. Our pioneer heroes and their daring deeds . ig bon-anza is an old, rusty case-knife,of which only a portion of the blade remains. The handle is stuckin the auger-hole in which the blade had been partly hidden, andhe patiently saws at the rope about his wrists. Back and forth,until the last fiber gives way; then, his hands once more free, hegrasps the knife, useless for the purpose of thrusting, and withnoiseless step approaches the door, against which leans the sleep-ing guard. The knife is drawn across the sentinels throat, andfrom vein and artery gushes the life-blood. Arraying himselfin t
. Our pioneer heroes and their daring deeds . ig bon-anza is an old, rusty case-knife,of which only a portion of the blade remains. The handle is stuckin the auger-hole in which the blade had been partly hidden, andhe patiently saws at the rope about his wrists. Back and forth,until the last fiber gives way; then, his hands once more free, hegrasps the knife, useless for the purpose of thrusting, and withnoiseless step approaches the door, against which leans the sleep-ing guard. The knife is drawn across the sentinels throat, andfrom vein and artery gushes the life-blood. Arraying himselfin the dead mans uniform, and arming himself with the musketthat has fallen from the lifeless grasp, he makes his way, throughthe darkness and the storm, out of the Confederate lines to Cur-tis camp. But Wild Bill felt that he was too well known in the Confed-erate army west of the Mississippi to make another such attemptanything but suicidal, and though he continued to scout, he pos-itively refused to enter the enemys lines again. We hear of no. KILLING THE SLEEPING SENTINEL. 550 WILD BILL. special adventure until 1864, when Price invaded Missouri thesecond time. Wild Bill was then attached to the command ofGen. Davis, who was only too glad to secure his services. One day in the latter part of July, the scout, weary of long in-action, started out on an independent expedition. Hiding quietlyalong, he came suddenly ujion three men, well-mounted andarmed. Dismount and surrender, cried the three in a breath. Then,seei-ng a momentary hesitation on his part, they put their handsto their pistols, threatening to shoot if he delayed any right hand had hung down beside his horse, unseen by theEebels, who were on his left; it grasped his revolver. Quick asthought he raised it, and they had hardly divined his intentionsbefore two fell dead, the third wounded mortall}. The dyingman, nerving himself to one last effort, pulled the trigger of hispistol, and the bullet whistled past
Size: 1404px × 1780px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjectindiansofnorthamerica, bookyear1887
