Lee described the order of march that Laban came to me. Lee
said that the women and the children that walked should go first in the
line, following behind the two wagons. Then the men, in single file,
should follow the women. When Laban heard this he came to me, untied the
scalps from his belt, and fastened them to my waist.

"But you ain't killed yet," I protested.

"You bet your life I ain't," he answered lightly.

"I've just reformed, that's all. This scalp-wearin' is a vain thing and
heathen." He stopped a moment as if he had forgotten something, then, as
he turned abruptly on his heel to regain the men of our company, he
called over his shoulder, "Well, so long, Jesse."

I was wondering why he should say good-bye when a white man came riding
into the corral. He said Major Higbee had sent him to tell us to hurry
up, because the Indians might attack at any moment.

So the march began, the two wagons first. Lee kept along with the women
and walking children. Behind us, after waiting until we were a couple of
hundred feet in advance, came our men. As we emerged from the corral we
could see the militia just a short distance away. They were leaning on
their rifles and standing in a long line about six feet apart. As we
passed them I could not help noticing how solemn-faced they were. They
looked like men at a funeral. So did the women notice this, and some of
them began to cry.

I walked right behind my mother. I had chosen this position so that she
would not catch-sight of my scalps. Behind me came the three Demdike
sisters, two of them helping the old mother. I could hear Lee calling
all the time to the men who drove the wagons not to go so fast. A man
that one of the Demdike girls said must be Major Higbee sat on a horse
watching us go by. Not an Indian was in sight.

By the time our men were just abreast of the militia--I had just looked
back to try to see where Jed Dunham was--the thing happened. I heard
Major Higbee cry out in a loud voice, "Do your duty!" All the rifles of
the militia seemed to go off at once, and our men were falling over and
sinking down. All the Demdike women went down at one time. I turned
quickly to see how mother was, and she was down. Right alongside of us,
out of the bushes, came hundreds of Indians, all shooting. I saw the two
Dunlap sisters start on the run across the sand, and took after them, for
whites and Indians were all killing us. And as I ran I saw