ully:

"Well, we've got through one more night without a call from the
Redskins."

"Bang, bang," rang out a volley of rifle shots, fired from the willows
along the river, less than a hundred yards away.

Mr. Holloway fell, fatally shot, and died without a word or a
struggle. As other members of the emigrant party sprang to their feet
and came within view of the assailants, the firing continued, killing
Joe Blevens, Mrs. Callum, and the man whose name is not recalled;
while Bird Lawles, being discovered on his sick bed in a wagon, was
instantly put to death.

Meanwhile Jerry Bush grasped his rifle and joined battle against the
assassins. Thus far the savages remained hidden in the bushes, and
Jerry's shots were fired merely at places where he saw the tall weeds
and willows shaken by the motions of the Indians, therefore he has
never known whether his bullets struck one of the enemy.

While thus fighting alone, for his life and that of his people, he
received a gunshot in his side and fell. Knowing that he was unable to
continue the fight, and, though doubting that he could rise, he
endeavored to shield himself from the bullets and arrows of the Indian
band. He succeeded in dragging himself to the river bank, when,
seizing a willow branch, he lowered himself to the foot of the steep
cliff, some ten feet, reaching the water's edge. He then attempted to
swim to the opposite shore. The effort caused him to lose his gun, in
deep water. Owing to weakness due to his wound, he was unable to cross
the stream.

Jerry Bush's parting view of the camp had revealed the apparent
destruction of his entire party, except himself. Observing the body of
at least one woman, among the victims on the ground, he believed that
his sister also had been slain.

But Mrs. Holloway and the little girl were still in the tent, for the
time unhurt, and just awakened from their morning slumber. Having
realized that the camp was being attacked, Mrs. Holloway emerged from
the tent to find no living member of her party in sight, other than
herself and her child. For a moment she was partially shielded by the
wagons. The first object that drew her attention was her husband's
form, lying still in death, near the fire he had just kindled. Next
beyond was the dead body of Blevens, and a little farther away were
the remains of the others who had been slain. Her brother she did not
see, but supposed he had met the same fate as the others whom she saw
on