The Washington herald., 1915-12-12

love of the wierd and strange. he had
been impressed by one of the folk tale.
he had often heard related around the
evening camp fire and which he had
tried hard to understand despite his linn.
tied knowledge OF their language II
magical feather In his headdress and a
grinning false face such as Indian.
wore in dances. Surrounded by a gar
ment Of white vapor. the spectre pa.
raded at night breathing out deadly
odors upon all who crossed its path. L,
was the emissary Of the evil spirit which
the Indians believed created the mon
sters. the reptiles and noxious plants.
The -bravest warriors would turn and
run IL they ever, even on the warpath.
CHANGED upon this deadly enemy.
Remembrance Of the specter Of which
the Indians stood in such mortal terror
flashed upon Hans mind when the mes
senger from New Amsterdam dashed up
to the Dircksen house with his terrifying
news. Then he had an inspiration; and
as soon as he had done all he could to
help put the palisade in order against
the expected attack. and while his IA
ther and retainers were still busy with
this work, Hans quietly slipped a white
homespun sheet from his mothers best
chamber. with some cornhusks and part
of a pumpkin he initiated a false face
such as he had seen worn in Indian
tribal ceremonies, and from a turkey in
the cow yard he secured a big feather.
Just outside the stockade. on one side
Of it. was a marsh into which. IL one
sank. it would be difacultIor the unfort-
unate to extricate himself. On that side,
running from the COW yard underneath
the stockade, was an underground pas
sage terminating in a covered and hid
den entrance. Brushwood was thrown
upon 1t. and no stranger knew that it
was there. 1t was to be used only in
cases Of great emergency.
Hans considered that a case of great
emergency was at hand. SO equipped
with the sheet. the turkey feather, the
false face, and a light but rather long
pole. he crept out in the dark to the end
Of the tunnel and laid there his burden.
Then cautiously he crept back; and he
said not a word Of his plan to any one
Night came on In earnest The anx-
ious family knew that behind every tree
in the edge of the neighboring forest
might lurk a savage. eager to avengs in
blood the injuries to his race by foolish
and short-sighted white men. There was
silence in the forest now. but at any mo-
ment the war cry might be heard issuing
from it. And then the red men would
assault the stockade and, aided by the
night. seek to overwhelm its defenders
and take the scalps Of all, old and young.
It was a situation that was not con-
ducive to sleep. Indeed. when midnight
was at hand not a wink Of sleep had
come to any Of the Dircksens or their
retainers. except the very youngest chill
dren-who were not yet old enough to
the perilous situation. Even
little Jan, scarcely more than q baby,
was as wide-eyed at midnight as at dusk,
fear Of the Indians keeping his eyelids
from dropping the least bit. In vain, his
mother urged him to close his eyes in
sleep.
One o'clock! Suddenly a war whoopl
was heard in the forest. breaking with
blood-curdling sharpness the oninousl
stiffness Of the night. Speedily. It was
answered by others until 1t seemed asl
though the woods must be swarmins
With the red men. Then shots were fred
rom behind the trees nearest to the |
stockade and arrows came flying into
It. But the settlers reserved their fire