
hundred miles along the coast: He
vas stupefied, bewildered. He made
no effort to conceal himself as they
the hill, but drew his pis.
toll, ready to fire down upon them as
they came. Suddenly there was a
change. So quickly that he could
3carcely believe his eyes the flying
Mormons had disappeared. Not a
man was visible upon that narrow
plain between the hill and the sea.
Like hage covey Of quail they had
dropped to the ground, their rifles lost
in that ghostly gloom through which
the voices Of the mainlanders came
in fierce cries of triumph. It was mag
nif1cent! Even as the crushing truth
of what it all meant came to him, the
fighting blood in his veins leaped at
the sight Of 1.-THE pretended effect
Of the shots from sea, the sham con-
fusion, the disorderly fight, the won
derful quickness and precision with
which the rabble of armed men had
thrown itself into ambush!
Would the mainlanders rush into
the trap? Had some keen eye seen
those shadowy forms dropping
through the mist? Each instant the
ghostly pail that shut out vision sea-
ward seemed drifting away. Nathan
ters staring eyes saw vague shape
appear in 1t, an indistinct dirt-gray
blotch, and he knew that it was a
boat. Another followed, and then an
other; he heard the sound Of oars,
the grinding of keels upon the sand,
and where the Mormons had been a
few moments before the beach was
now alive with mainlanders. In the
growing light he could make out the
kings men below him, inanimate spots
in the middle Of the narrow plain.
Helpless he stood clutching his pistol,
the horror in him growing with each
breath. Gould he give no warning?
Could he do nothing-nothing-
At least he could join in the fight!
He ran down the hill, swinging to the
left Of the Mormons. Half way, and
he stopped as a laundering cheer
swept up from the shore. The main
landers had started toward the hill!
Without rank, without order-shout-
ing their triumph as they came they
were rushing blindly into the arms Of
the ambush! A shrek of warning left
Nathaniel's lips. It was drowned in
a crash of rifle fire. Volley after vol
ley burst from that shadowy stretch
of plain. Before the furious fire the
van of the nainlanders crumpled into
ruin. Like chaff before wind those
behind were swept back. Apparently
they were flying, without waiting to
fire shot! Nathaniel dashed dcran
into the plain. Ahead of him the Nor
mons were charging in solid line,
and in another moment the shore had
become mass of fighting men. Far
to the left he saw a grsup of the
mainlanders running along the beach
toward the conflict. II he could only
intercept them-and bring them into
the rear! Like the wind he sped to-
cut them oil, shouting and firing his
pistol. He won by hundred yards
and stood painting as they came to-
ward him. Dawn had dispelled the
mist-gloom and as the ms.inlanders
drew nearer he discerned in their lead
a figure that brought a cry Of Joy
from his lips.
''Neill" he aho,,ted ssN1oi1-O