Year: 1879

looking at the inside of this / read the
following words rudcly scrawIed there
on with the point of q bullet:


"Injuns air round. I've been hit.
Keep dark. Foller round by Otter
Bluff" III


This confirmed my worst suspicious,
and l hastily turned to obey the injunc-
tions of my wounded friend, when, |
bethought me that had better conceal
some of my effects and secrete the most
valuable of the peltries. Imagine my
surprise when found most of the furs
gone, as we'll as every article of mine,
or, indeed, anything that. would betray
the fact that two men lived i'm the camp.
| did not quite comprehend this maneu-
vre till some time afterwards. | then
quietly crawled through the woods to
the collection of rocks that my friend.
for some fanciful reason of his own,
had chosen to call the Otter Bluff. Ii
was late in the day when l arrived at
the Bluff, and mounted wearily to the
top. looked around for Marston, but
he was nowhere to be seen. Fearing
that he had tainted from the loss OF
blood, | made a careful though cautious
search among the crags and ravines
where man might possibly have drag
ged himself. But could see no sign
of him, and concluded that through
weakness he had not been able to get
there as soon as | had; so / sat myself
down in little thicket of young cedars
that crowned one of the peaks, where |
could see without being seen myself, TO
await his coming. Here crouched till
dark, and still no signs of my comrade.
Tormenting doubts now beset my mind
and | began to fear that Marston had
been captured in his retreat to the Bluff,
or that he had been unable to reach il
from loss of blood; even pictured
him lying among the maple leaves stain
ed with deeper hue than their own
dye, perishing from thirst and faintness.


While debating what course to pur.
sue, perceived bright light mile OF
more off, could scarcely say how far
it might be in the gathering darkness
but as no attempt at concealment was
made, concluded it proceeded either
from Marston, who had outwitted his
enemies, or from those enemies them.
selves, who, in that event, thought
must have captured or killed my poor
friend in spite of his keen woodcraft
as otherwise they would be too wary to
draw on themselves the vengeance OF
the wounded trapper. | immediately
descended from my perch aid cautions.
ly crept along the shaded edge of the
river, keeping well under the over.
hanging branches of the bordering &C.
dars. In This way I must have crcp,
forward for IA full hour, and still the fire
seemed far away. AS | stepped out in
the bend of the river, on The far side Of
which the fire burned with increased
fury, large owl flew from his perch in
an ovcrhanging tree, and silently be.
took himself to safer DISTANCE from
his natural enemy. AS the ill-omened
bird spread mis- soft, noiseless wings &c
the night air, bethought me that, ii
Marston were near, | could communi.
cate my presence to him by initiating
its cry, which had often repeated in
the hut when we lay listening TO the
awakened chorus outside. Placing nv
hand upon my mouth, emitted three
or four of those weird, dismal cries
which were re-echoed by the sombre
woods until the far river bend returned
its ghostly answer.


Hastily looking TO my rifle, and as.
suring myself that the priming was all
right, hurried on silently and Stealth.
ly until within an eighth of a mile OF
the light. When l parted the branches
behind whose shade l had cautiously
advanced, and looked in the direction
of the blaze, | beheld sight that sent
the blood cold and chill back to my
heart. Before me, on the grassy plot
in front of our hut, were seated three
brawny savages, naked, and painted
with black and vermillion stripes, and
two others in similar " costume" were
dancing around young birch tree tc
which was bound hand and foot, poor
Bill Marston!


Iwa;ted to hear no more, hurryins
forward as rapidly as possible from the
nature of the ground and my desire tt
remain unseen, soon came TO the thicl
growth of trees in the midst of which
our hut had been built. There was, O
course, no hut now. Everything wa
destroyed that would have been useless
to our savage foes; the rest most likel,
lying in full view of their miserabl,
owner. on my hands and knees
forced my way silently through th,
thick underwood until within fort,
yards of the hostile circle. This move
ment of course had taken some time
for to break twig or stir leaf woult
have insured my destruction-and wheI
parted the branches before me fount
the two Indians busily piling aroun,
their prisoner materials for fire where
with to roast him. plainly saw. tha
prompt action alone would save Mars
ton, who was cursing the blasted
sneaking, cowardly, red-skinned hea
then," with every variety of oatl
known TO the fraternity-and there ar,
some strange ones.


The three savages that looked oi
were sitting upon a log half buried il
the messy earth, and the idea strucl
me that as my rifle threw bullet will
very great force, if 1 could get them al
in line might kill them at one shot
or at all events, kill one and severel,
wound the other two. Therefore crep
silently back and considerably fnrthe
to the right, where, much TO my graft
iication, l found could draw bead ol
their three heads in a line.


nuu Just Sot liito my new pOslllOl
and was pushing my rifle before m


over log which intended making


rest, when saw a new light spring u


at the pile, and soon the fire formed


bright circle around my doomed friend
AT the same moment the most distan


of the savages arose, and in anothe


moment would doubtless have joine,


the yelling fiends around the fire; bu


with quick glance along the barre


of my trusty rifle sent the bullet fort


on its errand of death. The two paint


ed scrpents on the log fell backward


and the other sprang into the air wit


howl of paip. With maniacal yel


-strategetically followed by Marston-


| rushed forward and leveled one G


the Two hideous imps dancing aroun


the fire, who were taken too much b


surprise TO know whether the attac


was made by one or a score. Th


other with his wounded comrade, fle


affrighted into the woods, while l sea-


tered the burning pile and cut the bond


of my friend. No sooner was he fire
| than ha houuIa1 IN tho lour hahn