that broke
upon the stillness of the night. The moon's beams penetrated into the
valley; the argent rays shedding a soft and subdued light, as they
pierced the mist that was rising from the river. I knew that death was
our portion, but little did I dream that on such scenes such awful morn
should rise.

CHAPTER VI.

THE TORTURE.

Another morning dawned; again we were brought forth, and from the
information gained from the old trapper, I knew that our time for action
had come. Lying in a group on the green sward, we watched the movements
of our enemies with painful interest. Our hands and feet were bound, but
we were not otherwise secured, and were therefore enabled to sit up and
look around us; we saw that the Indians were divested of every
superfluous article of dress or ornament, that their movements might be
light and unimpeded. We saw them enter the woods and return with clubs
freshly cut from the trees, an ominous indication of the fate in store
for us. To the number of several hundred the savages had gathered upon
the plain, and were arranging the preliminaries for their fiendish
sport. We watched their preparations with a peculiar interest; at length
all seemed in readiness--two rows of Indians stretched along the plain
for a distance of about three hundred yards--all were armed with clubs,
and stood facing each other; an interval of three or four paces
separating the ranks. Between these lines we had to run and receive
blows in passing, from all who were quick enough to hit us. We were told
that if any of our number achieved the apparently impossible feat of
passing the entire line, and could reach the foot of the cliff without
being overtaken that our lives would be spared. I asked the old trapper
if he believed this. "Not by a durn sight," was his reply; "its all a
cussed injun lie, just to make us do our puttiest; they'll roast us all
the same, blast 'em." I was satisfied that the promise was of no value,
even if they should adhere to it; for the fleetest runner could never
pass the lines.

Several of the warriors now approached us, and untied one of the
Mexicans; he was to run first. Although an athletic and active specimen
of his race, he was quickly disposed of; running barely ten paces before
he was stretched senseless, and brought back helpless and bleeding,
while the air resounded with the wild yells of the savage bystanders.
Three of the other captives soon met the same fate, and then it