Death-Dealer, the Shawnee Scourge; or The Wizard of the Cliffs

by Arthur L. Meserve

With this object in view, he went on for more than a mile from the spot where he had seen the last savage. By this time daylight was breaking, and he felt safe in setting about the work he had in hand. Keeping his eyes about him, he soon caught sight of a noble deer, attempting to flee away before him. Raising his rifle he brought it down before it had taken a dozen leaps; and then reloading his piece, he approached the spot where it had fallen.

To set a fire brightly burning, and to flay the deer, were but the work of a few minutes with him; and in a little while he had a huge slice of it roasting over the coals, the smell of which would have been grateful to any man even if he had not broken his fast for the last twenty-four hours.

All the while he kept a sharp look-out about him for danger. He did not know but the report of his rifle might attract the savages toward the spot, though he felt very sure that those in pursuit of him had long since turned back. But there might be others prowling around in that section, who might seek to find out who it was that had fired the shot.

But no one came to disturb him while he ate his fill of the venison; and when his hunger was satisfied he cut other large slices from the deer, which he proceeded to roast in the same manner he had the other. When he had quite a quantity prepared in this way he made it into a compact parcel, and bestowed it about him, so that he would have something by him to appease his hunger, should he be placed in such a way that it would be next to impossible for him to procure it as he had now done.

It seemed too bad to leave the remainder of the deer there for the wild beasts to feast upon, but there was no help for it. So he consoled himself with the thought, that there were plenty more of its like in the forest, so that none need suffer for the needless waste he had made, and then bethought himself of what was next to be done.

For a little time he hesitated which of two courses to pursue, in the work he had laid out for himself.

It was no slight task as he knew to wrest the captives out of the clutches of Rushing Water, with none but his own arm to aid him.

Yet this he was firmly determined to do.

Many were the conflicts he had had with the red-skins, and as yet he had always come out victorious in the end.

He knew very well that Rushing Water would set out at once for the dwelling-place of his tribe, and he hardly thought that he would pause until he got there, so anxious would he be to place Ruth where there could be no possibility of her escaping him.