, 1889-05-16

long snhuOwe around, 4 could limos
fancy the spirit Of Hiawatha had risen.
By this time supper was ready, and a
cup of coffee was poured and offered to
h Indian. He neither accepted nor re-
fused, but remained as mstionless rs II
he had been cast In bronze. Turning
presently n walking n few steps away,
he uttered the long, tremulous call of the
coyote An answering note came from
h hills near by and o other Indians
appeared by ones and twos and Joined
him about the fire. They continued to
stragglc in until thirty had gathered
around us, and all were armed. Food
was offered them, but not one accepted;
they were not disposed to be friendly.
Night had como and with 1t the cold
breeze from the mountains The camp
fire blazed cheerily, and around 1t the
Navajos gathered, squatting upon their
launches. Our men were weary with
the days ride, and after the animals had
been picketed, drew out their blankets
and lay down about them, their baggage
under their heads. No other trouble was
expected IL the stock were guarded from
stampede, for a body of troops lay at the
fort, three days journey from the noun
tain.
After the men had lain down tho Indi-
ans drew closer around the fire, now and
then gathering fuel, or speaking one to
another in their own language. We lay
on the ground In the shadow, but against
the darkness the swarthy figures of the
Navajos were thrown in bold relief by
the freight, and they were not 20 far
away but that their voices came to us.
What n dreamy picture it seemed as
we fell asleepl The coppery figures
drawna about the fire, half concealed by
their gaudy blankets, the CLEAN of rifles,
the sleeping men, the dusky animal forms
outlined in shadow, while of on the hills
n coyote barked at the moon, which was
tinting the east and tho waste of desert.
Tho picture wns soon forgotten by the
boys, but the Mormon, as was his duty,
lay watching.
Presently the Indians formed In n half
circle about him that had first come to
us, and made ready for n powwow.
Hamlin know then that our visitor was
the noted and dangerous Francisco. The
chief began to speak to his warriors In
Pluto. 1t 30 happened that uamlin had
been raised among the Piutes and I'M
derstood the language even better than
the Nnvajos. He heard Francisco re-
counting the wrongs of his people; how
often their pastures had been wrested
from them, their horses and cattle stolen.
And now they were being followed
into the desert. Only ono moon before
two comrades had been murdered on the
plain, N by whom bat these menu To
day n pony had been driven from the
mountains; tomorrow what outrage
might be expected What should be
done2 They were thirty braves, the
white men numbered scvcn. Horses
were here, food, rifles and powder; one
bold stroke and all would be theirs.
h boyshad been sleeping some hours,
when IIamlln wakcned tho nearest one
with n touch. "S-h-h-hm he whispered.
"DangerI" In an instant every nerve
was strung, and he would have risen
but the Mormon pressed him down. The
Mexicans wero already whispering to-
gether. and soon the entire party was
on the alert
We were still in tho shadow, though
the moon was shining now. My first
glance was toward the fire. All tho In
dians had vanished but two. who were
squatting before tho smoldering embers
rs they had been earlier in the night.
Tho Navajos have gono behind the
ridge" we were presently told, "and
these two remain lest we should suspect
something wrong, and DO on IL guard
or get away" Then the Mormon told us
what he had overheard. Francisco had
planned to attack us just before day,
when most likely h entire party would
DO sleeping. They had withdrawn the
moro surely 10 tax US unawares, and
had crossed the ridge in order to conceal
their fire.
He had heard more; news had most
probably reached the fort of the murder
of the two Indians, M a squad of sol
diers been dispatched to investigate the
matter, for n detachment was in camp Mt
the Chez-a-kla spring, only ten miles
away. 1t was then II o'clock; n man
must start of at once to notify the lieu
tenant. Even II the troops did not arrive
before the Indians returned we might be
able to defend ourselves for awhile till
succor should como.
Ono of the boys was selected as mes
senger. None of us had yet risen from
the ground; the Navajos thought us sleep
ing. Tho lad began to slide off In the
biuSS, uiiu presently IehCneu Inc age OF
q little gulch undiscovered. There he
dropped over and under shelter of the
rocks made good his escape. 1t is need
less to say we did not sleep again. Every
eye and ear was ON the alert and every
rifle in hand. Now and then n coyote
skunk near, me tho uncertain shadow
gave our nerves n thrill, or If his mato
called we fancicd the Navajos were sig
mailing. Tho suspense 30 wrought upon
tho nerves of the party hat they would
gladly have followed Hamlin to surprise
tho Indians in their camp; but the watch
ers were near. A suspicious movement
on our part, and they would have van
ished like phantoms; or the crack of n
rifle the whole band would be upon us.
Hamlin, too, grew restless as we lay
there, and presently crept near to us.
He had been considering the chances of
the troops arriving In time to be of serv-
ice. The Chez-a-kla was ten miles away,
and even were the detachment still there
they could not each us before 8 o'clock.
1t WINS the day before when tho Indians
hid caan thor, lint had tlnp n..I.-lo