The Ozark spectator., 1917-02-14

own company, WHICH, Wltn tne Otner militia companies of Wilson, Norris and Wilkins, was stationed in the cen ter of the rear line, 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 off, cers, lighted up by the campfres. He could distinguish the figures of them all. They were all fully dressed and were buckliug on their sword-belts as they talked. Harrison was standing impatiently waiting while an orderly struggled with his horse.
 Hargrove, divining that it 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 here! 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, "Is Captain Har- grove to stand where he is?'
 Harrison answered before the coion- el could reply:
 "All the captains are to hold their companies as they stand! You will do nothing but hold the ground until light enough to advancew
 He gathered up the reins and with 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 at the northwest and southeast angles grew louder. Da- vid listened with an excitement that | filled his ears with the sound of his 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 its imperious summons through the night with a sound that forced its way through all the wilder babel of the camp. David wondered why it had not begun soon- CT; 1t did not seem possible that not sixty seconds had elapsed since the first alarm had been given.
 A cold gust made the raindrops waver. He became conscious that his teeth were chattering. Two men, wriggling on the ground, succeeded in scattering the fire so that it's light died down to the embers. David saw the other company fires go out, one by one. But they had not all been ex- tinguished soon enough.
 l 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 fireflies. The uproar at the northwest angle 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 q trumpet blared odt its immemorial summons to charge. On | the last note arose q burst of cheer ing.
 "Chargingw ejaculated Hargrove at David's side. It was the plan of the Indians to wait until girdle had been formed on three sides of the camp, where n simultaneous attack might be made. north. east and south; but before they had completed this detour of the wooded plateau the impatient saw ner had drawn in closer and closer to the American sentries in their ca l gerness to rush in. It was one of these whom Stephen Mars had heard gliding through the wet underbrush; and at the report of his rifle the h. 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 Geiger's Ken lucky Rifles and those of Captain Barton's regular troops, forming the northwest 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 em- brace which the bloody knife alone rising and falling, might end.
 But the angle held firm. When Hsr- rIson and his stan refined in their horses at the spot, the hand-to-hand conflict was over. and the savages had retreated to the shelter of trees, where they might have time to reload