Tombstone epitaph., 1917-05-06

right, where Spencer's rifemen lay be
 hind their kneeling horses. Before his
 own company, which. with the other
 militia companies of Wilson, Norris
 and Wilkins, was stationed in the cen.
 ter of the rear lire, the woods lay
 quiet, seemingly empty of any Indians.
 David turned about and glanced
 toward the center of the camp. Fifty yards away were the tents of the ofti-
 cers, lighted up by the campfres. He
 could distinguish the figures of them
 all. They were all fully dressed and
 were buckling on their sword-belts as
 they talked. Harrison was standing
 impatently waiting while an orderly
 struggled with his horse.
 Hargrove, divining that 1t was the
 generals intention to ride away
 toward the points where the savages were attacking in numbers, struck David on the shoulder in his hurry:
 "Go ask Colonel Decker If we are to stand herel Quick, before General Harrison goes!"
 David ran toward the officers As he reached them, Harrison succeeded in getting his foot into the stirrup and threw himself into the saddle. Decker was about to mount David saluted as he ran, crying, '1s Captain Har- grove 70 stand where he Isy"
 Harrison answered before the colon- el could reply:
 "All the captains are to hold their companies as they standl You will do nothing but hold the ground until | light enough to advancey"
 He gathered up the reins and with a bound was gone through the falling mist, Boyd, Owen, Hurst, Taylor, Washington Johnston and Daviess urging their horses at his heels. David ran back toward his captain. 1 The horrid tumult al the northwest and southeast angles grew louder. Da- vid listened with an excitement that own hearts throbbing. Two hundred yards away the rifles cracked in a ceaseless sputter.
 The drums began. The orderly drummer at the officers tents was beating the long roll; the steady un- varying tattoo spread it's imperious summons through the night with a sound that forced its way through all the wilder babel of the camp. David wondered why 1t had not begun soon- CT; it did not seem possible that not sixty seconds had elapsed since the first alarm had been given.
 cold gust made the ralndrops waver. He became conscious that his teeth were chattering. Two men. wriggling on the ground, succeeded in scattering the fire so that its light died down to the embers. David saw the other company fires go out, one by one. But they had not all been ex- unguished soon enough.
 As the light of the fires died out the flashing of the rifles became more plainly visible. The damp air was heavy with the acrid smell of powder smoke. In the swamp at the east Da- vid could see the flames of the Indi- ans rifles twinkling like firehies.
 The uproar at the northwest angie of the camp, two hundred yards away. grew louder. David strained his eyes through the darkness but distin- guished nothing. Suddenly from the dark angle a trumpet blared out Its immemorial summons to charge. On the last note arose a burst of cheer ing.
 Charging :" calculated Hargrove at David's side.
 ;: was :he plan of the Indians to vait untll girdle had been formed 1 on three sides of the camp. where a | simultaneous attack might be made, | north, east and south; but before they had completed this detour of the | wooded plateau the impatient sav- ages stationed at the northwest cor ner had drawn in closer and closer l to the American sentries in their ea- gerness to rush in. It was one of | these whom Stephen Mars had heard l gliding through the wet underbrush: and at the report of his rifle the In- i dians threw aside concealment and | began the onset on the north flank of , the little army, without waiting for more of their numbers to complete the circle on the east front.
 And so the men of Gelser's Ken lucky Rifles and those of Captain Barton's regular troops, forming the angle, awoke to find hun dred shadowy forms rushing on them with the cries of wild beasts. Their answering fire burnt the very breasts of the Indians and lighted up the painted, hideous faces. There was no time to reload; the rifles became clubs that swung and crashed against rib and skull, or red warrior and white went down locked in the terrible en- brace which the bloody knife alone, rising and falling. might end.
 But the angle held firm. When Har- rison and his staff refined in their horses at the spot, the hand-to-hand conflict was over. and the savages had to the shelter of trees. where they might have time to reload heir guns. Behind them they left score of dead and dying of their own | rts..k t.s.~