Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-03-05

j caire property with her. BY G.! you
talk about fighting-why there are fifty
/ Indians out here. Wait till they find
out what has happened to me. Oh
| I'll watch you die at the stake, you
sneaking white cur, and spit in you,
! face"
"Kirby," I said sternly, but quietly.
stepping directly across toward him
"You are a prisoner and helpless, but
| am going to tell you now to hold
your tongue. Otherwise you will never
see me at the stake, because I shall
blow your brains out where you lie. >
"You dare not Go"
"And why not? 1t will rid the girl of
| you and that means something to me
and her. Just try me, and see.'
! He must have read the grim mean
ing in my face. for he fell back againS
the log muttering incOherently, his
| dark eyes wells of hate, his face a
picture of malignancy, but utterly
| helpless-the lurking coward in him
unable to face my threat. / left him
and stopped above her.
eve shall be busy presently; the de
lay cannot be much longer. | an.
afraid that fellow may succeed some
| how in doing us harm. He is craZed
enough to attempt anything. May !
| trust you to guard hiln?"
Her eyes. absolutely fearless and d1-
rect, looked straight up into nine.
eyes. he will make no movement I
shall not see Tell me; do you believe
there is hope?"
God knows We shall do our best.
| If tire worst cOmes-what?"
do not fear for me do not let any
memory of me turn you aside from
your work." she said quietly. II know
what you mean and pledge you l shall
never fall into his hands. lit CAN
not he wrong, I am sure. and-and
must tell you that. II could not.
Neeven. for-for I love you"
My eager hands were upon hers my
eyes greedily reading the message re
veaIed so frankly in the depths of hel
own. She only was in my thoughts
| we were there alOne-alOne.
They're comm, Cap" yelled Ken
nedy and his rifle cracked. ''By G.!
they're here"'
With one swift spring I was back al
my deserted post and firing Never
before had been~in an Indian battle,
but they had told me at Armstrong
that the Sacs were fighting men. ]
knew it now This was to he no play
at war but grim, relentless struggle
They came en- masse, rushing reckless
ly forward across the open space
pressing upon each other in headlOng
desire to be first, yelling like fiends,
guns brandished in air, or splitting fire,
animated by but one purpose - the
battering of way into that cabin. /
know not who led them-all I saw
was a mass of half-naked bodies
bounding toward me. long hair stream
ing, copper faces aglow, weapons gilt
tering in the light Yes, I saw more
! the meaning of that fierce rush; the
instrument of destruction they brought
with them. It was there in the center
of the maelstrom of leaping figures,
| protected by the grouped bodies, half
hidden by gesticulating red arms-a
huge log, borne irresistibly forward
on the shoulders of twenty warriors,
grippPd by other hands, and hurled
toward us as though swept on by a
| human sea. Again and~again / fired
| hIindly into the yelping mob; | heard
! the crack of Tins rife echOing mine,
and the chug of lead from without
striking the solid logs Bullets
| ploughed 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 mingling as the astonished as
| sailants 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 1t fell.
| Again we fired, this time straight into
| their faces-but there was no stopping
| them. A red blanket flashed back be-
yond the big tree; cultural voice
| shouted. it's hoarse note rising above
! the hellish uproar, and those demons
were on their feet again, filled with
! new frenzy. It was 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 it
/ were so much pine, and driving a
| jagged hole clear through one panel.
Kennedy was there, blazing away di-
rectly into the assailants eyes, and |
! joined him.
Again they struck, and again, the
i jagged end of their battering ram pro-
truded through the shattered wood.
! We killed, but they were too many.
Once more the great butt came crash
ing forward, this time caving in the
entire door, bursting it back upon it's
| hinges In through the opening the