Year: 1873

upon either hand, bold, rugged cliffs
that lift their SUBMITS 500 and 1000
feet, as the case may be, above the
stream, there lived in earlier times
settler by the name of Rufus Bronson,
who, with his wife and child, a charm
ing little girl of some eight or nine
years of age, occupied the rude cabin
at the base of the precipice, little
back from the river. -.-....


Although greatly exposed to danger,
the Indians at that time being very
plentiful throughout the region-he
managed to live quietly for several
years. 3lt


The Indians visited the rude home
of the hunter, and being always well
coined and provided with such food as
there might be in the larder, they
maintained friendly attitude.


Especially were they fond of the
child Maggie, and more than one fierce
warrior had been sitting on the grass
in front Of the cabin, listening to the
childish prattle of the little one, or
else engaged in making it some toy or
plaything from the willow twig or pill
ant bark.


In this manner several years had
been past, and Rufe Bronson came to
feel as secure as though he was within
the walls of frontier fort.


One evening, Bronson and his wife
were seated near the doorway, when
suddenly shadow fell across the
Threshold, and the next moment, 4
tall savage, whose reeling step and
bloodshot eyes told that he was intox-
icated, came staggering up to the log
steps and threw himself upon them.


His first demand was fer fire water,
, which of course was refused on the
plea that there was none in the house.


The Indian became cross and ugly,
swearing with terrible oaths that if
the liquor was not produced he would
murder the whole household. Bron
son was brave, determined man, and
although he dreaded the necessity, yet
he saw he would be csmpelled to take
prompt steps to prevent the savage
from executing his threats.


Waiting until the warrior had made
a demonstration, which he soon did by
attempting to draw his tomhawk, Bron-
son sprung upon him and knocked
him down with blow from his fist,
and then quietly disarmed and bound
him where he lay; after few mo-
ments of furious rawlings and futile eff.
forts to free himself, the savage rolled
over and sunk into a drunken slum-
Der.


He did not wake until the next
morning, but before he did so the set
tier had quietly removed his bonds
and restored the weapon, which he
laid by the sleeper's side.


The savage, on awaking, rose slow
| ly to his feet, felt his wrists as though
the thongs had left feeling there
took up his weapon, aud without
speaking word, left and disappeared
in the timber near by.


"What do You think of thate" ask
ed the wife, turning to her husband
with scared look.


"Pshaw Don't trouble your head
about the drunken BRUTE" answered
the settler, lightly, but as he turned
away and stepped into the yard he
muttered, Like it2 well not much
The fellow must be watched. l was
in hopes that he would not have re
membered, but that lump where my
fist landed was enough, if nothing
else, to recall the circumstances"
| tIha en- N, nor. t,acSa1 atuou and fhax
saw no more of the drunken guest
He failed to make his appearance
But as the leaves began to fall, thu
settler, one day, while returning from
hunting on the hills, and passing
through dense piece of timber no
far from the house, caught GLIMPSE
of figure lurking among the bushes
but quickly disappearing when he ad
vanced towards where it was. Th
figure was that of an Indian warrior
and Rufe Bronson would have sworl
that he was the Indian whom h
had knocked down and bound the pre-
vious summer. The knowledge was il
no way comforting, and hence b
would not tell his wife Of the discove
ry he had made.


, 1t would only alarm her, without
perhaps, any good results. He simpl


told her he had discovered bear track
near by, and that she and her chill
p must stay within, or close the hous
l when he was absent.


, Several days afterward Rufe Bron
: son heard his dogs in the timber dow
4 by the river, and knowing they neve
: opened without good cause, he caugh
! up his rifle, and fastened to wher
$ they were barking. They had struc
= a fresh bear track, and as he arrive
In sipht they fairlY lifted it. going 0