Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1916-09-01


black with ashes where the tepees had
been burned, and their contents scat
tered broadcast.
Never before had 1 seen such view
of devastation, of relentless, savage
cruelty, and l gave utterance to sud-
den sob, and shrank back against
D'Artigny's arm, hiding my eyes with
my hand. He stood and stared, mo-
tionless, breathing heavily, uncon-
sciously gripping my arm.
''Mon Dieuv' he burst forth, at last.
"What meaneth this? Are the wolves
again loose in the valley?"
He drew me back, until we were
both concealed behind a fringe OF
leaves, his whole manner alert, every
instinct of the woodsman instantly
awakened.
Remain here hidden he whis-
pered, until I learn the truth; we
may face grave peril below"
He left me trembling and white
Tipped, yet I made no effort to re-
strain him. The horror of those dead
bodies gripped me- but / would not
have him know the terror which held
me captive. With utmost caution he
crept forth, and I lay in the shadow
of the covert, watching his move
ments. Body after body he ap-
preached, seeking some victim alive.
and able to tell the story. But there
was none. At last he stood erect,
satisfied that none beside the dead
were on that awful spot, and came
back to me.
"Not one lives" he said soberly,
"and there are men, women, and chill
dren there. The story is one easily
told-an attack at daylight from the
woods yonder. There has been no
fighting; a massacre Of the helpless
and unarmed."
"But who did such deed of blood?"
"'Tis the work Of the Iroquois; the
way they scalped tells that, and be-
sides 1 saw other signs"
"The IroQuois," echoed incredu-
louS, for that name was the terror Of
my childhood. Flow came these say,
ages so far to the westward?"
"Their war parties range to the
great river" he answered. "We fol-
lowed their bloody trail when first we
protection from these raiders that the
Algonquins gathered about the fort.
We fought the fiends twice, and drove
them back, yet now they are here
again. Come, Adele, we must return
to the canoe, and consult with Bar
beau. He has seen much of Indian
war"
The canoe rode close in under the
bank, Barbeau holding it with grasp
on a great root He must have read
in our faces some message Of alarm,
for he exclaimed before either Of us
could speak:
''What is 1.-THE IroquOisY' e.
"Yes; why did you guess that?"
81 have seen signs for an hour past
which made me fear this might be
true. That was why I held the boat
so close to the bank. The village has
been attacked?
cay, surprised and massacred; the
ground is covered with the dead, and
the tepees are burned. Madame is
half crazed with the shock"
Barbeau took no heed, his eyes
scarce glancing at me, so eager was
he to learn details.
''The fiends were in force, thenw
''Their moccasin tracks were every
where. 1 could not be sure where
they entered the village, but they left
by way Of the Fox. I counted on the
sand the imprint Of ten canoes"
deep and broadT'
cay, war boats; it's likely some Of
them would hold twenty warriors; the
beasts are here in force"
1t was all so still, so peaceful about
us that felt dazed, incapable of COM
pretending our great danger. The
river swept past, its waters murmur-
ing gently, and the wooded banks
were cool and green. Not a sound
awoke the echoes, and the horror
had just witnessed seemed almost
dream.
"Where are they now?" questioned
family. "Have they gone back to
their own country"
"Small hope of that" answered
D'Artigny, cor we would have met
with them before this, or other signs
of their passage. They are below,
either at the fort, or planning attack
on the Indian villages beyond. What
think Won Barbeauw
II have never been here" he said
slowly, $50 cannot tell what chance
the red devils might have against the
white men at ST. Louis. But they are
below us on the river, no doubt Of
that, and engaged in some hell act. I
know the Iroquois, and how they con-
duct war. Twill be we'll for us to
think it all out with care before we
venture farther. Come, D'Artigny,
tell me what you KNOWS the fort
one to be defended against IrOquois
raidersY'
"'Tis strong; built on high rock,
and approachable only at the rear.
Given time, they might starve the gar
riSOn or drive them mad with thirst,