Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1916-11-02
CHAPTER XIV.
Tho Charge of the IIIinI.


ments. for the light of early dawn was
still dim and spectral, making those
savage figures below appear strange
and inhuman, while, through the tree
barrier, the more distant stockade was
little more than vague shadow. l
could barely distinguish the sharp
pointed logs, and If any guard passed,
his movements were indlstinguishable.
Had l not known where they were,
even the position of the gates would
have been a mystery. Yet 1 lay there,
my eyes peering through the cleft in
the rock, every nerve in my body throb-
bling. All had been intrusted to me;
1t was to be my signal which would
send D'Artlgny, La Forest, and their
Indian allies forward. l must not fail
them; 1 must do my part. Whatever
the cost-even though 1t be his life
nothing could absolve me from this
duty.
The Iroquois were massing toward
the center, directly in front Of the
closed gates. The change in formation
was made with all the stealthiness OF
Indian cunning, the warriors creeping
silently behind the concealing bushes.
and taking up their new positions &C
cording to motions of their chiefs.
Those having rifles loaded their weap-
ons, while others drew knives and tom
ahawks from their belts, and held them
glittering in the gray light. The white
leader remained beside the big tree
paying no apparent heed to anything
excepting the stockade in front. The
daylight frightened, but mist clouds
overhung the valley, while floating
wreaths of fog drifted between the
great rock and the fort gates, occa-
sionally even obscuring the Iroquois
in vaporous folds. There was no sound,
no sight, of those hidden below, wait
ing my word. 1 seemed utterly alone.
Suddenly l started, lifting myself
slightly on one arm, so as to see more
clearly. Ay, the gates were opening,
slowly at first, as though the great
wooden hinges made resistance; then
the two leaves parted, and had a
glimpse within. Two soldiers pushed
against the heavy logs, and, as they
opened wider, a dozen or more men
were revealed, leaning carelessly on
their rifles. Boisrondet, bearing gun
in the hollow of his arm, stepped for
ward into the opening, and gazed
carelessly about over the gray, mist
shrouded scene.
The arm Of the white renegade shot
into the air, and behind him the
massed Iroquois arose to their feet,
crouching behind their cover ready to
spring. 1 reached over the rock edge,
and dropped the handkerchief.
/ must have seen what followed, yet
1 do not know; the incidents seem
burned on my memory, yet are so con-
fused ! can place them in no order.
The white renegade seemed waiting,
his arm appraised. Ere it fell in signal
to dispatch his wild crew to the slaugh-
ter, there was a crash of rifles all
about me, the red flare leaping into
the gray mist--a savage yell from a
hundred throats, and a wild rush Of
naked bodies.
I saw warriors of the Iroquois fling
up their arms and fall; I saw them
shrink and shriyel, break ranks and
run. Surprised, stricken, terrified by
the warwhoops of the maddened Illini,
realizing only that they were caught
| between enemies, their one and only
thought was escape. Two OF their
chiefs were down, and the white rene
gade, stumbling and falling as though
also hurt, dived into the underbrush.
Before they could rally, or even com
prehend what had occurred, their as
sailants were upon them. Leaping
across the open, over rock and sand,
yelling like fiends, weapons cleaning
in the dull light, the frenzied Illini. en-
| famed with revenge, maddened with
hate, flung themselves straight at
them. Rifles flashed in their faces,
tomahawks whirled in the air, but
nothing stopped that rush. Warriors
fell, but the others stumbled over the
naked bodies. saw D'Artlgny,
stripped to his shirt, and that in rags
from the bushes he had plunged
through, his rifle barrel gripped, a yard
in front of them all. saw La Forest.
bare headed, and Sequitah, his Indian
stoicism forgotten in mad blood lust.
Then they struck and were lost In
the fierce maelstrom of struggle, strik-
Ing, falling, red hands gripping at red
threats, rife butts flung high, toma-
hawks dealing the death blow, knives
cleaning as sinewy arms drove them
home. l could not longer distinguish
enemy from friend; they were inter
locked, struggling like mad dogs, fight
ing as devils might, a wild, tangled
mass of bodies, of waving hair, OF
blazing eyes, of uplifted steel.
The Iroquois had rallied from their
first shock; already they realized the
small number of the attackers. Those
who had fled were turning back; those
on either flank were running toward
the scene of fight. I saw the white
renegade burss from the press, urging
these laggards forward. Scarcely had
he attained the outer edge, when D'Ar-
| tsny fought his way forth also, tear