Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-09-23
Overland With Kit Carson
By ". THOMSON.
Copyright. 1861 by American Press Assccia-
tion.l
fsII D1IrI II

Copyright. 1861 by American Press Assccia-
toni
CHAPTER II.
| At this unexpected sound the amazed
savages yelled in chorus and attempted
to charge. Too latel
| While the first wild notes of the war
whoop still gurgled in their throats and
ere they had made second step the
blended reports of 10 rifles rang out upon
the night. and at least half that number
of warriors fell
| The others, including several bleeding
| from wounds. turned at once and with
bowls of bafiled rage fled toward the
canyon. Now pitch in. boysi Don't
let one of the red devils escapeT shouted
Carson.
Our fellows responded by hearty
cheer, and creeping out under the wag-
ons dashed away in pursuit. all needless
Of the cutlery set up by the suddenly
awakened women.
| The Apaches had already gained a
! start of so yards or more, and if they had
not been somewhat retarded by their
wounded we should hardly have come
within sure pistol shot, Even SO. being
unencumbered by clothing. they ran
with astonishing swiftness, and though
three dropped to our distant fire it was
not until they were within 100 yards Of
cover that Carson and young Austin,
running side by side in advance, came to
close quarters with them. The rest of
us were in ruck some way behind and
had now to cease firing lest we might hit
our leaders.
In the rear rank of the flying Indians
were two tall warriors, and between
them another, whose right arm. broken
by bullet, hung Imply by his side.
Carson and his comrade were on the
point of overtalsing these three when
all turned suddenly, and the two I'M
wounded braves hurled their tomahawks
with so true an aim that only a light
ninglike movement of their heads saved
our friends from instant death. The
desperate savages then rushed forward
with uplifted clubs, but before they
came near enough to strike both were
shot down by Kit.
ncdutiIiic Ieluh AuStlu ltu ClOStu
with the third warrior, and foolishly re-
serving his fire felled him to the ground
by single blow of his fist-a well
nigh fatal mistake, for the savage re-
bounded from the earth like a rubber
ball, and holding his knife in his left
hand made a furious stroke at his assail-
ants throat. But Frank, keen of eye
and supple as leopard. caught the
tawny wrist half way, jerked the knife
from its owners grasp and drove it up
to the hilt in his heart.
The main body of Indians now wheeled
about and came back on their tracks,
hoping to wipe out the two foremost
pursuers before the others could come
up. Once again they were too latel We,
though nearly breathless from running,
reached our own men as soon as they,
and fierce but short lived conflict en-
sued
Several of us received ugly wounds
the scar to this day-but none of us was
disabled, and when the Indians finally
plunged into the canyon they numbered
only 1926 being left dead upon the
plain.
Right smart of a scrimmage, warn't
it, capY said John Wells, a big Ken
tuckian who had fought like hero. as
we turned toward camp.
II should say so, John, and | never
saw green hands make such a good
He stopped in the middle of his sentence,
for at that moment, floating down the
soft breeze, there resounded scream of
terror, then another and another-the
last suddenly muffied, then silence
My God. men, the women! The wom-
en- shouted Secord, darting away like a
mailman, the whole Mortified party fol-
lowing. As we ran straight in line
and at top speed, we could see nothing
but the canvas roofs of the corralled
wagons glistening in the moonlight. But
what was beyond?
1t took the slowest of us perhaps a
minute to cover those 300 yards, but
Carson and Austin again outran the
crowd, even the half frantic Secord not
being able to keep up with them. When
these two got far enough around the cor
raj to see what lay on the other side,
both uttered cries of rage, and we, on
hurrying up. at once saw the cause. Out
on the plain. already half mile away
and pressing their ponies to the utmost,
rode a small band of Indians, seemingly
10 or l2 in number-and the two young
women were gone!
Carson vuaS thun,1arcfrucl, aO,tu;t
ted by these miserable skunks at last"
he bitterly moaned.
As for the young husband and his
friend Frank, they were like men bereft
of reason, and the former literally tore
his hair in the extremity of grief and
impotent anger.
We afterward learned that this little
band under the subchief, Lone Wolf,
and led by that warrior in person. had
been camped on the bank of stream
mile or so from us, and hearing our first
volley had ridden down to the wagons,
but seeing how the fight was going had
not dared to take part in it nor even
waste time in getting at our horses, con-
tenting themselves by carrying off the
women, whom they found standing out
side the corral listening to the sounds of
battle.
Almost in a moment Kit Carson was
himself again, and the mans sternly set,
calm face was perfect study as he is
sued his clear, incisive orders:
lyon four men, Wells, Secord, Aus
tin and Wilkinson, will saddle up, reload
rifles and revolvers, take water bottles
and three pounds each of bareback
along and start with me in five minutes.
You other IA men will stay right here
for two days-lf we don't return sooner
and keep the stock alive at all haz-
ards.
Those whipped Apaches will hardly
attack again, but you'd better stick to
camp as close as possible. If we don't
get back by the morning of the third day,
you'll know we've gone under. Then
push ahead to first military post and get
new guide. All ready, men? Then
mount! The reds are making for the
mountains, and we've got a long chase be-
fore us. Good by. boys"-and before the
five minutes were up Kit and his COM
rades had galloped away.