The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1892-12-29
YHB SANTA FE TRAIL
By MRS ]. < HUDSON
lcopysIsh.. W.. by Apsyisau Pros. A.socia

UP DoAo4o AAAAAt AAlAA Nu1Ao WIS hlaECeAy
o sound even to betraY the presence Of
the camp. Occasionally an OK moved q
clumsy foot, or driver in his heavy
sleep called out lusty ''Wo haw, Buck, /"
but the sentinels heard little, save the
scampering Of the night animals in the
grass and now and then the far of bark
Of q coyote.
Il must have been two hours after
midnight The watch" had given place
to tho relief and all was still again.
Suddenly one of the ponies whinnied,
loud and clear, and two or three Of his
mates shifted sharply and rose upon their
feet. The noise did not waken many Of
the sleepeTs, but Captain Jose was up in
an instant and making the rounds Of the
pickets.
They had heard nothing nothing.
The little half tanned broncho had star
tied them with q sudden sniff Of the air
and then the piercing call, as II TO some
Of his kind beyond the reach Of human
senses, but within tho knowledge ofhis-
acute by heredity and a life that ranged
over long distances undulled by confne-
ment and disuse.
Thoentire camp was aroused Silently
and with the utmost caution they were
told to prepare for defense With the
first ray Of light Captain Jose said they
might expect an attack from the Indians
either the Pawnees or Cheyennes. All
the experienced plainmen in the COM
mand agreed with him. It was not the
first time they had been warned Of the
approach of the enemy by q Mexican
pony. To DO ready to repulse o swift
and deadly onslaught from the stealthy
dogs must 30 their tactics now, they
said, and every man was posted rifle in
hand and many rounds Of ammunition
in his belt These precautions seemed
overdone to the men who were making
their first trip across the plains and to
some Of the raw recruits among the SOL
diers, but q short experience with the
frUhtiersmen had already taught them
that words are cheap coin in the estima-
ton Of that rowing and hardy commu-
nifty and they wisely held their peace.
"Histl hist" from Captain Jose, who
naturally fell into tho dialect Of the
Mexican under excitanent
An eyes were bent into the grass as
they had been directed an hour before.
Tho gray Light was sitting into the air
but thinly as yet, and strain their vision
as they might they could SEQ but o few
feet away. Still, as they looked It grew
lighter and lighter, and the grass rustled,
with a passing breeze, perhaps; or, was
1t orouching form creeping on nearer
and neareF-a dozenl a soorel hundredsl
On every side the grass was alive with
indians, and simultaneously with Cap
tain Jose's command 10 ''frel" they
sprang forward yelling like demons and
falling over one another In a frenzy Of
surprise and rage. Tho reception was
too much for them; they fell back, leav-
ing many dead and wounded within a
few feet Of the corral, 0 CHASTITY and
writhing Gordon about the barricade.
The Indians had planned q surprise
for the camp. They thought to steal up
to the corral and charge upon It so sud-
denly in the uncertain light that they
could kin many Of the freighters while
yet upon the ground asleep The old
Mexican had outwitted them.
The green men under his command
set up shout Of victory. but It was
quickly checked.
"Save your breath" said a veteran Of
the trail, 1.-THE enemy Is repulsed, but not
vanquished, begorTai We may DO here
for days yit, and we may uiver git on
agin; the saints preserve usI"
Repulsed, but not vanquished; that
was the situation comprehended instant
ly by every man familiar with Indian
warfare.
Up through the now fast coming light
shot q beacon Of FIRE from tho highest
point Of tho great rock, tho Indians tele.
graph for ages, lighted on that same
point for tho summoning Of friendly
tribes before the white man ever crossed
tho Mississippi from tho east or Coro-
nado travorsed the plains from tho west.
Higher and higher It blazed as the saw
ages piled dried grass and brush on its
bed. Long tongues Of fame loaped up
into the air, cloudsof smoke rolled away
over the prairie, and then it all died out
as suddenly IS twas kindled. The ashes
Of the Light stuff blew away on the next
wind that touched the top Of tho old
rock, and before the rolling bah Of smoke
had melted into the nearest white Goat
ing cloud the beacon fire was out But
& had done its swift errand we'll
Tho Indians down by the river and
those on the rock, all now plainly visible
from the corral, went calmly about the
preparations for tho morning meal
There were no squaws with the band
and no lodge poles were carried; It WIS
evidently q war party. Breakfast was
made ready in the corral too. There
was no hunger wherewith to season tho
food, but every man knew that he must
eat to fortify himself for battle-porhaps
that no might DO able to summon cour-
age TO meet death bravely.
There Is tho answering signal; yon-
der TO tho south" cried some ono on the
lookout.
Yes, there II was, a faint, unsteady
pennon Of blue smoke waYering In tho
wind. Tho Indians saw Il, but made no
Ggn--they knew It would como. Tho
stolid meal went on, the wary eyes keep
ing watch only on tho corral % that no
white man might creep 10 tho river OF
the springs for water.
Jose Valdez wore an anxious look.
BE had said that It would take the In.
dians al least four hours to come to the
aid Of the attacking band, ..
9TH thin" added the lrishman, ''ye
can slape or ate or make your wills,
b,ys, as 20 like Pat Duffy will clane
his gun and be ready fer the divils, bad
cess 10 thin" ...g ..
Most Of tho command followed Pats