New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-21
"YOu bct.' - oyer
"Thcn head fer the Badly Mountain an II ever

0nt and avail leaning low. until our breasts al
most rested on the saddle horn and with spuls 'lg
" pressed against our bronchos' sldes We vps
swiftly away from the stone corral Dig Jach w." -
on the left and little IN the iead anu az lis
rushed over low sand ridge. | saw MN anu III. ~"
horse showing dark and clearly cut asa5I' b ye c
lie was riding his best this night ana ms pIuI
roam was stretching himself Ike Thoroughbred
On and on. with rushing noise, like the SCUM
NJ Great wings: now q sharp ejaculation OF Sino.n
cred oath from aen s 0 ON cutting the cool
night wind like arrows-and yet, dear heaVen' We
may 9pnI or cetlc to the left boys we kin make
Runninr they are running like racers now bllt
con they keep it up for twenty mics o'e' '"'
RHt there were 10 signs of weakening yet, and
AZ every lit of the steel they plunged forwaru
like frightened deer. -. a,no.ob oo,.crod with
| loose and Jagged granite: at any other tme we
wond nave pulled up and carefully picked. our way
over But tonight the stake we were ri a lo W.
was far too precious to care for h9rse-ncsn, VI
| avon orr own nccks: so with slightly frightened
reins and only our toes resting in the broad sur
rnps we pushed madly across. the SPARKS iiasli,ls
| nc The iran shoes FLASHED against the rough rock
| Across AZ last thank Cod and once more on tlle
smooth plain, our gallant cayuses, with ears wen
forward and distended nostriIs were stre'ch'hs
| themselves and throwing dust like heroes. ,,,-
| Rising ahead OF us and looking almost like
small cloud was the lone tree
Half way. boys , Az.
| cavuses kin keep his gait and git thar
10 answer TO trr7r- 5luestion We all feared that
the brave brutcs would Drop andput deaf
| help MS we must get tucre' 10 ea'c '''' ~ ~
| babe. or die trying. A., ,o .oo
looking strangely weird as II STOOD an aiue' INA NJ
| over the plain below. Toiling over more sahd
ridges the horses were breathing hard ana running
| heavily; but still doing very little stunpih9'
Out Of thc sand and ND OF the rim rock we tried
I'm. ,Ic flpI
| and the steel failed 10 get an extra Jump our OF
| them. Another mile w0ul bring us 70 point
where would be able II H. were daJllSht W Scc
| the settlers cabin. ~,
Through long sag. then dry creek bed ;
crashing through the stIntcd willows that Ilhcu
| It's banks We breasted the slight ascent ana III
| another minute were on the summit We involun.
tarily checked our painting horses ana thrill OF
horror ran through us as we saw bright glare oi
| light ahead. $3.50 -,
| Too laio. too late, boys! The reds have got
EN-" Jacks voice sounded amost like groan
| "IIow far we from the place? p
"Erbout five miles round by the wagon ronu;
but we kin lead our horses down the deer trail, ana
| git thar in two. =.
Then let's follow the deer trail; We may ylt
| be in time ter help 'cm some way.
| Leading our staggering, trembling hois s. we eau
iousy crrpt down the prccipitous trail and mount
| ing, headed straight for the glare, when even IN
| the valley could be distinctly seen.
| Nobody now remembered that we were only nve
| 10 thirty. and. goadcd and cut by the spurs, the
| cavuscS carried NJ rapidly over the ground.
When within iaIi n mile we ldllPl III tnc
Of some ovcrhanging rocks, while Hank cautiously
| crawlrd up and ont on n projecting shelf 10 re-
connoitre for If the Apaclcs had any scouts thrown
out we should have to he carei1l, US our only
chance Of success was 10 surprise them. .
While we were waiting We carefully examiner
| our siX-shooters. and in another minute, - our
great oV Hank was 'cllinC that the In IN was on
fire. but tie dwelling house was still intact ana
that ne could distinctly hear the crack of rifles;
showing lis pliniy that thc brave settler was still
| defending his loved ones.
| Now. boys heres Their hest plan kin think
| on-I hain't extra much Of gineral. but hey an
| idea tibet It's the best way fer MS ter do. Wen
| lead our critters down this gully I'LL we git ter
tibet scrub brnsh-we kin do thct without the reds
kctching on Ter us-thcn we'll mount. Yer see By
that time the cayuses will he Citing their wind
| purity we'll Then We'll ride right square down
| on ON yelling like fury. an wharever red gifts
mp we'll down hum. Then II they make II too hot
| for us we'll dodge inter the cabin.
An what then. Jnck ,"
wal. we'll sortcr help the settler TO hold the
| fort. Anyway kin keep EN- from setting the
-hanty afrc. Till the cavalry comes BY this tim9
| the troops must 10 on the trail an after en- red
| hot They can't he n great ways of. nohow.'
silently "a spcctres then we led our horses down
the gully. carefully avoiding the rocks that here
| and there cropped out through the sand. Reach.
ing the scrub wllows. we found ourselves within
| 500 yards Of the house, and perhaps about 400
| from the burning barn.
Climbing quietly into our saddles. we bent low
70 keep ont Of the glare. and Jack whispered,
| Are Yer all ready -.
YES. whispered back. and we pressed our SOM
hrpfn~
With rush and crash we tore through thr
brush and rode full speed out into the clearing.
now almost rs light ~ day; for the hig; heavy barn
timber. were burning clearly and steadily. Across
80 vent our excited animals plunging and lcapIng
like panthcr-. but still NJ Indians.
Past the house and within few yards Of the
burning barn we pulled mp The silence confused
us Were We too late after all d? Mechanically we
closed up-a fatal move. for with uncarthly yells
and bood-curdling whoops the Indians from low
sag i'm the ground on the left sent Il murderous
voll"y crashing into our midst
Down went or brave horses. and down went
!, their riders -Four of rs scrambled To our feet ~
We clcaicd ourselves from the srrup feathers, only
to throw ourselves behind our lead-riddlcd dying
animals Just in time TO save ourselves; for again
the villains poured their lead into us-this time,
| thank heaven, doing us no harm.
lsing our hoNcs for breastworls. WE tried 10
return their fire, but they were chcctualiy con-
ccalcd
Yes saw Hank throw mp his hands and fall
face down
Boys we've got Ter get ont OF this or they'll
surround lis sure"
Kin we make D break for the cabin ~
Il think might manage ter crawl thar, by
! kinder keeping the horses between US and the red
cusscs.
| "IIark. somebody is hollcring,7
Looking over our shoulders, we saw that the
door Of Tie shanty was partly open, and the set
We must Try an sce if poor Hank is clean
| done fer, fust
the dead horse and fallen rider, and returning in
the same manner, whispered sorrowfully that poor
| Hank he'd passed in his checks"
Now, boys. we'll make Il run fer it.-stoop
| low aud with spring, away We rushed for
| the door.
Another stream of lead whistlcd by us, but no
| body fell, and in another second, we were inside
the heavy door, and helping the settler barricade
| it,
II heard Won when You CHARGED by, men, hut il
took inc some time TO open the. door, as had o
hull lot of things piled agin il
Are yr all safe so far StantOn?'
ayes. thank God Ny wife IS guarding the
back of the house, and I'm watching this part.
| What we feared most is that they will fire the
place, like they did the barn My little daughter
| reached you safely did she 81
YES, and is staying in The dng.out Mt the
corral We left two Of the boys with her.
. Now mon. III show Won the lonn-holcs in the