The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-01-25
HELEN MANsFIELD'S FIGHT.
a True story.

a True story.
The sun was slowly sinking in the
western sky as Steenie Burton came out
Of his cabin, and glanced down the gulch
toward then1esa- an elevated table land.
The hills on both sides were golden in
the light, while here and there dark
shadows between the high points of rock
gave a cuIioaSly arabesque effect to the
landscape Y 4
"Now, wonder" said Steenie, refec-
lively, whether the gal has reached
home"
Steenie paused, glanced at his boots,
and inding that.he hads in . moment of
abstraction, put on his spurs, resolved to
saddle up and ride over to find out. 1t
did not take many seconds before he was
going slowly down the gulch on his
mustang. Reaching the mesa, he struck
tothe south in lope, and was soon lost
tOsight around the base of the hills.
Helen Mansfield stood at the door of
her fathers eabing glancing uneasly
nOlthward. The day before she had
come home, and that morning her father
hail started, with his wagon, to make q
tripthro Iglt the Inipiag towns, leaving
Helen and her little brother, Tom, who
wss ten yearssold. alone on the ranch
Heen's anxiety was twofold. She had
heard her father talking with, some men
who were prophesying an outbreak Of
the Huallapais, and she was wondering
whether Steenie would come that day or
not The two had been engaged for
some months, and one of the chief OBJ
iects Of her visit to Los Angeles when
her father wento to buy goods for his
trade, had been to purchase the neces-
say things with which to set up house
keeping. She wanted to see Steenie on
general principals, and she wanted to
show him what she had bought. OF her
two subjects of thought, I imagine that
Staenie's,coming occupied her the more,
but astle evening shadows heightened
she gave up expecting a visit from him
mat day, and turning went into the
house. Tom came in soon afterwards,
and Helen closed up the heavy windows
and doors, put the bars into place, and
began to think kit was time to go to bed.
About eight o'clock she heard eau
uoas footsteps outside. Going to the door
ana looking through one of the small
holes fslat thruugh il, she, saw, to her
Ia'rror, an Indian standing about forty
ieet awaYH She was q border women.
OorI and raised on the outskirts of civili-
sAtlon, and she. needed. no man. to tell
her what the bright streaks of paint
Nhichsteod outso plainly in the moon
hght across the redskins face meant.
Hastily calling Tom, she pointed the
INDIAN QUITO HIM and told himsto take
down'a rife antfwatch the other side OF
ue house. Then taking one of the long
coaded barrels herself, she returned to
her post and waited. ans
She did not have to wait long. Arap
% the door and q summons to open, de-
nFeFed in a mixture Of broken Enelish
sad spanish. told her that the fight must
e. Helen maintained a dead silence.
arotner rap, enforced by strong. kick.
iouowea, and then she heard; with ears
'aat were straining for, the slightest
sound, some quick, sharp orders given.
4 aiepee ags few minutes. and then
ne'en could see seven or eight Indians
ringing up a heavy post to use as bat
ram. Cautiously - she, put the
;nalzle OF the rifle through the hole in
tnn = sae dooTs and waiting until she got
tuuf o. the savages in line, fired. The
al q three eoflthena, andlyells from the
shoie party, followed by hasty disper-
sSa lOu' and a search for shelter, showed
ne elleets Of the shot. The Indians
~efe genuinely surprised. They had
ssuppoSeq that the cabin was empty and
use aiese was-no dangers in attempting
Wlorce it open.,
N moment after the shot there was
y ~ ~ Indian to be seen, but the fiioht
os 4 sl,'ais seaDre OF arrows and the sound
w.al = sleec 20 OF four rifles, showed that they
M. s1ls stu there. Helen knew that the
sill Waaia stand all the firing at it that
Ia sas ~ ger force could do, but she also
s.s .1w saat indians have MANY wavs of
.saHng and that she could scarcely hone
iD.p r. Keep them on for any length of time.
- ,.lsssnctiyely. y too, her thoughts turned
i, 4 e,eenle and mingled with the wish
Mat ne was there, was the fearthat he
sL;aa Saau come and falla victim to the red
LonaAd become wildly excited bv the
~ Psk ssgallantly repulsed byhis sister.
- et ne, had been wanting chance
sb. at lnluns," and he felt it was a
of 1asae ss,at ahat they should attempt the side
thu sne caoili on which Helen was. rather
Lnaall r,a mat on which he was posted, forhe
i. Aew :, mat unlike himself, Helen did not
xfnF ar t.N l.
Guilty. ' " '"Ae part In a DIM
vi.s an 4, watched through his peep-holes
'"'''' - nus eyes and in a few minutes