The Opelousas courier., 1892-12-31

80 SSSeS ~ W4ALS4LE 4V& 10AOS 00A
annervlng the others. Instead of that
| The was calm and cool and rather in
:lined to take charge of affairs. a The
boy was only a boy in years, but when I
looked him over / knew that he would
count for a man in the attack which we
might soon look for.
"Now, here's the situation" said old
Bill as daylight made our surroundings
plain. "Thar' are five Of us here. We've
got three Winchesters, a cavalry carbine,I
and three revolvers, and plenty of am-
munition. We kin stand off a hundred
fur a couple of days and nobody need be
scarf. How's the grub and watera"
"We have plenty to eat" replied the
girl, "but the water is about gone. I
am now going to the spring with two
pals. You two scouts must cover me
with your rifles"
The barricade was removed from the
back door and she walked out without
the slightest hesitation. She made her
first trip without incident. As she was
filling the pals a second time the In,
dians discovered her. Not knowing of
our presence, four warriors rose up from
behind a ridge forty rods away and ran
to capture her. Bill and I were lying
on the ground half way between the
house and the spring. She heard tina
redskins well and she knew they were
coming for her, but she filed the pals
just as coolly as if there wasn't q red
within fifty miles. She was on her way
back to the house, and the nearest In,
dian was within a hundred feet of her,
when we opened fire. Six warriors had
been sheltered behind the ridge. All
were moving down upon her when we:
jumped up. / tell you only what you
can find in the military records of that
date when | say that we knocked over.
four of the six of.hand and wounded a
fifth, though he got away. The six had!
been eft there for the night, probably,
as we saw no others. While the girl was
carrying water we stripped the dead of
their arms and ammunition. We got one,
Winchester and three percussion rifles,
and one of the warriors had a navy re-
volver. Everything that could be spared
to hold water was filed. Not an Indian,
was to be seen at this time, but we had
no idea of leaving the place. It might
be an hour before any force showed up,
but we would have our hands full then.
As the girl finished her task she came to
us at the door and said:
"There is a spade. Dig a grave close,
to the house for my dead sister. We,
may be cooped up here for thros or four
days yet" y
II was the thing to do, but neither of
US would have dared suggest it. While
Bill used the spade I brought more
water from the spring and drenched the
house and the short, dry grass around it.
Everything that would burn was thor
oughly soaked. Apologize sat on the
floor with q chair as a prop for his back.
while a boy watched through a port
hole at the other end of the cabin.
"Henry," said the girl, as she beck
oned us to enter the cabin, "we are go
ing to bury Della just outside. Charley"
to the boy, Ego and kiss your mother"
We helped her to wrap the body in a
quilt, and then we carried it to where
the husband sat, and he kissed the dead
face and covered his own with his hands.
face betrayed the torture of her
soul, but she shed no tears. 1t was a
grave, and the body was soon
hidden from sight. When the earth had
been trodden down the girl said:
"While / am preparing breakfast do
you men tear down that stable and bring
up such material as we may want to
strengthen the cabin"
It was a rough shed of poles and
but a good portion of it was OF
to us. We chincked up many
between the logs, made new
portfolios, and when wo were through
our work we had made a fort of
The shanty. As We snatched a bite to
Eat the girl stood at the door and
watched. We had not finished when
she stepped back and quietly said:
"They are coming full 200i There
is no hurry yet. While you eat I will
the guns and ammunition.
Henry let me draw you back a little.
You can load the guns for the rest of us
to FIRE. Charlie, take this Indians
in place OF the carbine. TIL
the cartridges here beside you. One
Of you men take the front door, the
other the rear. Now, then, we are all
ready for themin
There was, as was afterward known,
238 Indians in the force which appeared.
Within tWenty-four hours they had mas
sacred about twenty white people and
burned two stage stations. Our force, !
IS far as they knew, was composed OF
two men and a young woman.
Their contempt for US was shown in their
first movement. Twenty young bucks,
anxious to distinguish themselves, were
selected to attack. They divided to take
,hantT front and rear. They laid their
on the grass, drew their toma-
and at . signal came rushing up.
On US with the usual accompaniment oil
and yells.
ssIn case either of you need a fresh gun
,all out" said the girl, as Bill and I
stood waiting.
As Bill always asserted when relating
adventure around the camp fire, It
like sitting down to a good dinner.
We began firing as soo as they were in
'ange. Each OF us had a dead rest, and
t was no trick at all to send a bullet
where you wanted to. Not one Of them
N my side got nearer than twenty feet.
rhe fire was SO hot that those unhurt
HE'D of.
nFour down on your side and Eve on