The Oklahoma miner. [volume] (Krebs, Okla.) 1912-192?, 1920-05-20

q war but g grim, relentless struggle
They came en uHsse, rushing reckless
ly forward across the open spaCe,
pressing upon each other in heodlong
desire 20 re first yelling Ike hends,
guns hrsudlshed In air, or splitting IRE,
animated by but one purpose - the
bHrterinr of q wBy into that cabin.
know not who led thsm-all ] snw
vHs mass Of hBlf-uaked bodies
bounding toward me, long hair stream
inE. copper faces aFlOw, weapons gilt
terlnE 10 the light Yes, / saw more
the meaning Of that fierce rush; tho
instrument Of destruction they brought
with them. Il was there IN the center
q the uaelstrom Of leaping figures,
protected by the grouped bodies, half
hidden by Eesticulaung red 0rms-a
huge l0C. borne irresistibly forward
on the shoulders Of twenty warriors,
Erippe5 by other hands, and hurled
toward Us as though swept on by a
human sea. Again and again fired
ollDdly into the yelping mob; l heard
the crack of Tins rife echoing mine,
and the chug Of lead from without
striking the solid logs. Bullets
plouEhed crashing through the door
panels and Elsie's shrill screams Of
fright rang out above the unearthly
din. A slug tore through my loophOle,
drawing blood from my shoulder In
its passage and imbedded itself In the
opposite wall. In front Of me savages
fell, staggering, screams Of anger and
agony minging as the astonished as
sBilants realized the fight before them.
An instant we held them, startled,
and demoralized. The warriors bear
ing the log stumbled over a dead body
and went down, the great timber
crushing out another life as II fell.
Again we fred, this time straight into
their faces--but there was no stopping
them. A red blanket flashed back be-
yond the big tree; a cultural voice
shouted, its hoarse note rising above
the hellish uproar, and those demons
were On their feet again, filed with
new frenzy. II was a minute-no
more. With. a blow that shook the
cabin, propelled by twenty strong
arms, the great tree butt struck,
splintering the oak wood as though II
were so much pine, and driving a
Jagged hole clear through one panel.
Kennedy was there, blazing away d.
rectly into the assailants' eyes, and
Joined him.
Again they struck, and again, the
Ia ID - 1f -
truded through the shattered wood
We killed, but they were too many
Once more the great butt came crash
ing forward, this time caviHg in the
entire door, bursting II back upon its
hinges. In through the opening the
red mob hurled itself, reckless Of death
or wounds. mad with the thirst fol-
victory; Jam Of naked beasts, crazed
by the smell Of blOOd-a wave o1
slaughter, crested with brandisheL
guns and CLEAN Of tOmahawks.
There is nothing 10 remember
nothing but blows, curses, yells, the
crunch Of steel on flesh, the horror OF
cruel eyes glowering into yours, the
clutching Of fingers at your throat, tht
/ spit Of fire singeing you, the strain OF
combat hand 20 hand-the knowledge
that II Is all over, except to die.
/ had no sense Of fear; no thought bu
| to kill and be killed. l felt within ms
trength-desperate, insane strength
| The rife butt spllntered In my hands
| but the bent and shapeless barrel rose
and fell Ike a fail. / saw 1t crusf
! against skulls; / jabbed II straigh
/ into red faces ! brought II down with
all my force Oh clUtching arms. Fol-
an instant Tim was beside me. HI
had lost his gun and was fighting Will
\ knife. II was only a glimpse l haC
Of him through red mist-the next In
stsnt he was gone. A huge fellow
/ faced me. a Winnebago, knew, from
| his shaven head. I struck him once
laying open his cheek 10 the bone
then he broke through and gripped me
/ The rest Is what dream; a de
lirlurn feyeri ] zDDw not; Il comes t
me 10 flashes ~ mad memory. | wa
/ struck again and again. stabbed, ant
flung % the fDOr MOccaslned fee
. trOQ On me- anu HDLle menu BIlppeu III.
! hair. bending 10y head back across
dead body, until felt the neck crack
Above me Fere naked legs and arms
q pandemOnium OF dancing figures,
horrible chorus Of maddened yells.
caught a glimpse Of Asa Hall fun
high into the air, shot dead In mid
flight the whlrling body dropping Int
the ruck below. | saw the savage
whose fingers were twined in my hail
lift a cleaning tomahawk and circle
about his head stared into the hat