Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-02-27

~~tt,asa they afs!'' sung aiit Kennedy
nolnting exeitadly. THE cuss ain't q
iylri'. iFIiatli we d37'' $1,000 =
saw them also by this time, my
mind lii d whirl of ifdecision. What
should we do? What ought we to dot
We should have to fight to the death
there was no doubt Of that. An at
tempt to get away was manifestly inn
possible. But what about this rene
gade, this internal scoundrel, this hell
hound who had been trailing us TO kill
and destroy? Should we turn him back
now TO his deserved fate, or should we
offer him the same chance for life we
had? He might fight: he might add
one rifle to our defense; he n IT help
us to hold gu, until rescue, came.
And hen-then-after that--we could
settle our score. Tins voice broke the
silence.
Il reckon we amt got much time"
he said grimly. "It's one thing, 'er the
other I'm fer givin' the d beggar
a chanel. | can't turn no white man
over ter Injuns-not me. Kirby's got
a gum an I reckon we're goin' fer ter
need em all afore this blame fracas
is over with"
"And I agree with you, Mr.. Ken
nedy," said Eloise, clearly, speaking
from the open door. Lieutenant
Knox, no one here has more to forgive
than /, We must give the man refuge
it would be nhuman not to-
go in" | said, grimly, to Kirby,
looking him squarely in the eyes. "And
then play the man, if you care to live"
| fingered there upon the outside for
moment, but for a moment only. The
advancing cloud of savages were al
ready coming up the slope, gradually
spreading out into the form of fan.
The majority were mounted, although
several struggled forward on foot.
Near their center appeared the omin-
Gus CLEAN of red blanket waved
back and forth as though in signal, but
the distance was too great for my
eyes to distinguish the one manipulate
ing it. We were trapped, with our
backs to the wall
There were but few preparations to
be made, and ! gave small attention
to Kirby until these had been hastily
completed. The door and window We're
barred, the powder and slugs brought
I'D from below, the rifles loaded and
primed, the few loopholes between the
logs opened, and pail of water placed
within easy reach. This was all that
could be done.
Kennedy made use of the fellow. or
dering him about almost brutally, an'
Kirby obeyed the commands witho'
an answering protest. To all appear
ances he was as eager as we in the
preparations for defense. But he cOult
not command him; to even address the
fellow would have been torture, fol
even then | was without faith, with
out confidence. The very sneaking
cOwardly way in which he acted die
not appeal to me as natural. | cOulc
not deny his story-those approaching
Indians alone were proof that he flee
from real danger: and yet-and yet
to my mind he could not represent
anything but treachery. L possessed
but one desire-tO kick the cringine
cur.
| stood at a lOOphOle watching the
approaching savages. They had halted
just below the big tree, and four OF
five half hidden by the huge trunk
were in consultation, well beyond rife
shot. Assured by their attitude that
the attack would not be made immedi
ately, | ventured to turn my face
room behind. Tim had stationed him
self at the other side of the door, his
eyes glued to narrow opening, both
hands gripped on his gun. Eloise and
the cOlored girl, the one dry-eye6 and
alert, the other prone on the floor cry
ing, We're where l had told them to
go, into the darkest corner. The boy
l did not see, nor even remember, bu:
Kirby stood on the bench, which en-
abled him to peer out through the
loop-hole in the window shutter. What
| noticed, however, was, that instead
of keeping watch without, his eyes
were furtively wandering about the
room, and, when they suddenly en-
countered mine, were as instantly
averted.
"Where was it you met those In
dams, Kirby?" l questioned sternly.
Down the valley"
Last night?"
This morning; they surprised us in
camp"
I'm camp! there were others with
you, then, Who were they? the party
you had trailing us?"
Eyes," a decidedly sullen tone creep
ing into his voice. Five of them; one
was Il WinnebagO."
"And Rale was along, | presume.
What became of the Others?"
1. L 4 Il, 81,