Des Arc weekly citizen., 1868-05-30

force opposed to them to atoms. "Mount! Steady now! Let them have it! It's life or death now!" said Lam man.
 Rosa Murray held her white hands before her eyes to shut out the terrible spectacle.
 She heard the deafening yeils of the savages on both sides, the grating of lances, the twang of bow-strings,. the ringing of rifles and nistols-all the confused uproar of the combat, now hand to hand, till suddenly she felt herself rudely torn from her horse, and found that she was in the bloody grasp of a Comanche warrior.
 She screamed wildly for help, but her father and brother had been forced some yards away, and heard her not.
 Suddenly, as her shriek died on her lips, her captor reeled and fell to the earth with his burden, and Rosa was faintly conscious of tall form stand ing over her and swinging clubbed rife among the pennoned lances that were aimed at him and at her.
 She caught a glance of the gloomy face of Lanman, now frightened by a strange, fierce light, and almost smil- ing, but even as she did so paleness came over it, and her defender stag gered and fell.
 Rosa sprang to her feet and bounded to his side just as chorus of different sounds was added to the hubbub.
 Even in that medley of terrible sounds the quick ears of the wounded man caught the clear, penetrating notes of a cavalry bugle, and he opea- cd his dim eyes upon the fair face that bent above him, and murmnred:
 AThey have come! You are saved. have found the death l wantcd!"
 With these words he seemed to have fainted, but Rosa had half raised him in her arms, and he could not fall again.
 Sabre and carbine had made quick work of the savage foe, already pre- pairing for retreat when the charge, sooner than expected, came laundering in upon them, and the baffled Conan ches were scurryiDg in wild haste across the prairie.
 Harry Murray and. his father were both wounded, though not badly. Poor Caesar, the gallant black cook, had met his fate at the lance-points of the enemy, fighting like a freeman.
 The Lipan warriors had suffered se- .velely; and Joe, in spite of his agility, was covered witk ugly cuts-
 "My daughter! Where is my dsugh- ter r franticallyexclaimed Mir. Murray as he rushed hither and thither among the confused and mingled crowd.
 "IIerc I am, father," said the silvery voice of Rosa. "I'm not hurt, but, oh, look here!"
 In his joy at finding her, the old gen tleman scarcely noticed poor Lanman, though Haray was trying to staunch his wounds, when Major Cross, the of fictr in command of the cavalry, rode up, and bending over in his saddle, gazed earnestly in the face of the wounded man.
 s'Charlie-! as ! liye." growied the veteran. "This is too bad! I hope upon my soul, that he is not killed!"
 Other officers came crowding around as they heard the exclamation of their leader, and among them was the sur geon of the post, who quickly made a careful examination of the many hurts through which the strength of that splendid form had cbbed away.
 ''Pretty well cut up,' coolly remark ed the surgeon; but with care he'll do well enoagh. We must get him to the fort.T
 The restoratives previously applied had begun to have their effect, and the last words of the surgeon reached the dull ears of his patient as he slowly awakened from his death-like swoon.
 "No, will not go to the fort; l would rather die!"
 He gasped, and a shudder passed through his frame as his eyes fell on thc blue uniforms.
 "Not so bad as that, Charlie" said the Major, cheerily. "Wake up mo- ment, my man, and hear some good news.S
 "News? What ncws?'
 Ana Lanman seemed for moment more awake.
 "Why, I've got copy of the rcsolu- tiens of Congress, ana the War De partment order at my quarters. You are honorably restored, my old friend --full rank, reputation and back pay. Your uncle, the Senator, made bully old speech on it, tell you" | No answer came; the news had been too much ter him, and he had fainted again.
 When he once more came to himselt fhere was new light in his eyes ana { smile upon his lips, though he vainly tried to rise without aid, murmuring as he did SO:
 1Rosa-Miss Murrayp
 .What is it, my friend? am here And a white hand, still spotted witt his own blood, shed in her defense was laid warmly on her own.
 '.I have something to live for now Forgive rae fer speaking harshlyi" Perhaps nothing but the surroundin; I.ciroumstanoes prevented Rosa Murra. from obeying her impulse to tell he prisoner how very enthusiastically sh