The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-10-10

AnOSI men
The watches for the night were there
upon arranged, Glendy taking post for the
first hour, while Mapes was to go on guard
at three in the morning.
The moon went down early in the night,
but there was bright starlight, and when
Mapes shouldered his rife to watch, faint
streaks of coming day were already visible
IN the eastern horizon. His inseparable
companion; Hector, was at his side. First
he examined the wagon at which couple
OF mules were munching corn, then he vis-
tied the horses and stopped down and felt
the iron picket pins.
Satisfied that everything we correct, he
walked to the smoldering fire in front of
the tent and set down upon the end of
log, Hector crouching at his feet. He had
scarcely taken his seat when a low whistle,
like the note of curlew, struck his ear.
Mapes was an old Texan hunter. Nom man
knew better the stratagems of the Indian
| than he. There was no bird would utter
such cry to be found in that locality. He
, started to his feet, and the hound at the
same moment sprang in front of him with
|
Mspes was in the tent waking his sleeping
companions.
"Quick, quick we haven't moment to
lose," he cried.
Rifle in hand, the inmates of the tent
sprang from their repose just in time to
| hear their terrified horses (cut loose by the
creeping Indians) madly dash across the
prairie. The whole party made rush for
the wagon, intending to fight under that
cover. For the next half hour all was qui-
ct; but as daylight dawned twenty Indi-
ans, mounted on ponies which had their
tails tied up IAN unfailing sign that they
! were ON the war-path), were observed about
| a mile to the eastward.
SIN for it now," said Mapes, looking at
Bob Glendy. 81 reckon you have some
| faith in the hound after alI.''
There's only twenty of them," answer
ed Glendy.
"I know it," replied Mapes in his quiet
way. "Tis not the first time I've had
this thing to do. l feel mad about the loss
! of our horses, and want the fight to begin
at once. I'll step out rs a skirmisher and
! draw thcm.''
'fNo OCCASION cried Enoch Stiles, E'for
here they come like very DEVILS
/ "Now, boys" said Mapes, 'every man
pick out his game"
The Indians came at full dash until
within range, when they opened fire with
rifles, while the whizz of arrows proclaimed
they were not all provided with firearms
The Texans returned the fire, but unfor-
| tunately without success, and the Indians
deployed according TO their customary
mode.
"Aha!' CALCULATED Afapes, picking up
AZ arrow from under the wagon and in
tently examining it. ''My old enemies,
the Apaches. Well, I'll try and wipe out
old scores to-day. Hec., you know some
thing about these devils, don't you?'' he
! continued, addressing the hound. ''You
haven't forgot the arrow they put in your
| paw, have you?''
A desultoTy firing now commenced on
both sides, which was kept up for the space
a charge.
Robert Glendy and Thomas Smith fell
dead, and the Indians almost got posses
sion of the wagon. Stimulated by their
success, they repeated the charge, and were
stubbornly met by the fire Of the three de-
termined men. Poor Hector was the only
victim, a half dozen arrows went thro'
his trusty heart and with Il few convulsive
luivers, he stiffened out his form in death.
1t was an awful place to utter profanity,
but Albert Mapes swore terrible oath, as
he laid his hand caressingly on the body of
his old companion.
Up to this moment no Indian had been
killed outright, though it was evident that
one or more were wounded, for the savages
gathered in group, many of them dis
mounting.
"We'll pass in our checks if we remain
here" said Mapes, sternly grounding the
butt of his rife and gazing at the savages.
81 think there's mighty little doubt that
we'll follow poor Bob and Tom. But we
have got to die some time and man can't
do so better than defending his life but
it's hard to be wiped out of existence by
a set of thieving Apaches That's the only
thing that has sting in it for me. Now,
if we could only reach Ranchero Creek, we
might fall in with the troops that are scout
ing in that vicinity. Suppose we take the
mules and try it. It's poor show for sue
cess, boys, as two of us will have to back
one mule and it's not likely We'll have a
pleasant journey"
The proposition of Mapes was at once
adopted. and for some unexplained reason
the savages followed close in the rear of
the party, but never fired shot until they
came within sight of the creek. They now
were within nine miles of Fort Lincoln.
Their spirits, however, fell when with eager
ewes they peered over the country and saw
nothing but dense tbickets and numerous
Indian trails. They were now in the most
dannerons nart of the country region