Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1868-10-24

can, and that is saying a great DEAL
The best man has his hour to 60 under
and l wouldn't be bit surprised if
Bills bell had rung tonight"
The pale crimson light was becoming
brighter each moment, and as we ap.
preached nearer we could almost see
the lurid flames. Then pack of SER
enading coyotes came bowling towards
us, as if in great fright, but discovering
an enemy in front, they set off towards
the bluffs their yelping dying out in the
distance. As We neared the spot where
Singleton resided, We could plainly see
the flames. Then the SQUAD of voices
fell upon our ears. First, there was
the yelling of the savages; then came
Bills voice, and the shrieks of wo-
man were plainly distinguished.
How large force we would be COM
pelled to encounter, I don't think any
one of our party stopped to calculate
Bill was there, and no doubt was fight
ing single handed with his foes. If be
could stand alone for single instant,
surely we might reasonably hope for sue.
cess. And SO our horses went crashing
throngh the icy ernst up to the very
cottage, which was now one mass of
lurid fame.
BY the time we reached it, however,
the yells of the savages had died out in
the distance, and near us all was silent,
save the bowling of the tempest. But
a-horrible sight was presented to our
view. At first we saw human figure
struggling in the very midst of the fire.
Then he appeared at the door, ran a
short distance and fell upon the snow.
As we bent over him, we saw that it
was poor Jack Singleton. The scalp
had been taken from his head, and
streams of blood dripped down over his
clothing. He made an effort to speak,
and although his lips moved, and a
sound escaped them, those sounds were
not formed into words, and SO be died,
without giving any further explanation
than simply casting his eyes towards
the west, and extending his hand in
that direction.
At that moment the mare, Nell, came
dashing up, but she was riderless. From
this fact we knew that Bill was not far
off, but we were inclined to believe that
be had been killed. This did not prove
to be the case, however, for he appeared
before us soon after, covered with blood,
and scarcely recognizable. In answer to
a dozen questions propounded in single
breath, he said "The red devils were
at work when l arrived. did my best
but it wasn't of much use, for they
were too many for me-" elbow many
did they number?'' was asked. At
first, not less than twenty. But there
are not so many Of them now, for l saw
not less than half dozen 60 down.
But blow on the head sent me into
dreamland for short time, although
am as good as new again, and am ready
for more work."
| "What has become of Mrs. Single
ton and her child?"
81 don't know. There is poor Jack,
dead, and--yes, 1 do know. Bloody
Ryan led that fendish band, and he s
carried the woman off. Nothing is more
certain than that, and the baby is with
her. The dogs were not mounted, and
so won't travel very fast or far o.night.
They probably took Nell with them,
but the beast didn't like their company,
and SO she broke away and came back
to me. Now am for following up the
6euds and" Bill stopped suddenly
in his speech, and iu an instant after
saw him spring forward. Then heard
suppressed cry, the sound of strug.
gling and again the man returned to us,
dragging along the body of a savage,
and clutching huge knife which was
dripping with blood. As he threw the
red-skin at our feet, he exclaimed:
"If l hadn't killed the dog, be d
have given the alarm by one of his in-
fernal howls, and l don't want them
devils to know that we are on their trail
Come, let US mount and be off, we can
catch them before morning"
i Without word in opposition to the
movement we leaped into our saddles,
and as Bill gained Nell's back, he said
Boys, keep straight up the Platte
along the main road. | will ride lit
tie ahead, and when l find where the
devils quarter for the night, I'll come
back and let you know. We nustn t
get too near them with our horses, for
the breaking of the crust would give
the alarm, and then we would have a
hot chase" The man didn't wait to
receive any reply, but dashed of
We continued our ride for an hour,
when Bill suddenly reappeared, and We
asked in one voice: "Well, what Of the
Indians?"
Bill spoke rapidly and excitedly, as
he replied: "We've got the devils in a
trap-just where we want them. They
have stopped at Jones' ranch, killed all
the men on the place, and bound the
women. The sight was horrible one.
The floor of the rancho is red with
blood, and the maDgled bodies are
stretched out in sight of the women
and children. The little ones are cry
ing in their fright, the mothers look
half dead, while the bloody demons are
at work with the whisky. We will
soon dismount SO that they won't dis
cover US, and by the time we reach the
rancho they will be drunk. Well
make short work of the internal hell