The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1924-10-10
CHAPTER xviI-contInued.

one to Jack and put the other two In
his pockets. Each examined his pis
tolls and adjusted them In his belt.
They started for the low-lying ridge
above the little valley of Rock creek.
1t was now quite dark and looking
down through the thickets of hem
lock they could see the freight of
the Indians and hear the wash of the
creek water. Suddenly a wild whoop-
Ing among the red men, savage as the
howl Of wolves on the trail of a
wounded bison, ran beyond them, far
out into the forest, and sent its echoes
travelling from hilltop to mountain
side. Then came a sound which no
man may hear without getting. as Sol
omon was wont to say, "a scar on his
soul which ne will carry beyond the
last cape" 1t was the death cry of
captive. Solomon had heard it be
fore. He knew what II meant. The
IRE was taking hold and the smoke
had begun to smother him. Those
cries were like the stabbing of knife
and the recollection of them like blood
stains.
They hurried down the slant, brush
ing through the thicket, the sound of
their approach being covered by the
appalling cries of the victim and the
demon-like tumult of the drunken
braves. The two scouts were racked
with soul pain as they went on so
that they could scarcely hold their
peace and keep their feet from run
ming. A new sense of the capacity for
evil in the heart Of man entered the |
mind of Jack. They had come close
to the frightful scene, when suddenly |
deep silence fell upon 1t. Thank |
God, the victim had gone beyond the |
reach of pain. Something had hap |
pened in his passing-perhaps the saw
nges had thought 1t a sign from heav-
en-. For moment their clamor had
ceased. The two scouts could plainly
see the poor man behind red veil
of fame. Suddenly the white leader
of the raiders approached the pyre,
limping on his wooden stump. with
stick In his hand. and prodded the
face of the victim. 1t was his last
act. Solomon was taking aim. His
rifle spoke. Red Shout tumbed for
ward into the fire. Then what sour
ry among the Indians They van
ished and so suddenly that Jack won
dered where they had gone. Solomon
stood reloading the rifle barrel he had
Just emptied. Then he said:
Come on an do as l do"
Solomon ran until they had come
near. Then he jumped from tree to
tree, stopping at each long enough to
survey the ground beyond 1t. This
was what he called swapping cover"
From behind a tree near the fire he
shouted in the Indian tongue:
RED men, you have made the Great
Spirit angry. He has sent the son Of
he thunder to STAY you with his
lightning"
No truer words had ever left the
fps of man. His hand rose and swung '
Jack of his shoulder and shot forward. G
rhe round missile sailed through the
freight and beyond 1t and sank into
lack shadows In the great cavern at
Rock creek-a famous camping place
n the old time Then flash of white
ght and roar that shook the hills
| blast of gravel and dust and debris s
hot upward and pelted down upon the
arth. Bits of rock and wood and an o
ndian's arm and foot fell in the fire.
ght. number of dusky figures sour k
led out of the mouth of the cavern f
nd ran for their lives shouting pray b
RS TO Manlron as they disappeared in Fl
he darkness Solomon pulled the EN- h
ers from around the feet of the vic
m. II
Nov, by the good God Almighty 81
'ears to me we got the skeer shifted tC
} the red man'll be the rabbit fer
lille an / wouldn't wonder" said Il
olomon, as he stood looking down cl
/ the scene. HE amt a-goin' to ii
Ike the look o. pale face-not over
much. Them Injuns that got erway B
never stop runnin' till they've pl
'ached the middle o. next week"
He seized the foot of Red Snout and be
llled his head out of the fire.
you oil hellionl" Solomon ex- &c
aimed You dog O. the devil Tum- VIC
ed into hell whar We b'long nj last.
dn't YEP Jack, you take that luther
y
e creek an put out this fire. The HI
1g on this ere OF wooden leg is
nth hundred pounds an
Solomon took the Ratchet from his WI
1t and hacked off the end of Red he
outs wooden leg and put It In his
at pocket, saying: do
From now on q white man can biz
Tx In the bush without gittin' his to
mes picked. Injuns Is goin' to be sic
eered o. us-a few an l wouldn't
surprised" XII
When Jack came back with the wa do
:. Solomon poured 1t on the embers wo
4 looked at the swollen form which
Il seemed to be straining ar the me
zen withes of moose wood. sns
Nothin' kin be done fer him." said AM
old scout. He's gone erway. lat
ye. Jack, it gin my soul sweat
hear him dyIn'." toe
moment of silence full of the sor- cot
IL.