The Russellville Democrat., 1893-08-24

him to keep down. Then Costigan comes climbing to the lookout.
 "Let us help you, lieut'nant 1; now's your timc, sir, while they re iring.o
 But Drummcnd shakes his head. He wants to be the last man down.
 "Don't hang on here, sir. Come now. Sure the others can get down from where they are easy enough, but you can't except when they re firing. Please come, sir, and Cos tigan in his eagerness scrambles to the lieutenant's side, and lays q broad, red hand on his shoulder. The men have fired more than the designated number of shots, and are now looking anxiously toward their commander. They do not wish to move until he does.
 "Give 'em another whack all around, fellers," shouts Costigan, while 1 help the loot ? nt down !" and so, with laugh, Drummond gives it up, and after one last wist- ful glance out over the desert, turns to pick up the binocular, when it is struck, smashed, and sent clattering down into the canon by shot fired not twenty yards away.
 "Fur Gods sake come quick, sir l' gasps Costigan. Then, des- perate at his loved young leaders delay, the Irishman throws brawny arm about him and fairly drags him to the end of the steep. Then down they go, Costigan lead ing and holding up one hand to sus- tain Drummond in case of accident. Down, hand under hand, to the accompaniment of cracking rifles and answering carbines, while every other second the bullets come "spat" upon the rocky sides, close and closer, until, panting, almost breathless, Costigan reaches the solid bottom of the gorge and swings Drummond to his feet beside him. Seeing their leader safely down, the men, with one defiant shot and cheer, scurry to the edge of the canon, and come slipping and sliding to join their comrades. At the mouth of the cave Costigan strives to push Drummond in through the narrow aperture left for their admission, but miscalculates his commanders idea of the proprieties. Like gallant Ora ven at Mobile Bay. Drummond will seek no safety until his men are cared for. "After you, pilot" the chivalric sailors last word as the green waters engulfed his sinking ship, finds its cavalry echo in Drum mons "After you, corporal, in this far away canon in desert Ari- zona. The men have scrambled through the gap, then Costigan, with reluctant backward glance, is hurried in just as a flash of flame and smoke leaps downward from the crest and the foremost Apache sends hurried, i'll aimed shot at the last man left. Before another shot can follow, Drummond's arm Is seized by muscular hands and he is dragged within the gap. Two or three huge stones are rolled into place, and in an instant through the ragged loop holes the black muzzles of half a dozen carbines are thrusting, and Costigan shouts exultingly, "Now, you black legged blackguards, come on if ye dare p'
 But no Apache is fool enough to attack strong position. Keeping well under cover the Indians soon line the crest and begin sending down a rain of better aimed bullets at the loop holes, and every minute the fattened lead cones dipping through. One of these featful missiles tears it's way through Costi. gan's sleeve and striking poor old Moreno in the groin stretches him grooming on the floor. A glance shows that the wound is mortal, aud despite his crimes, the men who bear him, moaning, into the further cave are moved to sudden sympa- thy as his hapless wife and child prostrate themselves beside his rocky bier. Drummond can afford 10 lose no more and orders the lower half of each hole to be stopped with blankets, blouses, shirts, any thing that can block shot, and then for an hour the fire of the beseigers is harmless, and no longer can the bessiged catch even an occasional glimpse of them. At noon their fire has ceased entirely and, even when breathing sigh of relief, the men look into one another's faces ques- tioningly. How long can this last' how hot, how close the air in the cave is growing
 Drummond has gone for mo- ment into the inner chamber, where Moreno is now breathing his last, to inquire for Wing and to speak word of cheer to his fair and devoted nurses. Not one murmer of com plaint or dread has fallen from their lips, though they know their father to have ridden on perilous quest and into possible ambush; though they know their brother to be lying at the ruined ranch, perhaps seriously wounded; though their own fate may be capture, with indescribable suffering, shame and death. Fanny Harvey has behaved like heroine, as the two troopers remarked, and Ruth has done her best to follow her sisters lead. Yet they, too,