Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-06-09
looking through it at the hills east Of

my memory TO an alarming extent.
"Indiansp / heard some one cry;
and began to rub my eyes sleepiiy.
But did not rub them long, for
saw George throwing the truck on the
track. in a state of great excitement.
l was at his side in an instant, and a
quick glance around showed me the
true state of things. Eastward, about
a mile distant, were FIVE mounted
Indians. riding toward us at full speed
As the camp had several times been
raided during the mems absence, l had
no doubt that they were hostile. | was
not excited as George was, however. for
l put my level and levelling-rod and
two spruce ties on the car before
showed off.
The rails were new and rough, and
the hand-car was not worn much yet,
but as jumped on, l felt it gaming
speed down the straight track, and
arranged the two ties i'll the form OF
barricade. Then ! looked back.
The five Indians evidently meant
business, for they were coming as fast
as they could toward us, and were
gaining upon US; and when heard
George moaning as he crouched behind
the ties, did not feel very cheerful or
hopeful / reached for my revolver in
my hip-pocket, and examined It's
charges as coolly as l could. There
were seven large-sized cartridges in it
and the Zip of bullet 10y my ears at
chat moment showed me that l might
have to use them. / also crouched be-
hind the ties after this warning, and
looked cautiously over the top at our
pursuers.
They gained nearly half the distance
during the first five minutes, but the
increasing quickness of the click OF the
wheels at the joints of the rails gave
me a little hope as l watched them.
AS to George, he was so terrified as to
be unconscious; but long life OF en-
cheering upon the plains had hard
ened me little; neither was this my
first adventure.
The sun poured down on us, and but
for our motion, it would have pros
trated us; the wind was blowing the
same way that we were going. but we
were moving faster than it, and this
gave us a faintbreath of air. took
off my light coat and formed shade
over George, who was helpless, and
looked ahead.
Far away, through the moving waves
of heat, / could see the smoke rising
lazily from the engine, and the two
ails stretching in long perspe ctive'
until they were lost where the grass
seemed dyed brown; but the steady
click-a-click-click of the wheels re-
minded me that it was a long way off,
and fastened my eyes on the Indians.
They were spreading out. One of
them, on my right, had left the main
body behind, and was circling around
to get ahead of us. Then thought
how lucky it was there we're no curves
to give them an advantage.
When 1 had first sighted them they
were making great many extravagant
motions; but now they were ready for
action, and / could see the foam on the
dark breasts of their ponies as they
leaned well forward. But in proper
ton as their. steeds tired, our steed
gathered new energies, and the two
thousand feet that separated us did not
appear to lessen very rapidly. Whether
they wanted to adorn their belts with
our scalps. or wanted to hold Us for a
ransom, was another question, for they
had fred but once, and doubtless, that
as "ong tom," fired on a ship, re-
tards, in slight degree. its motions
so their rifles, fired at US, would check
them. They did not fire, anyway, but
their reasons for not doing so can only
be guessed at.
So far as ] could Judge, only one of
them was gaining on US, and / grasped
the handle of my revolver as / saw