, 1883-09-15

NNh you rat, 10 save Inem woman
nom a fate one shudders to think
ois"
''Yes," l replied, "I'll come If can
d. any good but it will be tough
b siness, rs there are not more than
thirty white men left in the settle.
fytnt."
f'Never mind" he answered, "the
~ devils don't expect any attack,
Ie.' are 81 sure that there is no one
j make Il; and, remember, there
Nike 4 lison, Tom Stockton and
NJ ReV1ingtop still left, and they
are worth fifty cusses, But must
be onto get every one 1 can. BE al
Gates canyon by 10 o'clock tonight,
two hours before the moon rises the
Indians are not camped far from
there"
"For Gods sake don't go hack on
US Pat" he said, as he gathered up
the reins. "Think of the fate OF
those women If we do not rescue
them. AdiOs P'
With that he was gone again, and
soon disappeared in the direction OF
the rancho of Mike Alison, the most
noted desperate in the country.
Not much supper did l eat that
night. Iquickly and silently put my
sheep into the corral. My horse, a
large, wiry Mexican pony, more than
half mustang, was feeding near the
camp. caught and saddled him
carefully; then, eating hasty meal,
/ spent the next few hours in clean
ing my revolver thoroughly and
sharpening my butcher-knife, also in
writing a farewell note to my mother
in case l should never return.
1t had been dark for some time.
stepped outside my log hut and
studied the position of the "Great
Bear by which we t6ll th9 time Of
night on the prairies.
"Hem,"I l soliloquized, "half-past
nine / guess l must be of. | won
der whether l shall be alive this time
Tomorrow? Not likely; twenty
men againF, possibly two or three
hundred-fearful odds. However,
life is worth very little here, and at
any rate one will die in a good cause"
All this l said aloud, as men who
have lived much by themselves get
into the habit Of doing. Then, mount
ing my horse, | struck off in the di-
rection Of ''Gate's Canyon"
After half an hours ride my horse
began TO prick up his ears and snort
slightly seeing that was nearing the
rendezvous. l looked eagerly for
ward to see how many men poor Ad.
had been able to collect for this des-
perate errand.
There were terribly few counted
only fifteen when ! came up. We
sat mOtiOnless on our horses backs,
waiting until the last moment for re-
Inducements to arrive.
Every few minutes a man would
appear out Of the darkness, and silent
ly take his place in the group. No
greetings were given; only one tall
hOrseman, on a fearful roam, rode
quietly from man to man, saying a
word to each. This was Mike Ali
son, the desperate and veteran In
dian fighter, who, in right Of his rep
utation for a cool head and deter
mined courage, was tacitly accepted
by everyone as captain.
Suddenly the silence was broken
by his deep voice echOing among the
rocks Of the canyon.
"Well, boys, l guess we won't wait
any longer; we must get to the In
juns' camp before the sun rises, or
they'll spot us like so many sheep, /
haven't much to say; you all know
what you air in fur, l suppose you
all know thet the odds against us
will be about ten to one, as l believe
the Injuns number about two humid
red, mebbe more.
He paused II moment and then
said, with Il perceptible effort, or in a
lower voice, "there are some very
young lads among yez as will hev
many friends mournin' for them II
they get killed and 1 say ter those
lads-go home while yez have time,
leave them to do the business as has
no one to care a cuss whether they
live or die"
He paused again. No one stirred,
but some OF the "yOung lads" grunt-
ed rather contemptuously.
"NO one going ?" he resumed,
"well then, boys, lets be off; don't
make more noise than yez can help.
Keep yez eyes on me, and stop when
l give the word ; now UaimOs P'
So we started on our errand Of re-
venge. Little did the trembling wO-
men, crouched in the tents Of the In
dians, think that succOr was so nigh.
Still less did their cruel captors dream
of the terrible vengence that was to
Overtake them so speedily, as they
sat drinking the white mans whisky.
Meanwhile nearer and nearer drew
the little band, small in numbers but
terrible in their stern determination
to rescue the woman or die.
An hours silent ride over the des-
Olate prairie, or under the frowning
rocks or pine trees Of the mira. Then,
a sudden halt No voice ROW echoes
among the rocks, but a stern whisper
passes from man to man.
awe are close to the camp. The
first fifteen men follow Mike Alison
round to the opposite side Of the
camp and charge in. The rest dis
mount and creep forward from diff.