The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-06-17
whispered the old man.


Ny heart grew faint-this was murder.
"For Gods sake" muttered, my hand
upon my companions arm, "stop! This il
horrible!" 3"
Jack glanced at the figure above, IS If to
measure his distance, shook his arm free
and answered me in whisper:
'We must kill or be killed Three !
Another lunge, silent and deadly as thoss
before it-another leaden plunge of the
black and quivering mass to the earth-an-
other gurgling sound
Charlie stepped to my side, his own blade
glimmering cold in the starlight
"It is better than our rifles, " he muttered,
" and they must die. 1t is our only hope"
And he crouched at the side of old Jack,
awaiting the coming of the fourth and last
Indian.
My humanity shuddered, but knew that
they we're right.
Nearer and nearer the last victim drew.
Link by link he dropped into the silent grave
that yawned to receive him-link by link,
until his feet were level with our faces
when, for an instant, he paused, and bent to
peer into the blackness beneath him, with Q
grunt of curiosity.
As he did SO, a sudden gleam Lit the night
sky above-a lurid glare wild, hoarss
shouts were waited to our ears, and the
cracking of hungry flames told that our
camp had been fired by the wretches.
The same red light fell, too, into the silent
shaft as the night breeze swept the flames
across its mouth, disclosing to the motion
less Ute, hanging upon the chain, in a sin
gle glance, the horrible pit into which he
had fallen.
At the sight there rang one terror stricken
whoop-one only-then three pairs of iron
hands dragged the wretch down, three
knives cleaned as they Glove the air, and
darkness and death returned together.
For q moment we were safe but not for
long. Even as we dragged the bodies of
our slain enemies aside, the great chain
overhead was frightened, the bucket was
shaken free from the bloody floor on which
it rested, and, q moment later, began slowly
to ascend the shaft.
The Indians above had heard the cry Of
their comrade, and were alarmed.
To raise the bucket would occupy nearly
fifteen minutes. From the instant that the
great iron cylinder, empty, but dripping
with the lAe-blood Of their brothers, should
meet the gaze of the Utes above, we should
be hunted with vengeance and a ferocity
only to be quelled by determination.
We could not hide now. The storm would
not pass. We must defend ourselves against
the entire horde, or die like rats in a hole.
These thoughts needed not words. Each
rose higher and higher above us, we paused
no longer, but turned quickly down the mar
row drift and disappeared. The earth had
swallowed us.
The drift we had entered-the upper one
ran some thirty yards to q large chamber,
then turned abruptly downward for fifty
yards or more, From this point short
shaft led to the second level, which retraced
the course Of the one above, continuing for
nearly one hundred yards further, in .
crooked line to the point where we had been
working during the day.
This drift was eventually to open upon
the hillside, far below the main shaft, but
some fifty feet of earth yet remained. The
only exit from the mine was by the main
shaft.
We reached this chamber, and paused.
"Now, boys" said Jack, 'tmy plan is
this: That we barricade the drift right here,
and fight the cusses at this pint. We kin
retreat to the lower level, if needful; but
this air is better than that below, and eff I've
got to pass in my checks, want a mouthful
o. good air and not choke-damp to die on.
What dye say?"
We both agreed. and then, with hurrying
hands, began to throw up such a barricade
as could be made with loose timber, ore and
earth, but ere the work was completed, q
distant clangor told us that the bucket was
down and our enemies approaching. Then
we paused, and each man watching, we
waited by our barrier.
For little time all was silence, and even
The sharpest ear, trained to note the breath
ing of the creeping wolf, or the stir of the
hidden snake, could discern no sound; but
1t length became conscious of distant
aoise-a dull rubbing, as it were-the drag
ging of heavy body along the floor. which
grew more and mora distinct, until at last it
to be but just before us. Then
touched the arms Of my companions.
. The sound was clear now; it was the slow
of our moccasined enemies ap-
s5.
Our hastily-built wall rose to within three
feet of the roof of the level. At the touch
of my hand we all leveled our weapons
ACROSS its top. Than, rs though by single
impulse, three triggers were pressed, three
rifles cracked, their sharp reverberations
mingling with the wild and defiant yeIl
which burst from our throats. The battle
had begun!
An instant of livid Aame-a gleam that lit
the cavern about us, and revealed the narrow
passage filed with naked demons, half .
dozen of whom writhed in agony at the foot
Of our barricade-a shout that drowned the
echo of ours, in its wilder and more horrid
volume, and then blackness and silence
again.
For an instant only!
Then the groans of the wounded redskins
filed the air, the fierce cries of their COM
panions answered them, the crack of their
guns shook the walls, and the pat Of their
balls Knocked the earth in showers about us.
And we replied.
With revolvers pushed through the inter-
stices of our defense, we poured deadly vol
leys into the dense, living mass before us,
each ball finding its man, until, maddened
beyond endurance, wild as beasts, and for
getful of danger in the frighfui glare of the
powder-ight, the whole number that re-
manned precipitated themselves upon our
barricade, to carry it by assault.
Fierce as the she bear in her den, desper-
ate as the murderer at bay, brave beyond all
thought of life or death, we three opposed
half a hundred.
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