844

INDIAN TRAGEDIES AND ROMANCES.

march and unflinching hearts. But those who were left behind had no such exhilaration. For them there v7as restlessness, impatience, and fever. " To remain at home and wait amid the pulsations of extreme anxiety   who but woman is equal to the task ?" writes General Howard. There was one lady still at the fort, the newly married wife of Lieutenant Theller. Hard indeed, was it for her to see the fond form, so stalwart, so confident, ride away, leaving her, only one thought burning in her heart   that of his return.

As the little command toiled forward along the eighty miles of mountain trail, let us see what had really been happening. Joseph's band had appeared near Mount Idaho, and on the afternoon of June 13th a party of Indians stealthily advanced to a small cabin on Salmon Biver. This humble structure was the home of Richard Divine, an old man who, for some reason unknown, had forsaken the busy haunts of men and built for himself this lodge in the wilderness, which he occupied alone. Old Divine was quickly killed. It was at sunset, and the ruthless savages made off, leaving his unburied body on the doorstep of his cabin.

From this place the Indians proceeded to the cabin of Henry Elfers, Robert Bland, and Henry Becknoge. These, too, were killed, and their horses taken by the murderers. Samuel Benedict was out looking for his cattle. A bullet was planted in his side. He managed to remount his horse, and the faithful animal bore him at the top of its speed to the cabin where he lived. He had lain there wounded and helpless for an hour or two, when a rude hand burst open his door, and a terrible tomahawk was struck into his skull.

Besides these outrages others, many others, of the settlers, pioneers of civilization, fell victims to their own courage. Mrs. Norton, Hill Norton, Miss Bowers, Joseph Moore, John Chamberlain, with his wife and two children, proprietors of the Cottonwood House, a small frontier inn, learning of the danger from a passing messenger who had started to Lapwai, but had