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Show ; Is the Days ofPoor Richard CHAPTtN X II Contnuio,). S,.!,m.m ,l',,'' 11",,,,un--: '' ', (,( (lie piu'ks un.l im i ti i -1 tln-m .', tried ll ri'los u!.'o tin' Imm-,.irs Imm-,.irs luiilcr l llm day ho hud I vVt'd W "", I" Solomon k , w 3m ! I'1" ".hor I" , (.', i'ivki'1. cuilnltwd Ills iU ,,,,,1 ndjui'd them In li!s belt. T;!,,y n:;iri-.l fr the low -h in.; i 1 . Ik ' ! ,; ! l1"1" ""'' 'f li.'.i. creel.. ' t :u now iiHo ilai'k iiiul Iwkiu; ,!,.n llmll.;ll ''' Ih'.cl.els uf hem i ,'v!l (lev ooi:KI liioli-lit ,.f I'.,. Ii'a'.iaiis tuul hear tli.- wuMi uf the iveV, wator. Siul 'onlv a w IUI whoop-,.. whoop-,.. atMoMi; tin' r'.l nu n. f.mi.-e us (ho j ,.f wolves on (ho lia:l of a ,.,n,,.,t lo-on, lall I'l.v.'inl Iluin. far ,.,( in;i (!u fou'-t. an, I vii! Its echoc-. y, trirH; tro'-u hl!l:op to in.nmtalo. Tli imi oa:no it sunn. I which no v-:l may l'.oar without as Sol- wii was wont to say, "a s.ar en his ..!; lie will carry !.. hi.. i!io ,st o:iV." It was !.,' de:;!h civ of n -Y.o.ivo. Solomon had heard it he-f,,. he-f,,. lie know what It nio.int. Tho t-f was takin; ho!. I an.! Iho smmI.o lc'.in 10 smother liini. Thoe i:.,s w.-sv like !!u' St.ll.lil!'..- .'f !l klllf,' ihe recollection of Ihcai l.ho I.'.. ...: TN'y hurried .low n tin' slant. Imi.'i-In; Imi.'i-In; t!.r.'.:s-!i I he tl.l.k.t. the s.nm.l ,.f tl.elr t!r.'ro;i.'!i beiti,; covered h the a'. :'.i'h:'s er'.es of the 1 . t ; i ; i an,! the i ih'tv.en-Uke tumult ! the ilruiiM ii j t-'.ves. The two m-ouis were ra. I.e.! j u.ta soul pain as they w.-tu .hi s. ,, tU they ivulj n. ar.e'.y lii'l.t their j ;uv an 1 keep their f.vr from rati- r:rc. A i:eiv ser.-io of the e.ipa.-i'v f.r f;! la the hear! of ti:an en'.ere.l the r.'!r..l of Ja.'k. They l.a.l come' clo-o n t!.e fr'.SitfuI scone, wh.-n su,l l. nly t ileep s.lera-e fell uj on It. Thank Gel. the vlethu haJ K'or.e tey.H'.l the reach of pain. So:-.:e-h::i.- h.i.l hi..;-f-T...! In his .!--; erhaj th.e s.iv-e;os s.iv-e;os hjj thonht It a s'jj'.i frvm heaven. heav-en. For a ii-enienl their elanior h:i! j ee.--.'..l. The two s.-o.:'s eo-.;Kl .!a::i!y ! i:e the r.xr nan t.ehir.J a r.-'l e.l rf f.:::-.e. Sn.l !en!y the white lea.Ier ! ' . tf the raUIers i.l pr.vuheJ th.e Are, Jlr.-.r-a; on lis oi.!en tut:if, 1th a r.lrk la hU hail !, n::J r,. ! !e 1 the fSv-e if the v!et::n. I: wm his last tct. S ''o". on was t:ikir. al:n. Ills r.:'e ;-ke. Ur I Sr..-.it ti::::h!.-1 f..r- irJ Ir.lo the tire. Th.-n wha; a s.".:r-ry s.".:r-ry the In lians : They van- K e! an-! so :! h-r.ly th. t Ja- k w.oi-': w.oi-': iere-1 where they hal . :.::. n t: 1 rra-a-!:?.; the ri:l- ! .-. r r. I !ie h.ij :: e:. ; !. Then ! a. I : 'i'. en nn' .In hs I .I-.." S 'lei i'-n r..a i;r.:ll :' -y I n ! r.-r:r. r.-r:r. Th.-n he J.:t: ; e 1 f.-.i:i tr. t.. tree, si.1; : -z a: ea.'h I. :.' en- :.. :1 ;r..i:n 1 ! - r. 1 I:. 'I f r: ? v.; t le c.ilh.' ! '":-v e.., r." F.-.'.rr. 1- '.in I a tr. e r.-: r the t'.re lie t ! in lie Ii.-li.in t. r : "I: 1 ! n. i-i l ave v . !'. (r.- it S; .:it ;.r.y. 1!... h '.s :1 s n .-f the Tl ::r. ler to sh.y yi widi 1.1s No tru-r v.n-!s ha 1 rver I -f r ;!.,. j cf n...n. His l.::r, 1 r. an 1 sn i:r- hi i ': his "shr.-h l-r -i . : raiir 1. The rs::. n ; i 1 iii. ! rhr :.!! the f.-V.;:.i srA -?A it a: 1 sank in;., hi k si .i hv.-.s In th sri-.it cav rn a' Ih k rr ek n fi. i; ra:n:. in j-hiee In tv.e oh! tirr.e. Th. n a f.:.ii '. ul i-e li.-h: nr. 1 a roar ti nt sh i, k the Mi's-A Mi's-A t:tt of cr-.ivel nn-! r ; t : t nr. 1 .l- hrls 5" -t ur.w;:rd ar.'l il.o.vn it; .-n th- f-r-h. Hits f '. n-eic ?r-l -r....l ,-m ! an I"'!.m'? ar:n an 1 fo..i f.o in the ilre-!.-' ". A n::rr.'i r of iI m'sv L'or" s.-i:r-ri-'l re:t of the nionrh of the rnv.-rn sril ran f..r th'-ir lives s!if.-;:ir:- pray-tri pray-tri K. Marj'oii ihey i!:s:i;..-:t-I in :' the Oarkn-ssi. SV.I.m..n .t:!!;. the t:i-- t:i-- "rs from rosiL'J the feet of the vie-'-:n. "Nov. l,y the poor) Co l A'nii'l ty. 'r-ars to me we r"t the sk. r siiif.-.l ,.. E0 re.l rnrin'U he the rahhit for a fhile an- I wouldn't nond'-r." sal I Solomon, ns he sro.nl looking d.o.M: at the s.-t-ne. "II ain't a--.'.. In' to like the look o' a pale fa.-e not over- "-. '-v ""'U'-'Ii. Thern In.h;ns that jot erway H never stop runnin' till they've rea'-hw the middle o' nt-xt week." , He .seized the foot of lied Snout and ei palled his head out of the fire. "lea ol' hellion:" Solomon er?-il er?-il c!nirr.ed. "Tou dog 0" the devil ! Timi-Ji( Timi-Ji( hied Into hell whar ye b'lon at last. didn't ye? Jack, you" take that luther - bucket an' hrin' some warer out o' if3 ,he crk an' put out this fire. The rin2 on this 'ere ol' wooden leg is ; wuth a hundred pounds." Solomon took the hatchet from his hdlt and harked r,ff the end of Tied .-noufa wooden les and put It In his coat pocket, aayin-r from now on a white man can (; 'alk In the bush without gittin' his bor"-s phked. Injuns Is goin' to he f peered o' ua few an' I wouldn't he surprised." - Mien Jack came back with the wa-, wa-, ter Solomon poured It on the embers sud looked at the swollen form which Ml" seempf to be straining at the . wlhes of moose wood. :':' "'othln' kin be done fer him," said the old scout. "He's gone erway. I j. 'e11 je, Jack, it g'ln my soul a sweat .f, to hear hirn dyln'." , A m,rnent of sllen're full of the sor-- sor-- TOw of the two men followed. Sol- omon i broke it by saying: $J -mat 'ere black pill o' mine went jm'1 dWD lmo the ".umrn'ok o' the 11 an' give It quite a puke you hear ; to me." ''ey went to the cavern's mouth .: snU looked la Dy IRVING BACHELLER' t.H.yHil,! ,y ,V, n..,,ollor "I'hev's ,, u.ss h) luu, J 1"',r " It," , Solomon. , 'h-o.n.Tcil wnnlor , " ,'1'"1 ''' -1 out of Hull death l,':""'',,r 'oeLs. He had I V'""1'''1 bounded Mlioul the sh.M.l- ,U'"'' ""'' helped him to his feet '"' ay. lie was t ivinhl In" '" fear. Solomon found , pine l'"vl1' MlU lo.inin,.. near where tl. '"- ' 1'V Us He,,, ,.v d his w.,,,,,,1, M.(,u will, ,1, luas M1U1, sur ri O. ' t , s o lit. hal' ' ""'or eaptheV he nsl.ed 1" the Indian toii-iie. "a.mu a mile ,,.n the trail It's 'i woman and a !.," said the warrior. "Tal.e ns whar they he," Solomon e.Hiiiim n. h-d. 'Iho three started slowly .., the tfa.l. Ihe wi.iai,.,- leading (hem. CH APT C R XVIII Tho Voice of a Woman Soublnj. 'wr the thle and more than n mile away was a wet, wild meadow. Thev r,.,;nd the eow and horses feed ll'-;,' . n Its c,1.:,. near the (rail. The in. ...I., eh. ml. si sin.e dark, had c.ime o-'t In the ch ar mid h, an ens and throw n lis li.-ht lir the hl-h windows of the for.-st iil'.n,. the cneleiit il...r Huhfaro of the Indian. The red guide ef the tw o sr. mis e.ave ii en 1 1 w hi. h was (1ul,-kly answered. A few rod-farther rod-farther on. they saw n pair of old Indians s.ttin- In t . 1 :. n 1. s near a Ihi.ktt of 1,'a.l, tlnil.er. They could I ear the olee of n woman s.ihhin;; Hear where they stood. ''Woniern. ilen't he sheered n' us we're f rl.-n.ls w e'n g..ln' to take ye hutn," said Solomon. I The woman came out of the thicket i it r7-,..':-f v lr'i n lirrie lad of ,'..ar iisi.-.i in h.-r f:n:.s. Wlirr" ! ye 11m-V S"! .nam ah-l "Tar on the shere o' the Mo- ' l.n'.ik." si .- :,r.-w.-red in a v.d.-e treiu-1 treiu-1 I n; wi'li emor m. "V. hat's j it nan.. '-" 'Tin Iliil it's wi'e," she an- sw. red. ! "I'al's I 1 1 and gunpowder 1" Solomon Sol-omon ev '..in: "I'm S.'l I'.inkus." Si e Knelt 1. re the ohl seunt and l:i-ed his hne.-s and could not sn ak f'T rhe f'hne-s of her heart. Solomon 1 h.-r.t o.r and t".d: th" s.c.inr: lad from !.( r arms and held him against his breast. "l'..n't feel lad. We're n-oin' to take k.-er r: yoa." said Solomon. "Ayes, sir, we he! They ain't nobody goin' to harm ye nobody at ail." The re was a note of tenderne.'S in i ti.e v..i'-e of the man as be felt the chin of th? little lad with his big thiii-ib and finger. "I'o ye know what tlmy done with p.ill'r" the woman a.-;ked soon In a pleading voice. The s.o.it sv.arllov.cd as his brain beL'an to work on the problem in hand. "Hill broke loose an' got erway. He's gone." Solomon answered in a sad voice. "Did they torture him?" "What they done I couldn't Jes' rrdl ye. Hut they kin't do no more to him. He's gone." She seemed to sense his meaning and lay crouched upon the ground with her sorrow until Solomon lifted her to her feet and said: T.ooU here, little womern. this don't do no good. I'm goin' to spread my blanket under the pines nn' I want ye to lay down with yer boy an' frit some sleep". We i-'ot a long trip tomorrer. "Taln't so bad as it might he ye're kind o' lucky a'ter all is said an' done," he remarked as he covered the woman and the child. The wounded wurrlor and the old men were not to be found. They had sneaked away Into the hush. Jack and Solomon looked about and the latter called but got no answer. "They're skeered cl'ar down to the toe nails." said Solomon. "They couldn't Stan' it here. A llghtnui thrower Is a few too many. Iheyd ruther be nigh a rattle.-nake." The scouts bad no sleep that ni:dit. They sat down by the trail side leaning lean-ing against a log and lighted their '""Vou 'member Hill Scott?" Solomon Whispered t- . "Yes. Wo hpent u night In Ml home." "He were a mean cuss. Sold ruin to Iho lii.luns I all'.iN tol' him II were w rong hut -my Cod A'nilghly ! I never nev-er 'spooled Unit the lire III Ihe Water were a goin' to burn Mm up Moiuellme. No, sir - 1 lie or dreamed be were a-k"ln' a-k"ln' to be punished mi -never." They lay buck against the log with their one blanket spread and spent Iho night In a kind of half sleep. Ilery Utile sound was "like a kl.de In the ribs," ns S..I. in put ll, ami droe the Into the look and listen business." The woman was ol'len cry-in,' cry-in,' out or the cow' and horses gelling Up to feed. "My son, go to sleep," said Solomon. "1 I' ll je there ain't no danger now not ii bit. I don'l know much bill I know Injuns- plenty." In spile of bis knowledge even Solo-men Solo-men himself could not sleep. A llltlo before (lay light Ihey nrose and began lo stir n I ..in . "1 was badly burnt by that tire," Jack whispered. "Inside 1" Solomon answered. "So w as 1. My soul w ere a sw eat In' all lio-ht." The morning was chilly. They gathered gath-ered blieh hark and dry pine and soon had a lire going. Solomon slide over t" the thicket where the woman and ehihl weie lying and returned In n moment. mo-ment. "'1 he 're sound asleep," be said In ti bov tone. "We'll let 'em alone." He began to make tea and got out the last of their broad and dried meat un.l bacon. He was frying the lalter when he said: . "That 'ere Is n mighty likely woin-crn." woin-crn." Ho turned the bajon with Ids fork and added: "Turrible purty when she vor young. Alius bnted the rum business Jack went nut on the wild meadow and brought In the cow ami milked her. lining n basin and a itiart bottle. Solomon went to the thicket and called : "Mis' Scott 1" The woman nnswered. "Here's a tow'l an' n leitle Jug o soap. Mis' Scott. Ye kin take the boy to the erl.-k an' git washed an' then come to the lire un' eat ver breakfast." break-fast." The boy was a handsome, blond la4 with blue eves and a serious manner. Ills confidence In the protection of Ida mother was sublime. "What's yer name?" Solomon risked, looking up at the lad whom he had lilted high In the air. "Whig Scott," the boy nnswered tlm-Id'y tlm-Id'y with tears In bis eyes. "What! !'.e ye skeered o" me?" These words eame from the little l:.d as be began to cry: "No, sir. I ain't skeer. d. I'm n brave man." "Courage Is the first virtue In whl. h the young are schooled on the frontier." fron-tier." Ja. k wrote in a letter lo his fri.-rvls at home in which lie told of Ihe history of that day. "The words and manner of the boy reminded me of my own childhood. "Solomon held Whig In Ids lap and fed I im and soon won bis confidence, 'i he backs of the hors.-s and the cow were s., ha.llv galled they could not 1 e ridden, hut we were able lo lash the packs over a blanket on one of the hors.-s. We drove the beast.; ahead of us. The Indians had timbered the swabs here and ihere so that we were able to pass them wi;h little trouble, liver tin- worst places I had the boy on my baci; while Solomon carried 'Mis' Scott' In his arms as If she were a bal.y. He was very gentle with her. To him, ns you know, a woman has been a sacred creature since his wdfe died. He seemed to regard the boy as a wonderful kind of plaything. At the camping places he spent every moment mo-ment of his leisure tossing him In the air or rolling on the ground w ith him. "One day when the woman sat by Ihe tire crying, the little lad touched her brow with his hand and said: "'Don't be sheered, mother. I'm brave. I'll take care o' you.' "Solomon came to where I was breaking some dry sticks for the fire and said laughingly, as lie wdped a tear from his cheek with the back of his great right hand: "'Did ye ever see seen a gol' dum cunnin' leetle cricket In yer born days e er?' "Always thereafter he referred to ihe boy as the Little Cricket." Jack wrote in another of his letters' that as they fared along, down toward to-ward the sown lands of the upper Mohawk, Mo-hawk, Solomon began to develop tal-enls tal-enls of which none of Ids friends had entertained the least suspicion. "He lias had a hard life full of fight and peril like most of us who were .ion. in this New World," the young man wrote. "He reminds me of some of the Old Testament heroes, and is not this land we have traversed like the plains of Mature? What a gentle creature he might have been If he hail had a chance! How long. I wonder, must we be slayers of men? As long, I take It, as there are savages sav-ages against whom we must defend ouvaelves." The next morning they met a com-pany com-pany or one of the regiments of General Gen-eral Herkimer who had gone In pursuit pur-suit of Ited Snout and his followers. Learning what had bappend to that evil band and Its leader the soldiers faced about and escorted Solomon and his parry lo Oriskany. (TO 13E CONTINUED.) |