The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1914-09-25

9ouHu theFe was q shout or command,
emphasized by the discharge of a
dozen guns. Then out of the smoke,
springing forth into the open, | saw
the devils come. 1t was as if hell had
broken open and belched them forth.
"Shawnees!" roared Brady. Give
1t to 'em!" and he pulled trigger.
Describe what followed no man
could. 1t was pandemonium, uproar,
action, no two seconds the same.
hred twice, three times, leaping back
to grasp gun froui The bench, and
cropping my way through smoke. My
eyes smarted, perspiration streamed
down my face, l heard the bark of
rifles, voices calling within, wild, echo.
ing yells without Over the barrel OF
my rifle ! could distinguish the naked
forms of saVages leaping amid the
smoke wreaths, stumbling, clutching
at the air with empty hands, Then all
at once they disappeared, vanished as
II by magic. Smoke chung to the
ground, yet amid its swirls | could
! perceive no movement; the fierce yell
ing ceased. What this sudden Cessa-
ton meant could not guess, but my
hand reached instinctiyely for powder
and ball. Then another yell. louder,
| more deadly with ferocity, smote my
ears; bullets chugged into the logs,
some one near me gave utterance to a
roar Of pain, and blows crashed
| against the barred door, | thrust my
rifle forWaTd-a tomahaWk struck the
protruding barrel as l pulled trigger,
and was flung backward to the floor,
blood streaming from my shoulder l
could hardly breathe in the thick
smoke; l could see nothing, yet out of
the babel Of noise was conscious of
Brady's voice yelling an order:
THE door! Barricade the door,"
l staggered to my feet and dragged
the bench forward; some one gripped
the table along with me, and together
we hurled it on top, our bodies holding
it there. had dropped my rife, but
some one thrust another into my hand
Blood streamed down into my eyes
from a cut on my forehead, binding
me so saw nothing, yet my fingers
touched a hand. Even then I felt the
thrill of that contact.
You, Rene! Go back! For Gods
sake, go back!" sobbed breathlessly.
Just an instant she grasped me,
chung to me, her head pressing against
my sleeve:
Yes, monSieur!"
Then she was gone; reached out
for her, but she was no longer there.
Tomahawks crashed into the wood of
the door; there was a sound of splin-
tering. Brady ripped out an oath, a
wild yell of triumph echoed without.
Through nearby loop-hole some saw
age thrust his gun, and fired blindly,
the sudden fash lighting the murk. In
the instant red glow caught a
glimpse of the interior-of body ly-
ing before the fireplace, of Schultz still
on his knees, rife in hard, Of Brady
gripping an ak, his head hare, ghast-
ly wound on the side of his face. Then
the smoke hid all.
Something crashed against the door,
shaking the whole cabin; again and
again the blow fell, the tough wood
bursting asunder, the stout bar bend
ing, yet swapping back once more as
the sockets held. Amid the din OF
shouts, the crash Of wood, my eyes
met Brady's.
you re hurt?"
"Ay!" splitting out blood before he
could answer. Jaw shot"
The door crashed in, the great butt
of a tree coming with it, and halt
blocking the passage. All that re
NAMED was instantly filled with saw
age figures. Into the mass of them
! fired my last shot, the flame of dis
charge soaring the hideous faces
Then | was hurled to the right, shout
der to shoulder with Schultz, gripping
my gun barrel with both hands, swing
ing it like fail. crushed the skull
of a savage, drove the butt into the
face of another; saw the flash OF 9
tomahawk. held up for an instant the
soldiers reeling body, only to throw Il
aside; smashed the red hand helo
out to grip him as he went down; drew
back a step in search of more room
and, with one mighty sweep OF my
weapon cleared circle before me
God! 1t was CHASTITY, inhumano devil
ish! Those behind pushed and yelled
there was no escape! l saw painted
faces naked shoulders; wild eyes
glared hatred into mine; tomahaWl
and knife flashed. The butt of my gur
smashed, l gripped the iron, my teett
clinched, and blood on fire. had NJ
sense of fear left, no consciousness O.
peril. | wanted to strike, to kill, tt
br,lise those hideous faces, to batter
them into pulp. The rage OF contiic
seized me: there swept over me the
ferocity of the insane.
| gave back, compelled by the mere
force of numbers hurled against me
vet kept clear space no savage lef
unhurt. felt in my arms the strength
Of dozen men, and not the grip of
red hand reached me. The fend.
snarIed and struggled, but the fierce