The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-02-13
CHAPTER XL
- - IAws or prArn.

tSTO InE JAWS OF DEATH.
That night-that Is the night OF that
day on which Major Floyd was securing
the desert for Indians-Judith Miles was
plunged "into the mouth of HE'LL" as
she had so long dreaded being.
All that the sweet and healthful in
huencs Of nature could do TO heal her
spirit and strengthen her physical
frame had been done. Their winter
camp had been made in the beautiful
valley of San Bernardino county, not
far from the town of that name, and
Judith had found much that was pleas
ant in her surroundings, even a few
agreeable acquaintances; so that, could
she have rested there forever, she would
have felt reconciled. They also had the
good fortune, as Judith esteemed it, TO
fall in with two families going back to
Texas, like Observation-Disclosures who
had only viewed the promised land of
California to turn their backs on it be-
cause a whole tract Of country, forty
miles in extent either way, where they
wished to settle, was owned and con-
trolled by one man whose policy was to
keep settlers out. With these men
Miles could be friendly, and with their
wives and children Judith and Katie
could associate freely.
So, together, these three families, with
their flOcks and herds, set cut in the
spring for Texas. For several weeks all
went well with them. But as they pro-
ceeded southwark evil tidings reached
them of wholesale butchery upon the
route they were travelling, and the hearts
of the women grew faint and sick, while
the mems brows never relaxed their
frown nor their eyes their vigilance
Slowly marching, day after day, in sun
and dust, keeping guard at night, al
ways armed and watchful, they marched
at last into the. crossing Of an arroyo,
and so fell 'into the jaws of death"
Fifty Apaches, equipped with the best
arms in use, rushed like q cloud-burst
upon the eight or ten men, and helpless
dozen or so of women and children, to-
gether; and the end of the world had
come for them.
Judith, who happened to be mounted
on fresh horse, and whom the savages
spared in firing, saw her fathers wagon
attacked; saw him shoot twice, rapidly,
then fall to the earth; saw Katie torn
from the wagon and butcherd before her
eyes-saw it, and lived, with a dull
wonder In her brain that she could be
alive after that. The horse was rearing
and plunging with alright. A savage
approached to seize him, and even as he
stretched out his hand the animal gave
a maddened bound and was of What
Judith was too paralyzed to attempt
for herself the horse did for her-h'
turned his head to the desert and made
a race forlife and freedom; for an Amer
lean horse fears an Indian, and viii
snort and plunge only to scent one on th,
wind.
Whether or not the race would hav
saved Judith's life, had the pursuit beel
uninterrupted, is uncertain. But a
this critical moment the Apaches dis
covered what Judith did not: that sue
cor was at hand for the whites. An
they employed themselves in dispatch
ingall that remained alive, before takin
flight on their own account. In the ei
fort, too, to secure as much plunder a
possible, they delayed until it becam
necessary to accept battle.
Leaving Major Floyd TO "inish" tn
sayages, let US follow Judith, whose ex
cellent horsemanship was never bette
displayed, albeit she seemed to exereis
no will of her own in riding, until he
faithful servant gave signs of slacken
ing speed. Then her desire to escap
from the demon horde made her urg
him to the utmost, without daring {
look behind, until from the shape of tn
country, she knew she must be hidde
from any but very near pursuers. Hel
it was useless to look back, and she d
termined to ascend a hill for the purpoi
of reconnOitering.
Cautiously approaching the SUNNI
just TO peer over the ridge without b.
ing seen by any savage eye keepiI
watch for her, she looked, and 10! not
creature in sight anywhere. Across
narrow valley or pass between two pa
alleI ranges of hills, she. could see 9th
higher ranges rising, I'd knew by tn
sign the Sierra that skirts the Gila to
there. Would not the sayages resort
the mountains after n massacre? 81
dared not proceed in that directio
Looking about her on every side 81
could not remember from what directiC
she had come before ascending the hi
Why choose a course at all? Was n
one equally dangerous with another +?
All at once she observed that the ST
was settingi that direction, then, mu
be west. If any succor was TO come
her it must be from the direction of Il
travelled road; and she would try to o
back to it in the hope that some passjl
train might pick her up. With ia
vague, general thought of rescue. b
without definite plan-without
fact q thought not too exalted for re
son, Judith mechanically turned L
horse toward the road and let h