The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-06-17

| dIOuAO Us, anu HI Wcse diNc4s IS0N
was offered them, but not one accepted;
they were not disposed to be friendly.
Night had come and with it the cold
breeze from the mountains. The camp
fire blazed cheerily, and around it 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 if the stock were guarded from
stampede, for body of troops lay at the
fort, three days journey from the noun
| tain.
After the men had lain down the 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 so far
away but that their voices came to US.
What dreamy picture it seemed as
we fell asleepl The coppery figures
drawn about the fire, half concealed by
their gaudy blankets, the gleam Of rifles,
the sleeping men, the dusky animal forms
outlined in shadow, while off on the hills
a coyote barked at the moon, which was
tinting the east and the waste of desert.
| The picture was soon forgotten by the
boys, but the Mormon, as was his duty,
lay watching.
| Presently the Indians formed In half
circle about him that had first come to
us, and made ready for a powwow.
Hamlin knew then that our visitor was
the noted and dangerous Francisco. The
chief began to speak to his warriors in
Piute. 1t so happened that Hamlin had
been raised among the Piutes and un-
| derstood the language even better than
the Navajos. 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 one moon before
two comrades had been murdered on the
plain, and by whom but these men2 To
day pony had been driven from the
mountains; tomorrow what outrage
might be expected? What should be
done? They were thirty braves, the
white men numbered seven Horses
were here, food, rifles and powder; one
bold stroke and all would be theirs.
The boys had been sleeping some hours,
when Hamlin wakened the nearest one
with touch. "S-h-h-hi" he whispered.
"Danger" In an instant every nerve
was strung, and he would have risen
but the Mormon pressed him down. The
Mexicans were already whispering to-
gether, and soon the entire party was
on the alert.
We were still In the shadow, though
the moon was shining now. My first
glance was toward the fire. All the In
dians had vanished but two. who were
squatting before the smoldering embers
as they had been earlier in the night.
"The Navajos have gone behind the
ridge" we were presently told, ''and
these two remain lest we should suspect
something wrong, and be on our guard
or get away" Then the Mormon told US
u.
planned to attack US just before day,
when most likely the entire party would
be sleeping. They had withdrawn the
more surely to take 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, and a squad of SOL
| diers been dispatched to investigate the
matter, for detachment was in camp at
the Chez-a-kla spring, only ten miles
away. 1t was then II o'clock; man
must start off at once to notify the lieu
| tenant. Even if the troops did not arrive
before the Indians returned we might be
able to defend ourselves for awhile till
succor should come.
One of the boys was selected as mes
senger. None of US had yet risen from
the ground; the Navajos thought US sleep
| ing The lad began to slide off in the
grass, and presently reached the edge of
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
| rife in hand Now and then a coyote
| skunk near, and the uncertain shadow
gave our nerves thrill, or if his mate
called we fancied the Navajos were sig
mailing The suspense so wrought upon
the nerves of the party that they would
| gladly have followed Hamlin to surprise
the 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 a
rifle the whole band would be upon US.
| Hamlin, too, grew restless as we lay
there, and presently crept near to u.s.
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 reach us before o'clock.
| 1t was the day before when the Indians
had seen them, but had they remained
1t was doubtful if the lad could follow
the trail Alright, and. besides, the Nava-
jos might attack US at any moment.
Hamlin had nerves like the rest of US;
perhaps he had more. BE was gaunt,
muscular man. who had been reared
among the Piutes, where his father had
| been sent Mormon missionary. Hav-
ing enjoined Us strictly to lie quiet, he
raised up and yawned, as though but
| Just wakened from sleep
Hello. therel If you are going TO sic
by my fire, why don't you keep it burn
ing?' he called out to the pair who were
yet squatting about the embers. "You
trifing, lazy buck, now you keep that