The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-09-21
CHAPTER vIII-Continued


ing up hide slid 1t into place, re-
naming until l had three skins In
place. would have persisted longer
had she not run out to upbraid me.
scolding like vixen. Then began the
phase Of warfare had been dreading,
the sending OF fire-arrows None hit
the roof; and while they were prepar-
Ing more FIRE | rushed forth and fin-
ished one side of the roof.
The girl scolded me as If had been
hayward child. Her gravity and
seriousness became her prettily. The
little lecture was interrupted by an
other flight of burning arrows. This
time they had the range and we heard
two strike on the roof. Before knew
what she was doing she had stepped
out to observe how her scheme was
working. followed and picked her
up and carried her inside.
anyway. mister. there amt any ar.
rers on the roof" she told me as /
stood her on her feet. points
couldn't git any hold on them skins.
| Just slithered off,"
Between yolleys was the golden
time for work. begged her to keep
under cover and went to finish patch
| ing the south side. This time the f.Ie
was awaiting my appearance and DE-
livered crashing volley the moment
cleared the door. Some Of the lead
whistled unwholesomely close. A voice
shouted loudly and ten Indians, select
ed for their fleetness Of foot, came
racing across the opening. II was
grimly significant that they were
armed with axes only. They were de.
termined to bring the fight to close
quarters. entered the cabin as the
girl began firing from the rear loop
hole.
"Here they come from all direc-
tionsl They mean 1t this timeI" she
cried.
The attack was persisted in until
one brave was hacking the door with
hts ak. 1t is q peculiar fact that with
| them at such close quarters none. of
| their number was m0rtally wounded.
Doubtless we were nervous and bit
confused by the attack being pressed
on three sides while some of them
actually climbed on to the root and
dislodged some of the skins. have
no clear recollection of details.
know we darted from side to side and
discharged the two rifles and the mus
kets. The room was thick with smoke
and recall my fear lest those on the
roof should make an opening and
jump down upon Us.
1t was not until they began to fall
back that | discovered the. girl had
been more calm than |, for she had re-
fused to discharge her pistol.
peered from q loophole and saw them
running for the woods and not a
weapon In the cabin was loaded. One
Of their number had been hit In the
foot and was limping along with two
men helping him. Probably he had
been hit while climbing onto the roof,
his foot coming In range with one of
the loopholes as a musket was dis
| charged.
loaded rapidly to get one of the
three men making of together. but
the moment ! opened the door
warning was shouted from the ,.ader
In the woods and the woundeu man
was dropped In little hollow. his
assistants raced of In different a.
rections. The hollow containing the
wounded man was too slight effec-
tuaily to protect him, and opening the
door sufficiently to accommodate my
| rifie-barrel would have st rred him
up had not the girl thrust her hand
over the flint and at the same time
| pulled me backward | opened my
mouth to rebuke her. but she clapped
hand over my mouth and pointed
toward the room. Then pulling my
ear down to her lips she whispered:
"They didn't all >quit the roof,
mister. heard a little noise mp
there"
nodded and gently closed the door
and barred it and cooked my ear.
She nudged me as the man on the
roof made faint scraping sound.
This was danger had never count.
ed upon. To get at the fellow. neces-
STATED my <ieaviRg the cabin. We
began talking to allay any suspicious
on his part, and the girl said:
"He's moving along to git directly
over the door. We must fool him. !"
Bidding her to move about at the
rear of the cabin and to keep on
talking, stepped to the door and
In the >notches cut insthe logs, so that
one might climb to a crevice under
the caves and scrutinize the opening
before opening the door, gently placed
my feet and pulled myself up until my
eyes were at the crevice. MY head was
close to the roof and as the girl
chartered along I heard the telltale
sound of the savage working his way
down to the caves and directly over
the door.
AS ] was about to descend, was
further rewarded, for, a yhoccasiued
foot dropped down across my narrow
range Of vtsion Tho Indian was sit