Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-06-23
Sels.ifo .l:lsteiIaEp.
A NIGHT ATTACH.

invested in a league of land, bought Tor an
old song on account OF its defective title
Git was claimed, with some thousands be-
sides, by the Pampa Indians, who made
entry upon it-gave notice TO quit by
brandishlng lances at us-and levied n dis
tress upon our horses, and upon us too, IN
the most European and legal manner0 also
in few sheep, having the lathy appear
ance, and almost the speed of greyhounds;
and lastly in the materials for our house,
of which, as we had ourselves been the
architects, builders, and clerks ofthe work,
We were not little proud, II was built of
sun-baked bricks, and consisted of one
tolerably large room, with n fiat roof and
parapet. accessible from the inside by
means of a ladder Around ii, at about
thirty wards distance, we had dug deep
dry ditch, crossed by a drawbridge, and
intended as protection against surprise
by our enterpr.sing neighbors the Indians.
The latter dusky gentlemen had hitherto
behaved themselves very much as such,
and had confined their throat-cutting pro-
pensitiss to certain stray sheep, instead of
gratifying them at the expense OF the OWL
ers. Bat ugly tales were still told of their
doings round about us-of white men ta-
ken whilst riding In sight of home, and
tortured; Of cattle driven of, and sheep
speared In very wantonness of mischief
which were not reassurIng, and which
caused Us to keep particularly sharp look
out especially when, as now, the Indian
moon (their favOrite time of attack gave
light enough to point the way to plunder,
but not to guide the aim OF the defenders
Dick Merton, changed indeed since the
days when his word was law among Sc
Iect circle of Pail Mall dandies, lOunged up
to where was standing. His costume was
simple in the extreme, and consisted mere
ly of sufficiently aged pair of leather un-
mentionables, and "A red flannel shirt the
whole being surmounted and relieved by a
very long black beard, anda very short but
equally black pipe; but through rough at
tire and surroundings, the indetinable Je
me- sais qlaOi of gentilIty was as clearly re-
coonizable as when he Was sowing his rath-
er extensive crop of wild oats, upon home
soil. and before that memorable Derby
which induced him, after settling with
duns of every description, from fashion,
able tradesman to .hononble' veiehers,
to embark himself and the leavings of his
property. and dwell among sheep and saw
ages. until he could return with fresh grist
to carry on the civilized mill
s.Can you see anything stirring IN the
camp" said he rs he came up. ''Those
horses are making confounded row IN the
corral / saw Johnson the Yankee this
morning. and he said that Indians had
crossed the river; aud he guessed we'd oet-
ter keep our wits well lied. that the dusky
var,nin didn't look III when We warn't ready
for visitors"
Now. horses were oar surest safeguards
against surprise. Dogs We had too, but
they reused us up so frequently by barking
I. |.
deer or fox, that reminded of the gentle
man whose amusement 1t was 10 cry
..Wolfr'-we lost all faith in them; bat
our little, half-wiid PamPa horses had a
.ruer instinct, and their warnings. given
by stamping upon the groniid, were not u
be disregarded with safety
II can make out some objects moving
about half a Iiiie to tine southwark, saId
/. after a long look out on the plains.
..Thev are mounted men, by Jove!' ex
claimed my companion; ''and riding harC
this way too.-Sttnd here with your IIhe
Alfred. While | slip cartridges into the 9th
ers. At that pace they will be here direct
And so they were. Almost before Die
had reached my side again. two "Guach
os." their usually swartby faces iivid will
fear. sprung from their horses, which, GOV
cred with blood, sweat. and foam, showeC
how sharp had been the ride. ana rushed
over the dTawbridge. They told us, a
soon as terror would allow them. that thre'
hundred Indians were in hot pursuit, an,
would soon be on the spot, and besough
us. for the love of the Virgin, To give then
shelter, as to ride out again into The cam
upon their foundered horses would be Ger
tain death
Dick. rather to my surprise, for / di,
not then know what distinguished liar
the natives AZ rule are. calmly lit hi
pipe. and then ordered our visitors. IN
somewhat doubtful Spanish idiOm, t
"make themselves scarce.
s.Unless," le ;aId politely, ''you can tel
a plain tale. ssnC res, without lies, uaBsoS
(be of, } 'san0 Il. IS" (God be with you.)
Upon this &c learned, after much cross
questioning, that they had been to bu
horses (.sro steal them, more likely" IL
terlected Dick at the station of ric
Spaniard. Don Ramon Garcia, who live
about four leagues from us; and that whe
they reached the top of a gentle rise in tn
ground. and had 4 view of the house, the
had seen, to their horror and dismay,
large body of the dreaded Indians, vh
were attacking-.or they heard shots-Do
Ramon's estGacid.
..Whereupon," sid the spokesman, wit
teeth chattering ''Ne rode hard to yoJ
abode, well knowing hat the brave Eng
lishmen would not deliver us up, but Il
us mount your fleetest horses, senores, an
ride for life Soon they will be here an
who can withstand the fierce brduOs,
..If this be true" said Dick, turning
me-..and beiis-vs II Is. for these cowars
ly seoundrels' faces are proof that the
have seen sOmeihinQ-the sooner we eprepal
to fight the better. OF course, they wei
not attacking lannon's place; he has a TO
strong enough 10 resist a thousand ofthen
and plenty of meu and arms as we'll Mo
likely, they made a dash to carry of an
one who might be strolling at A distant
from the house, or to drive off che horse
and it's equally likely that We shall ha'
them here soon, where there's better cham
for a night attack. In any event, we mu
be prepared for them Naturally, we Cal
run away, and leave all we have IN the wor
to be destroyed, as these valiant gentlem'
propose.
NV chum's calmness infused confiden
into me, and though dreadfGlly nervous
for it was my first fight. and kind of /
ternal fiuttering sensation warned me tbs
like Viola, lacked something OF a ma
Il set about our ffeparhtlons Will So'
show of self-possession-
The natives both the late arrivals al
our own two men, Who had often boast'
of what they meant To do and had alrea,
done in he way of lighting Indians- we
quite useless They besought Us Wteor
ly to flee, and so hampered us that Diel
patience evaporated, and having lavish
series Of hearty kicks among them,
consigned them forcibly to neither a
more suItry regions, kindly offering hors
for that or any other journey they mig
wish to make. They dare not. howey'
ride away even from the coming dang
and presently. 10 our great relief and Z
hohf, wo saw them &c. s:abie through I
ditch, and into our SOLITARY field of maiz
where. as We learned afterwards. they
concealed, with their faces buried in
ground, like ostriehes, until the stol
should blow over.
Our preparations were very simple
box of cartridges was opened tfor we WI
provided with those inestimable peace
Il -r1Aool