White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-06-01
The Red Road
ARosmance Of Braddock's Defeat
I waved my hands for silence and

requested:
will some of you good folks tell
me what she has done besides putting
the snake in the barrel?"
1t was the old man, her uncle, who
enlightened me.
"They say she sent sickness to
Oscar Kluck's white horse" he trem-
ul0usly explained oscar Kluck came
here this morning early and asked me
to pay four pounds for the hurt done
the animal. had no money"
He was a good boss, my white one.
refused four pounds for him." cried
kluck. Nov she's spoiled him-the
id spawn!"
Some one tugged my elbow. 1t was
Cromit. His face was weak from
fear, and his voice trembled as he
whispered:
1--WE been looking at the white
horse. ] know horses. He's old and
oughter be shot. He was never worth
four pounds. -Four shillings would be
nearer" He scuttled back to the
Onondaga. The cripple was speaking.
IF she confesses and promises
never to do 1t again, shall she be left
unharmed?"
LET her say she is a witch and
then leave the valley this day, never
to come back, and she shan't be
whipped" man promised.
"But l can't co." walled the girl.
"Who would take care of my uncle?
The dear God knows would gladly
go and never look toward this place
again If my uncle could go with me !"
"Never mind me, little Elsie. You
must not be whipped" groaned her
uncle.
"Teach the id brat we can break
her spells!" screamed a woman.
"She threatens us With the devils
power! She should be burned and
her ashes scattered at midnight"
loudly declared man in English but
speaking with thick accent.
interposed: Enough. There will
be no burning, nor whipping. She is
scarcely more than girl. You PEG.
pie talk like crazy folks"
"And who be you, mister, to come
to Der Hexenkopf and say what wen
do and what we won't?" woman
fercely demanded of me.
II am recruiting for Braddock's
army. Three pounds sterling to every
man who enlists. fine red coat and
fine new musket. This man beside
me is Balsar Cromit from McDowell's
mill. He has enlisted. My red friend
back there is an Onondaga Indian. He
will bring an ak in his hand If call.
have this rifle, which makes good
club. The young woman shall not
be whipped"
"Horoor! No whippingw yelled
Cromit, and he stretched forth his
half-closed hands and began turning
on his heel in search of any who
might care to argue the point more
intimately.
had no intention of getting into q
rough-and-tumble fight with the set
tiers, so l threw up the rifle and held
them back. While they were hud-
died together the Onondaga let out
war-whoop and came charging up the
hill, bounding high and swinging his
ak. The women screamed and fell
back; the men forgot me to cover the
retreat of the women. l yelled for the
Indian to halt and for the settlers to
listen. When l had secured their at.
tention said:
"Drop back bit and let me talk
with the woman alone. This is no
place for either her or her uncle. Per-
haps it can be arranged for both to
leave this valley"
With much grumbling and many
loud threats they accepted the truce
and retired some distance down the
hill. Cromit and the Onondaga had
no wish to draw closer to the cabin,
so l went to the forlorn couple alone.
The man was seated on log, leaning
forward by resting on his canes, and
breathing heavily. His eyes were bulg-
ing In fashion | did not like. The
girl glared at me, unable to believe !
could be friend, yet puzzled at my
defiance of her neighbors.
"You have nothing to fear from me,
child" told her.
"Child" she bitterly repeated. I'm
an old woman. stopped being a
child when very small. My mother
was pretty. Till they called her a
witch her hair was as brown as mine.
My father went over the mountains.
where no one had been, and never
came back. That was when was a
baby. My uncle lived here with us
and supplied us with meat. Then
they called my mother a witch, and
she died.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)