The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-16

The ruins of the mansion house. the ne- gro quarters and the plantation buildings
 were still smoking. and men stood about in a dazed manner. One group he saw gathered around an object by the pool It was the body of his mother-shot- stabbed-scalped, Falling to the earth
 George flung his arms around the dead body and kissed the cold lips In trans port of grief and tears.
 Men were riding in from the surround ing country called together by the start ling news. It was early yet, scarcely an hour after sunrise. George sprang to his feet-he had no time to indulge in grief, Where was his sister? Up to that hour he had felt no hostility against the h. dians. But now! Who had been the leader of this foray? Spence and Williams-the two hangers-on of Ringgold-declared that 1t had been Osceola himself. Were they sure?. No. but they had been early on the scene and had seen the Indians rid
 ing away, led by a man in whose toaue
 waved three black ostrich plumes. the
 well known headdress of Osceola. Others
 had caught sight of the fleeing Indians and confirmed the fact that the leader wore the cognizance of Osceola.
 All memory of past friendship died on the instant. The heart of George burned with hostility and hate for the false friend and murderer. But time was precious All the men who were mounted started off in pursuit of the retreating redskins, guided by the two old hunters who were faithful to Ran dolph and had been with him in the war. George, as he look ed around al his companions, felt a surprise that Ringgold was not among them. At Fort King he had fought a duel with Ring gold and with another officer who had made light remarks about the sister of Osceola and had bested both his antagonists. Was Ringgold's enmity to him so great that he would not join in the pursuit of Virginia's abduc- tors? But the heart of George was forward upon the trail and he thought no more of Arens Rmggold. They | found the trail of the marauders, but ! the Indians moved with such swift ness that they could not come up with
  in pursuit. and with the darkness they found Themselves in pine forest-a forest of dead trees. The Sphinx moth, that insect so destductive of the broom pine, had been at work.
 Hickman and Weatherford, the two hunters faithful to Randolph, told the party to halt while they went forward on scout. They let George go along with them. Soon the reconnoitering g party saw the gleam of a light through te trees, and, creeping up. saw fad
 Ing campfire Around it lay number of dark forms. And close by the dy-
 ing fire sat a man with his pace print ed crimson the Seminole war paint Three black plumes fell over his face as he sat with his head bent forward The paint and the feathers hid his features. but George could not doubt but that he gazed upon his treacherous friend Powell-or Osceola.
 He looked beyond and saw, sitting apart. his sister and Viola--the former with her head resting in the lap, of her raised his rife and drew a bead on the man with the black plumes. But Hick- man and Weatherford seized the gun be- fore he could fire and in whisper told him how useless, how foolish, was his intended act. They must hurry back and bring up their forces. surround the ma rauders and kill or capture them.
 They hurried back; but before they could reach their party they heard two shots and saw two men riding away from them. They found the party in excite rment at the shots they had just heard and that the two Rnggod hunters, Spence and Williams, had disappeared The party now hurried forward. But they found the Indian camp deserted