Year: 1872

prisoner as he sprang away Then, with
another fierce wal, ,whoop breaking from
their throats they started in pursuit.


Dicks blood ran cold as he heard the
shouts that rang through the forest; and
well lie knew that if he again fell into
their hands be need expect no mercy, for
they would avenge the death Of their
comrade by the most fiendish of tor
lures.


With only few PAGES the start, he
knew he had not much chance of escape:
but slim as it was, he determined to make
the best possible use of it.


For half mile about the same distance
was kept between them and then,in spite
of all his efforts, they gained upon him,
and he knew that in a few minutes more
he would be in their power, unless he
could manage to deceive them in some
manner, and get them on another track


The part Of the forest he was now in
was very dense, so that only few strsg-
Cling moonbesms found their way
through the tree tops. No Indian was
| yet in sight; though they were scattered
on every side through the forest, trusting
more to tire sense of hearing than follow
ing the trail made. a large tree lay on
the ground before him, and as he passed
the trunk he saw there was cavity sufIl-
eiently large for him to force his body
into it.


This was the hidng.place he sought,
and he at once availed himself of it.
Placing his rife before him, he forced
his way in for distance of perhaps
twenty feet, where he lay perfectly quiet,
though almost afraid the beating of his
heart would betray him TO his enemies.
Hardly was he safely ensconced, when
he heard the footsteps of the Indians as
they hurried by. In q few moments they
had died away; and for the first time
since he had plunged tho knife into the
breast of theasavage, he experienced o
sense of relief.


Still, he knew that he could remain
where he was but few moments, until
assured that they had all passed by, for
ere long they would discover their mis-
take and return to, look, for his trail. He
must emerge. and by striking out III an
opposite direction from that which he
had been pursuing, he hoped to elude
pursuit. =.
Five, ten minutes passed, and Dick
was on the point Of emerging from his
hiding g-place, when he was startled by
the sound of footstep above his head
An Indian was walking along the trunk,
and he could hardly fsil to see the cavity
and the signs he had made in forcing an
entrance to his hi6ing-place.
The.settler again gave way to despair
which was augmented moment after a:
the savage gave shrill hoop to call his
companions. Then he knew, too, thaj
his retreat was discovered; but he lay
perfectly quiet, hoping against his better
Judgment that he might yet succeed in
escaping.


In few moments he knew, by the
sound of feet that the savages were al
together; and he heard consultation
not one word of which he could under
stand; but he was. not long left in sus
pense as to what they had agreed upon
He heard some one ut work at the en-
trance of the trunk, while others were
heaping brushwood above him; and be
knew by this that his hiding place wa;
discovered, and that the savages intended
burning him alive inside the tree.


To describe the terrible agony tina
conyulsed the heart of the settler as ht
became aware of the object Of his enc
mics, is more than our pen can do.


He was not afraid to die; but deatl
by fire is one from which the braves
would shrink There was no chance oi
dying by suffocatiou, for the tree wa:
full of seams that admitted air. No
death would not come to his relic
until the red flames should wrap hi.
body like winding sheet. And thi'
would not be done. Hours must elaps'
before the flames would reach him. Th,
tree was resinous pine, and would burr
Ibriskly for while on the outside: bu
the interior of the trunk was damp and
would not catch so readily. The tortur'
would be only the more prolonged.


Death would come at last, but no
until it had been experienced, as it were
a dozen times by the unhappy man with
lin.


Higher and higher the red flames ros'
as the dry brushweod was heaped tpol
the glowing pile. Like so many spirit
of evil the red demons worked at thei
terrible task. To avenge their comrad
was grimly in their minds; and as th'
minutes went on they listened for SOM
shrek to come from the flames to deligh
their savage hearts. And our friend il
his fiery prison, how bore he the terrible
|ordeal? Already he could feel the heat
and few moments more it would be in
supportable.


i Once he had tried to escape from hi
shell, but found that the aperture hal
been so securely closed up that it wa
impossible. Death by their arrow


would. he thought, have been better tina


BY the flames but this was denied him


Hotter and hotter It became, until h


felt singing on his leg as he lay upo


his side.


A place had burnt through, and no'


the terrible torture had begun. The en-
} was not far away; and, with thoughts G


his wife and children uppermost in hi


breast, lie waited for death.


Higher and higher rose the red fame
as the savages worked steadily for th
death of their victim but it was so fate
. that theirs was to be accomplished frs
A loud report and a volley of bulle,
}, came ringing through the leaves, an


five savages fell to rise no more.
The next moment dozen Of Dick
/ neighbors from the settlement, who ha
been in pursuit all the past Gay an
MIG bit, rushed forward, and an exclam,
) ton of disappointment fell from the
! lips as they saw nothing of the object {
| their search.


At that instant the report Of q. riff
rang out Is il from the eenter o. ii
fire, startling them back apace; but I'll


next moment one of them who had bee
r examining the nnd Of the Tree. that