the ground. Jerry was an experienced hunter; she knew that he
always owned a fine gun, and had full confidence that, if he were
alive and not disabled, he would defend his people to the last.

[Illustration: "With hand upraised, in supplication, yielded to the
impulse to flee"]

She saw some of the Indians coming from their ambush by the river.
They approached for a time with caution, looking furtively about, as
if to be sure there was no man left to defend the camp. As they drew
nearer Mrs. Holloway realized that she and her child were facing an
awful fate--death or captivity. On came the savages, now more boldly,
and in greater numbers.

The terrified woman, clothed only in her night robe, barefooted; not
knowing whether to take flight or stand and plead for mercy; with the
child on one arm, one hand raised in supplication, yielded finally to
the impulse to flee. As she started the attacking band resumed firing;
she was struck, by arrows and at least one bullet, and dropped
headlong to the ground.

Though conscious, she remained motionless, in the hope that, by
feigning death she might escape further wounds and torture. But the
Indians came, and taking the arrows from her body, punctured her flesh
with the jagged instruments, as a test whether physical sensation
would disclose a sign of life remaining. She lay with eyes closed; not
a muscle twitched nor a finger moved, while those demons proceeded, in
no delicate manner, to cut the skin around the head at the edge of the
hair, then tear the scalp from the skull, leaving the bare and
bleeding head on the ground.

Horrible as all this was, it did not prove to be the last nor the most
revolting exhibition of wanton lust for blood.

The little girl, who it is hoped had been rendered insensible at sight
of the cruelties perpetrated upon her mother, was taken by the feet
and her brains dashed out on the wheels of a wagon. To this last act
in the fiendish drama there was probably no witness other than the
actors in it; but the child's body, mangled too terribly for
description, and the bloody marks on the wagon, gave evidence so
convincing that there could not be a moment's doubt of what had
occurred.

The marauders now began a general looting of the wagons. Some of their
number were rounding up the stock, preparing to drive the cattle away,
when the trains of emigrants next in the rear appeared, less than half
a mile distant. This caused the Indian band to retreat