The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-10-14
ABoId Ruse
BY OSCAR w. TOWNSEND

at one OF them:
Mart, the red devils have got Sam.
!. "Oh, my God" moaned the man ad
dressed,
Martin and Samuel Clifford wer
twin brothers who, In the middle o
the last century, went out TO the min
ing district OF Colorado to prospect TO
! gold. The country still belonged TO ii
original owners, or, at least, its posses
sion by the whites was made uncom
Portable. The savages tortured thei
captives before killing them.
How long ago did they get himY
asked Martin Clifford.
Not over half an hour"
Have they killed him?'
Reckon not. They'll probably tor
, ture him first"
Come. boys" said Mart; 1--WE may b.
in time"
Five men. all well armed, rode off
guided by Simmons. the one who had
brought the news, for the purpose OF
resculng the captive. But the Indians
were not accustomed to going about in
small parties. and the white men had
little hope of finding Il force that they
would be able to master. Besides, as
soon as they were discovered the say
ages would kill their prisoner, If they
haG not done so before. Indeed they
/ set out on their enterprise because they
had not the heart to refuse Martin
Clifford rather than with any expecta-
/ ton Of making rescue.
Simmons led them to the spot where
I Sam Clifford had been surprised and
/ captured. Then one of the men dis
mounted and. leading his horse. fol-
lowed the footprints of the savages.
/ 1t was evident that there was a large
/ number OF them. so many, in fact, that
/ IL would be madness for the white
men TO attack them. But they pressed
on till there began to appear evidence
that the Indians were not far ahead OF
them. when they halted and sent one
of their party cautiously forward to
reconnoiter.
He returned to say that from an
eminence he had seen as many as 800
redskins on plain below drawn up in
two lines. between which white pris-
oner was about to run the gantlet.
The party followed their guide to the
point OF observation, and before reach
ing 1t they could hear the shouts-the
yels-of the savages. from which 1t
was evident that their prisoner was
running between the lines and they
were belabo him.
1t was with difficulty that the whites
could restrain Martin Clifford from
rushing down the slope TO die fighting
back on the edge of wood in which
they were lying on their stomachs and
used their persuasive powers to con-
vince him that If he betrayed their
presence. instead OF saving sam, he
would bring the Indians upon them
and they would be overpowered.
BY the time they had accomplished
this the prisoner had run the gantlet
and was driven staggering to tree, |
where he was bound and the Indians, I
standing at a distance, were preparing /
to fire at him. The whites knew that |
II was not the intention to kill him. |
He would be reserved for a lingering /
death. They would see how near him
they could send their bullets and ar
rows without inflicting death wound.
Mart said one of the party. If you 4
want to die with Sam or have chance
to save him I'll give you an idea for Il
trial. These red devils are as supersti Il
tious as they are cruel. and can easily II
be imposed upon by working super
natural racket None of 'em could tell 4
you and Sam apart There's no differ
ence in your dress or height or build.
Suppose you start down the slope, I'M
armed. with the measured tread of a
ghost. They won't shoot an unarmed
man till he gets near enough for them
% see what he looks like, and when
hey see Mart's double stalking toward
hem ten to one they'll run"
The words were no sooner spoken
han Mart Clifford was impatient to try
he plan. but they held him for few
minutes to impress upon him the i'm
,ortance Of keeping his head and play
ne his part we'll Some regretted that
hey had nothing with which to whiten
IFS face but others avowed that this
would add nothing to his similarity to
lis brother and might detract from IL.
The Indians were engaged in firing at
heir victim when Mart. who had pull
d himself together for great eff &
ort. left the wood with folded arms.
ooking UP ut the sky that he might
OF be affected by his brothers danger.
here was an interval of about ten
ecOnds between each of his steps. He
'as soon noticed by redskin. who
allied the attention of the others TO
i'm
The ghostliness OF his measured
ak soon brought about a commotion
mong his observers. and when he
lme near enough for them to see their
rlsoner's double they were dunn
,unded When he had approached
ear enough to them for his features
be distinct 10 them he stopped and.
III looking up at the sky, pointed TO
S brother Some Of the Indians fell 3
their faces. while others. understand -
& the ghosts motion to be demand .
r himself. ran TO the prisoner and I'M
,und him.