| OCR Text |
Show INDIAN DEPREDATIONS 239 MIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII1IIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIMIIIIIMIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIMIIIIIMI1II dian bullet would be far better than a dagger in her own hand, took buckets, and when the barricade had been removed from the back door, while the husband and father stood at guard for them, they ran to the stream, only a rod or two from the south end of the house, and secured water. The opening of the door ( which was hastily bar-ricade again) released a volume of smoke, the water relieved their aching throats and smarting eyes, and with it they finally extinguished the fire. There had been no demonstration whatever from the enemy for nearly an hour; and hoping that the In-dians were really gone began to struggle with the fear of an ambuscade, when Charles came to his parents with a grave proposal that they allow him to run to town and ask for help. They were horrified at jthe bare thought of sending out so young a child to go eight miles on foot, more probably, to be shot down before their yes by their lurking foes. But the boy had the look of one inspired while he urged, " I know I can go and not be shot;" and said he would not follow the wagon road, which wound among the ridges, but would take a straight shoot across the country, which would shorten the way two miles or more. The parents then looked into each other's eyes and agreed without words. ' ' God is with the child, ' ' said the father, and laying his hands on the head of his grave little son, he solemnly blessed him. The mother kissed him just as solemnly, with all the dust and blood upon him. Then they opened the west window looking toward town and the boy sprang through and ran like a deer until lost to sight among the stunted cedars and sagebrush on the hillside. |
