“Some tracks thar certain, but the wind has swept ’em so ye can’t tell ef they belong to man or beast.”
“Let us walk through the forest and look at the other side of the place,” said James Morris, and this was done. Try their best they could see nobody, and from the branches of a tree Tony Jadwin announced that the door to the main building stood wide open.
“Then it’s empty,” said Pomeroy. “Because, if anybuddy war thar, they’d shet it in sech weather as this.”
At last James Morris concluded to venture through the gate, and did so, gun in hand, and followed by the others. A look around the broad grounds revealed nobody, and with a heart that beat strangely, the trader advanced toward the main building.
“Ho! Within there!” he called out, sharply.
He waited, but there was no answer, nor did anybody appear.
“Reckon we’ve got it all to ourselves,” said Pomeroy. “Either Bevoir an’ his crowd ain’t got here yit, or else they are out on a hunt, or somethin’ else.”
“I’ll soon make sure,” said Tony Jadwin, and entered the main building, and James Morris followed him. It was rather dark within, and for the moment they could see next to nothing. Jadwin walked to one side of the room, while the trader stepped to the doorway of the next room. In the meanwhile Pomeroy entered also, leaving only Peaceful Jones outside.
It was then that the scene changed as if by magic. From several places of concealment Jean Bevoir, Benoit Vascal, and a number of Indians under Moon Eye leaped forth and fell upon the three newcomers. James Morris was sent flat on the floor, face downward, so that he could not use his gun, and Tony Jadwin received a blow from a club that stretched him lifeless. Two Indians pounced upon Pomeroy, who uttered a loud cry for assistance. A moment later a tomahawk split Pomeroy’s skull in twain, killing him instantly.
Peaceful Jones ran forward and was just in time to see Pomeroy go down, with the hatchet still sticking in his head. He fired at one of the Indians, shooting him through the heart. Then a rifle rang out within the building, and Peaceful Jones felt a bullet graze his shoulder.