The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-06-24
ur eyes to get the first glimpse of an en-

not play q man part IN the struggle we
expected. But Dicks voice, calm, low,
and with slight drawl in it, reassured me.
e'tNow look here, Alfred, my boy" he
said; 'ff we have to fight, keep cool, and
90 as l tell you. Reach your hand over
here that's right; like to feel you grippe
Ike that. Now, remember to aim steadily,
as though you were winning cup in the
rifle corps at home; and don't show your
self more than you can help, for, though
these beggars have only few muskets and
pistols in the shape of firearms, they can
shoot pretty straight if you stand still
enough for along sight Their great point
viii be to force the door, but we can soon
stop that if You are steady with your shots;
and they can't fire the bricks. Do you see
anything?"
There's something dark on the ground
near the corral" I answered; sit seems
nearer than it was"
''An Indian, sure enough, and the balls
going to commence" As he said this,
Dicks rifle rung out in the silence of the
night, and saw a splinter fly white inthe
moonlight, about a foot above the dark OBJ
| iect, which thereupon started up with
cry. and fed. Then we heard the gallop-
ing of horses, and about one hundred In
dians rode into view, and, breaking into
twos and threes, circled round us within
shot-waving spears and shouting as
though the whole company of fallen angels
had met to lament their change of circum
stances chorally.
aDon't shoot This is all feint" And
my superiors warning came Just in time,
for dusky cloud of men sprung out from
the ditch (how they could have got in
without our having observed them, was
puzzling to me. and rushed, lance in hand,
against the door. Well for us that its
fastenings were secure, and that we had
not been tempted to throw away shots by
the first demonstration. Bangi bangl went
our rifles, and 1 saw witha devilish feeling
of pleasure that the man had covered fell
back with hoarse yell.
'.Don't hurry, but in with your cart
ridges, I heard next; and both fired again
together. This was too much for them
they halted, wayered one moment, and
then disappeared as if by msgic-our rapid
system OF firing having completely discom-
flied them,
"Down with youl" and felt myself pull
ed suddenly under the parapet, in time
to hear the bullets from the cavalry out
side the ditch sing over our heads. $50
far SO good, was Dicks comment. Take
a drop of whisky, and watch the next
move"
The moon was now nearly over, but that
was not so much against us, the night be-
ing clear and starlight enough to see q
man at ten PAGES. We could hear the
trampling of horses feet, and cultural
sounds of talking, and guessed that coun-
Gil of war was being held. Suddenly q
spark appeared about two hundred yards
rom the house-for they had fired our hay
stack-and grew rapidly into flame
Brighter and brighter il became, and litup
the seene-which was one of those men do
not easily forget-as with the glare of the
MONDAY sun.
Grouped round the fame, and out of
range, were our foes-their swarthy skins
and snaky hair glistened in the freight;
and they brandished lances, and screamed
with delight at the destruction they had
caused.
Dogs were barking, and the horses in
the corral neighing shrilly and rearing
with terror-some fighting desperately to
escape.
looked at my companions face; it was
very pale. and the expression decidedly
ugly.
sLookl" he said hoarsely. "Here
comes an ambassador. Good Heavenl
lookr
turned with astonishment; but the sick
ening sight saw fully accounted for Dicks
exeiteme ent and rage.
A nearly naked Indian was boldly ad-
vancing towards US, and bearing before
him burden, which effectually secured,
as he meant it to do, his immunity from
our shots
beautiful white girl of about seventeen
was living helpless in his arms. Her hands
were bound behind her back, and masses
of coal-black hair encircled face showing
deadly terror and horror in every feature,
and dropped nearly to the ground over the
slvages arm. Her dress, torn from one
white shoulder, showed how hard had been
the first Intellectual struggle against her
captors.
As the Indian crossed the ditch (they
had out the rope which held up the draw
bridge In the first attack with his burden,
Dick with deep groan recognized her
at is Rosita, Don Ramon's daughter" he
broke ont 81 love her, Alfred, and will
save her or die with her. Listenr' he con-
tinHed hurriedly. 'This rascal has come
to make some proposal to us. Eeep your
eye on him; and the moment You get fair
/ chance, fire at him. If you kill her, it is
the better fate. When hear the shot, I
will throw open the window (Which can
do mere easily than the door, and try for
rescue. But, for Heavens sake. don't
! leave the roof; cur only hope is in your
being able to keep off the others, who will
rush from the ditch. Goodbye"
And he was down the ladder before I
could speak, leaving his hat cHnningly ad-
justed above the parapet. Poor Dickl all
his coolness and sang-froid had vanished
nowi myself was not in a pleasant predi-
cament. To carry out his half mad scheme
involved my running a terrible risk of
shooting my friends sweetheart, which at
any other time would have appeared i'm
possible; but when 1 read the agony and
/ loathing in the poor girls eyes, 1 braced
my ner, es, set my teeth, laid my rife ready
and inwardly swoTe that no trembling of
Ry hand should mar her deliverance.
And now the savage, trueulent-looking
I brute, raised his voice, and demanded
broken Spanish a surrender. He threaten
ed US with all the tortures his ingenious
fraternity are so justly proud of having
invented, in case of Obstinacy, and bid us
look upon his captive, for that she, too,
should suffer for us. As he said this, he
grasped the girls hair brutaily, and raised
her head, With sudden spring of pain
and fright, she threw herself out his arms,
and fell to the ground. His time and mine
had come. As he stopped, my bullet laid
him dead by the side of his intended VIC
tim. Dick made his rush from the win
dow, and the Indians theirs from the ditch,
as he had predicted; but as Rosita was
rather nearer to the house than the ditch,
he managed to reach her first, and was re-
treating with her IN his arms And now
all depended upon me. My first shot, aim
ed at the foremost of the assailants miss
ed him clean; and before 1 could seize the
other rife, he had made a vicious thrust at
! Dick, who, encumbered as he was, was
quite helpless. The lance passed through
| Rositas dress, luckily without injury to
the wearer; and as the savage drew back
for cooler and surer thrust, had the in
expressible pleasure of lodging bullet in
his body, which effectually prevented any
further lanee-exercise from him.
Then heard heavy fall in the room
below; Dick had thrown his burden clean
through the open window, at the risk of
breaking limb, and turning, found him
self engaged hand TO hand with dozen In
dams. He set his back against the wall,
and drew his revolver with his right hand,
receiving as he did SO a spear-thrust
through his left arm; but his and my re-
yolver, fortunately reserved until now play
ed among the attacking party, and man
was dropping at every shot; 30 they drew