American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-07-20
BRAVE MRS. RUNDLETT.
Seeking Sick Husband, Attacked by Mex
lean Brigands, and Escaping.

| seeking n SICK HusDand, Dy
lean Brigands, and Escaping
from the New York SUM-
SANTA FE, N. NJ, July Mrs. c..
M. Rundlett is the wife of Charles
Rundlett, surveyor employed by the
Denver and Rio Grande Engineering
Corps. She is comely, dark-eyed
woman, with resolute mouth and black
hair. About five weeks ago Mr.. Rund-
lett left Denver, Col, for Alamosa, a
small but rapidly developing mining
camp in the San Juan District of Colo
RADIO. He was taken i'll, and Mrs. RInd-
lett, without her husbands knowledge,
determined to join him if she could
She arrived at Alamosa a day after her
husband had left, and Notwithstanding
a tedious four days. ride in a stage
coach, she pushed on amid the glens
and mountain passes after him. Hiring
buggy and team, she was joined by
Mr.. j. w. Morris, of Alamosa, and
both, armed with revolvers, started on
the perilous journey along the Mesilla
Valley, which is infested with Mexican
brigands and half-breed assassins.
They reached Conejos the same even
ing, and next day arrived at Dutch
Henry's, point on the border of New
Mexico. There they were informed
that the surveying party had left the
evening previous, and the horses were
urged on to overtake them before they
reached the Rio Grande. On the day
following, one of the horses took sick
| owing to the lack of water. About dark
they reached Swope's camp, where they
| found q number of miners boring for
| water. The men said that they hauled
what provisions and water they had
from a place eight miles distant.
Mrs. Rundlett was not disheartened,
| although her companion was, and she
must have water if they had to get out
and climb the mountains for it. The
horses were tied to tree, and both
started for the search. They went
through deep ravines, along craggy
peaks, and up gorges, holding on to the
lightest shrubbery to maintain foot
hold. Mrs. Rundlett returned to see to
he horses, leaving her companion to
find the supposed stream on the other
side of the mountain. Hardly had she
reached the horses heads when rifle
ball whizzed past her cheek, almost
.ingeing her hair. The shot came from
clump of bushes just above her head.
1t was growing dark, and the moon lit
the tops of the small pine trees on the
summit.
Mrs. Rundlett clapped one hand on
the revolver in her breast, and placed
her other hand on the brides OF the
horses to prevent them from running
away. She knew the motive of the at
tack as though by instinct, and she de-
termined to fight for the possession OF
the horses and buggy, if need be.
Another revolver lay concealed IN the
lunch basket, and this she seized also,
ready for the attack. Another ball
whistled through the air above her
head, and she turned defiantly to con-
front the men whom she knew were
concealed behind the bushes.
SIT was so quiet" she said afterward,
in relating the story to herfriends, "that
[ could hear my heart beat, and besides
these men and my companion there was
probably no person within ten miles OF
where stood"
There was no further attack, but on
examination she saw that one of the
horses Law dead and bleeding on the
ground The bullet aimed at her had
struck him in the head. The only horse
remaining was unable to walk.
Mr.. Morris returned and she related
the adventure. AS she was describing
the shooting the voices of the men could
be distinctly heard above them.
In answer to Mr.. Morris's question as
to what they should do, Mrs. Rundlett
said resolutely: "There is but one thing
to do. 1t is eight miles back to the
camp. We must walk. I am satisfied
that the men who attacked me are wait
ing ahead. Let us hitch the horse to
the hind wheels and we will return"
In this manner the return march back
was made over the rough roads, felled
timber and brush, and often in dense
darkness. Mrs. Rundlett held her re-
volver tightly in her right hand, expect
ing every moment to meet with some OF
the band that await travellers on the
road. In the whole eight miles shehev-
er stopped once for rest, bravely walk
ing on, astonishing her companion by
her endurance and nerve.
They reached the camp in early morn,
and the miners and Dutch Henry readi-
| ly improvised bed and shelter for the
plucky woman, while her companion
related the story of her adventure. A
guard was placed outside the camp,
thinking that the would-be assassins
might follow the travellers to their rest
| ing place. In the day a messenger with
letters to Alamosa stopped at the camp,
and from him it was learned that Capt.
Rundlett was at the junction of the Rlo
Grande and Chama Rivers on the Next
can border. Mrs. Rundlett had the
team turn back, and, on her arrival at
the place designated, found that her
husband had gone to Santa Fe, where
she soon joined him. Here she was
taken ill from exposure on the trip, but
soon recovered. In her absence she
was eight days on the road. The only
mark of the eventful trip is n narrow
streak of gray hair amid her jet black
curls, caused by the shock in the attack
by the bandits.