The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1890-11-13

teens; leave anything that VIII h1nder or |
rattle. Those Of you who have on spurs,
take them of. Those Of you who have |
TOnto or Apache mOccasins, take of |
your top boots and put them on; they |
are all the better for going up these hill |
sides. Now get your coffee, men; make |
no noise, light no additional fires, and
be ready to move In twenty minutes"
Then he pencils this brief note:
Commanding Officer Troop K, Eleventh
Cavalry:
1--WE have headed the Apaches and
will attack their camp the instant 1t is
light enough to see, rescue their cap
tives, then fall back here TO the gorge Of
the San Simon. They far Outnumber
US, and you cannot reach US too soon.
count upon your being here by in the
morning, and hope with your aid to hold
the enemy until Greene's command ar
ives. Then we ought to capture the
whole band. Do not fail me.
FREDERICK LANE,
Captain Eleventh Cavalry"
This he gave to Sergt. Luce, with or
ders to ride back on the trail until he
meets K troop and deliver it to Lieut..
Mason or whoever is in command, and
in half an hour Luce is away.
And now, just rs the dawn Is break
ing and faint pallid light is stealing
through the tree tops along the rocky
range, there come creeping slowly,
noiselessly along the slope q score Of
shAdowy forms, crouching from bowlder
to bowlder, from tree to tree. Not q
word is spoken, save now and then q
whispered caution. Foremost, carbine
in hand, Is the captain, now halting
moment to give some signal to those
nearest him, now peering ahead over the
rocks that bar the way. At last he
reaches point where, looking down the
dark and rugged hillside before him, he
sees something which causes him to un-
sling the case in which his field glasses
are carried, to gaze thither long and
fxedly. With all eyes upon their leader,
the men wait and listen; some cautiously
try the hammers Of their carbines and
loosen few cartridges in the loops Of
their prairie belts. A signal from Lane
brings Mr.. Royce, the young second
lieutenant, to his side. II Is the boys
first experience Of the kind, and his
heart is humping, but he means to be
one of the foremost in the charge when
the time comes. Watching closely, the
nearest men can sec that tho captain is
pointing out some object nearer at hand
than they supposed, and the first ser
geant, crouching to neighboring rock,
looks cautiously over, and then eagerly
motions to others to join him.
The Apache hiding place is not three
hundred yards away.
Down the Mountain side to the west
and up the range to the north their sem
tries keep vigilant guard against sur
prise; but what man Of their number
dreams for an instant that on the south,
between them and the Mexican line,
there is now closing in to the attack
little troop Of veteran campaigners, led
by o man whom they have learned to
dread before now2 Invisible from the
valley below or the heights up the range,
their smoldering fires can be plainly
seen from where Lane and his men are
now concealed. But nothing else can be
distinguished.
Far over to the western side Of the
valley the faint red glow tells where lie
the ruins Of the ranch their young war
riors had destroyed, and any moment
now their exultant yells may be heard
as they come scampering back to camp
after night Of deviltry, and then every
body will be up and moving of and well
on the way southwark before the sun
gets over the crest. Lane knows he
must make his dash before they can re-
turn. There would be little hope Of
rescue for the poor souls lying there
bound and helpless, with all those fierce
young fighters close at hand.
The word Is passed among the men:
Follow closely, but look well to your
footing. Dislodge no stones" Then,
slowly and stealthily as before, on they
go-this time down the hill towards the
faint lights of the Indian bivouAc. A
hundred yards more and Lane holds up
his hand, q signal to halt; and here he
gives Mr.. Royce few instructions in q
low tone. The youngster mods his head
and mutters to several Of the men as he
passes: Follow me-" They disappear
among the rocks and trees to the right,
and it Is evident that they mean to work
around to the east Of the blvouac, so as
to partially incircle them. Little by lit
tie the wan Light grows brighter, and
close at hand objects far more distinct.
An Indian Is just passing in front of the
nearest blaze and is lost in the gloom
among the stunted trees. One or two
forms are moving about, but they can
only dimly be distinguished. Lane
argues, however, that they are getting
ready to move and no time is to be lost.
Spread out now" Is the order, "well
to the right and left, and move forward.
Be very careful" And once more they
resume their catlize advance. Nearer
and nearer they creep upon the unsus-
pecting foe, and sooD many form Of
sleeping Apache can be made out, lying
around in the grassy basin in which they
are hiding for the night Lane motions
to Corp. Riley to come close to his side.
II can see nothing that looks like pris-
oners; they must be among the trees
there, where that farthest fire is burning.
Keep close to me with your men. Pass
the word to the right, there. All ready"
And now they are 50 near the Indians
that the voices Of one or two squaws can
be heard chatting In low tones; then the
feeble wall Of an infant is for moment
brought to their straining ears; then far
out over the level valley to the west
there is o sound that causes Lanes blood
TO tiugle-faint, distant, but unmistaka-
hle-a chorus Of Apache yells. The raid
ers are coming back; 1t Il time to strike
A.. 49, H.,.k