Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 1.djvu/479



brutal savages, until her strength was exhausted and she was overpowered. Since the cruel murder of her friend, Mrs. Thatcher, she had felt life a burden. This night she nerved herself to welcome death. Wild with rage at her unyielding resistance, the young savage dragged her out of the tent, seized a club in his mad fury, beat her head again and again, leaving her mangled form by the door. For half an hour her dying moans reached the ears of the terrified girl, Abbie, who was cowering in a corner, now alone in the hands of the savages.

The next morning the Indians cut off the two dark heavy braids of hair from the head of the murdered woman, fastened them to a stick, and followed Abbie, switching her face with them, thus adding to her agony. Hurrying on day after day they reached the James River, where Ashton now stands. Here was an Indian village of about two thousand Sioux and Abbie abandoned all hope of rescue. But powerful friends were at work, spurred on by the urgent entreaties of Mrs. Marble. Major Flandreau had procured Indian goods of great value to tempt them and selected three of the most trusty of the race to proceed with all possible haste to overtake Ink-pa-du-tah’s band. John Other Day led the party and, on the 30th of May, reached the vicinity of the Sioux encampment, secreting the team and wagon. Entering the village he and his men soon learned that there was but one white woman remaining. After three days’ negotiations they succeeded in purchasing Miss Gardner. They took her to St. Paul, delivered her to Governor Medary and received $1,200 for their faithful services in rescuing the last of the surviving captives. The two women who were rescued never recovered from the brutal treatment they endured from the Indians while in captivity. While their lives were spared, their suffering, bodily and mentally, could only end with death. Abbie never saw Mrs. Marble after her release from captivity but found Mr. Thatcher and conveyed to him the last message of his young wife and the