The Hayti herald. (Hayti, Mo.) 1908-1922, 1920-03-04
"My God!" She Burst Forth.

dark in shadows, and Slightly in ad
vance of US Kennedy rode alone, hope
full Of thus dislodging some wild ami
NAL. could see the gleam OF the pis-
tol in his hand, held in instant readi-
ness, cooked and primed. Suddenly he
drew rein, and then, turning his
horses head sharply, advanced eau.
tiously toward the miniature forest,
leaning forward to gaze intently of
something unseen from where we were.
He halted his horse, which paved rest
lessly, and sat motiOnless, staring
down into a little hollow Immediately
in front of him; then he turned in the
saddle, and beckoned me.
"Cum over yere, Cap" he called, his
voice sounding strange. "No, not the
gurls; you cum alone"
Irode forward and joined him, only
to stare also, the heart within me al
most ceasing to beat, as l beheld the
gruesome sight so suddenly revealed.
There, within the confines of that lit
tie hollow, almost at the edge of the
wood, lay the dead and mutilated
bodies Of eleven men, in every distort-
| ed posture imaginable. some stripped
naked, and showing CHASTITY wounds;
others fully clothed; but with the cloth
hacked into rags. 1t had once been
camp, the black Goals of q fire Still
visible, with one man lying across
them, his face burnt and unrecOgniza-
BILE. With the exception of one only
q mere boy, who lay few rods away,
as though brought down in fight-the
entire group were together, almost
touching each other in death. Beyond
question they had been soldiers
militia volunteers-for while there was
only one uniform among them, they all
wore army belts, and service insignia
appeared on their hats. Tim vented
his feelings in smOthered oath.
Militia, by God!" he muttered
gruffiy. "No guard set; the bloody
Injuns jumped 'em frum out them
woods. Those poor devils never he'd
no chanct. Amt thet it, Cap?"
"No doubt of it; the whole story is
there. None of them alive?"
II reckon not--cudn't be, hacked up
like rhet, an most o. 'em skelped.
Them reds never left d. gun be-
hind neither. Why, say, this affair
must a took place this yere very
maunin', bout breakfast time"
He stood up in his stirrups, and
swept his eyes anxiously about in
every direction,
"Good Lord! maybe we better be
gittin' long out o. yere right smart.
Thar amt nuthin' ter stay fer; we
can't help them men none, an only the
devil knows whar them Injuns haN
gone. Yer git the gurls away afore
they see whut's yere-down yonder
, inter the valley"
took one more glance at the sight
fascinated by Its very horror. then
wheeled my terrified horse, and rode
back. Heartless as his words sounded
they were nevertheless true. We could
be of no aid to the dead, while upon
US yet rested the duty of guarding the
living. The young negress lifted her
; head. and gazed at me duly. SO thor
: oughly tired as to be Indifferent as to
! what had occurred; but ElOlse read In
stantly the message OF my face.
"Y0u have looked upon something
terrible" she cried. "What was II. q
. dead b0dy?" t
"Eleyen dead bodies" I answered
3 gravely. my lips trembling. "a squad
of militiamen We're surprised by In
dams over there. and slaughtered to q
, man. apparently with no chance t.
even defend themselves. have never
= seen q more terrible sight"
! (To BE CoNTINUBD.)
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