The Adair County news., 1922-09-19

OWy WOOulduuS, blldl nc WOulu hCNCh
leave again.
At B0OnesbOrough he learned from |
the old ferryman that, while the war |
might be coming to an end in Vir- |
ginia, it was raging worse than ever |
in Kentucky. There had been bloody |
Indian forays, bloody white reprisals, |
fierce private wars, and even then the |
whole border was in a flame. Forts |
had been pushed eastward even be-
yond Lexington, and 1882 had been |
Kentuckys year of blood Erslline |
pushed on, and eve' grew his hopeless
ness. The British had drawn all the
savages of the Mort west into the war
AS soon as the snow was off the
ground the forays had begun. Horses
were stolen, cabins burned, and wOm-
en- and children We're carried off cap
tive The pioneers had been confined !
to their stOckaded forts, and only
small bands of riflemen sailed out to
patrol the country. Old Jerome San
ders' fort was deserted. Old Jerome
had been killed. Twenty-three widows
were at HarrodSburg filing the claims
of dead husbands, and among them
were Polly Conrad and Honor San
ders. The people were expecting an
attack in great force from the In
dians led by the British. At the Blue
Licks there had been successful am
bush by the Indians and the whites
had lost half their number. among
them many brave men and natural
leaders of the settlements. Captain
Clark was at the mouth of Licking
river and about to set out on an ex-
peditiOn and needed men.
Erskine, sure of a welcome, Joined
him and again rode forth with Clark
through the northern wilderness, and
this time a thousand mounted rifle
men followed them. Clark had been
stirred at last from his lethargy by
the tragedy of the Blue Licks and
this expedition was one of reprisal
and revenge; and it was to be the
last The time was autumn and the
corn was ripe. The triumphant saw
ages rested in their villages unsus-
pecting and unafraid, and Clark fell
upon them like a Ihirlwind. Taken
by surprise, and startled and dis
mayed by such evidence of the quick
rebirth of power in the beaten whites,
the Indians of every village fed at
their approach, and Clark put the
torch not only to cabin and wigwam
but to the fields of standing corn. As
winter was coming on, this would be
SIo rly int 20 fho
savages. j.
Erskine had told the big chief of
his mother, and every man knew the
story and was on guard that she
should come to no harm. A captured
Shawnee told them that the Shaw
nees had got word that the whites
we're coming, and their women and
old men had fed or were fleeing, ALL
except in village he had just left
he paused and pointed toward the
east where few wisps OF smoke were
rising. Erskine turned: do you
know KahtOoT
HE is in that village r
Erskine hesitated: "And the white
wonan-Gray Dover
'She, too, is there"
"And Early Norm
"Yes,' grunted the savage.
what does he sayT' asked Clark.
"There is a white woman and her
daughter in a village, there" said
Erskine, pointing In the direction of
the smoke.
Clark's voice was announcing the
fact to his men. Hastily he selected
twenty. "See that no harm comes to
them," he cried, and dashed forward.
Erskine in advance saw Black Wolf
and few bucks covering the retreat
of some fleeing women. They made a
feeble resistance of volley and they
too turned to fee. A white woman
emerged from a tent and with great
dignity stood, peering with dim eyes.
To Clark's amazement Erskine rushed
forward and took her in his arms. A
moment later Erskine cried:
my sister, where is sheY'
The white wOman's trembling lips
opened, but before she could answer,
harsh, angry voice broke in haught-
lily, and Erskine turned to see Black
Wolf stalking in, a prisoner between
two stalwart woodsmen.
"Early Morn is Black VOLTS
squaw. She is gone" He waved
one hand toward the forest.
The insOlence of the savage angered
Clark, and not understanding what he
said, he asked angrily:
"WhO is this fellOw?"
"He is the husband Of my half-sis-
ter" answered Erskine gravely.
Clark looked dazed and uncompre-
hending:
"And that woman?"
my mother" said Erskine gently.
"GoOd GOdl' breathed Clark. He
turned quickly and waved the open
mOuthed woodsmen away, and Erskine
and his mother were left alone A
feeble voice called from a tent near
by.
"Old Kahtoo! !" said Erskine's moth
er. "He is dying and he talks of
nothing but you-go to himI And
Erskine went. The old man lay
trembling with palsy on a buffalo
robe, but the Incredible spirit in his