, 1888-10-19
0 await tho coming of day was even

20 await tho coming of day was even
worse.
Its q run for life anyway we take it,"
continued Charley. "We'd better get to
u horses, mount, and scatterlike quails,
and run our chances"
Done" answered the boys with one
voice.
Crawling like a snake in the grass each
man reached the picket which secured his
horse, then to his feet, and in an instant
all were mounted and off, each man TAX
ing his own direction. Charley and Curly
Bill, leading the horses of their dead com
rades, rode off together. The savages,
however, were not asleep, and as soon as
the whites showed themselves began a
vigorous shooting. But the cowboys were
off like n flash, leaving the Comanche chief
biting his lips in a az over the slip they
had given him. Three-fourths of his
horses were dead upon the plain, many
of his warriors killed and wounded, and
the whites gone and not a horse captured.
Long was the night to that scattered
bunch of cowboys upon the silent plains.
The Comanches were not idle. The chief
grew desperate, and taking six warriors
was soon upon the trail of the four horses,
going in a northeasterly direction, trail
ing them by the sound of the shod hoofs
tramping the earth. Just at the approach
of day Curly Bills sharp eye discovered
Indians on the track. Being unable to
determine in what number, they quick
ened their gait, in what direction they
scarcely knew. Soon losing sight of the
pursuers. and thinking perhaps they were
mistaken, they slackened their pace. and
rode leisurely along till about 10 o'clock,
when they stopped at a water hole to
quench the almost killing thirst of them
selves and their horses.
Thinking they were safe, they staked
out their horses and prepared to breakfast
on jerked beef and water, after which
they stretched themselves upon the grass
to rest while their horses were grazing.
1t was not long, however, before the
tramping of horses feet was heard, and
the chief and six warriors were upon
them, shooting and yelling at a terrible
rate. Instantly they went for their
horses, Curly Bill mounting first, turned
on them and began shooting his revolver
as only a cowboy can. Arkansaw Charley,
by a mishap in attempting to catch the
picket rope while firing his pistol,
stumbled and fell. For only an instant
though was he down, but long enough for
an Indian to put a ball into his body be-
fore he gained his saddle. The contest
now became fierce between the five saw
ages-for two of them had already been
killed-and the desperate cowboys. Never
were combatants more deadly in earnest.
The chief scowling upon the gallant Char
ley fixed his bow, but from the Americans
quick and steady hand went a sudden
ball, and the chief rolled dead upon the
plains. But two savages now remained,
and each singing out his man rushed
upon him. Again the Americans were
~victors, and seven Comanches lay upon
the ground with their painted faces hideous
all in death. The conflict ended, and
%swooning, Arkansaw Charley fell from
his horse. Curly Bill Thompson instantly
caught him in his strong arms. Water
water whispered the white lips, and
he swooned again.
The two friends remained for an hour
at the water bathing the wound, which
proved to be only a bad flesh cut in the side.
1t was carefully ~bandaged, and Charley
was ready to ride. Curly Bill collected
their own and the Indian horses, and after
scalping the dead Comanches, they mount
ed and rode slowly away.-Overland
Monthly.