The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-05

able TO report that most scientifically
had the, defense thrown up their breast
works.
From group to group fitted Pasqual.
At his shrill battlecry all hands were
TO rush simultaneously TO the attack,
firing no shot for fear of hitting one
another, but with pistol in one hand
and the long. deadly knife in the other
close at once upon the defenders, leap
over their barriers and overwhelm them
In the dark interior In three minutes
the signal would be given. He himself
would lead the dash of the party within
the corral. Pasqual was shrewd enough
TO know that where there was only ono
doorway instead of two there would be
better chance of lodging the bullets
But keen eyes and ears and wits were
there alert. Feeny and Harvey well
knew that this was but the lull before
the storm.
Lay low. boys, and be ready. Shoot
the first man that shows" was the last
caution old Plummer heard before the
bursting of the tempest.
All on q sudden a wild cry went up
in the corral. All on n sudden from
north aud south the assailants dashed
forward with answering yell. In an
instant the dark apertures flashed their
lightning, and rife and revolver shots
rang on the still night air. Harvey's
Henry barked like GatiiHg. FeeHy,s
old Springfield banged like a six pound
er. Two Of the assailants on the south
side went down in the dust, face fore
most, the others swerved, broke and
scurried for shelter. Pasqual Morales.
leading his men close under the north
wall, made pantherlike spring for the
crest Of the barley parapet and was
saved from instant death when he fell
by being dragged feet foremost, with
Colts A tearing through his thigh. j
In vain Moreno s squad fired khot aft
er shot through the wooden door. Their
bullets buried themselves deep i'm the
improvised traverse, but let no drop of
blood, while two return shots scattered
the attack with the splinters from the
heavy panels. Pleading, raging, mad
dened, Morales learned that the dash had
failed and that two of his most daring
men, the two Americanos who had rid
den forward to personate prospectors
and who had led the rush in the south
ern front, were knocked out of the fight.
And then ii was that the inhuman
brute gave the order to resort to Indian
methods, and even old Moreno begged
and prayed and blasphemed, all TO no
purpose. Furious at their repulse, the
band were ready to obey their leaders
maddest wish. The word was, Burn
them out" Ned Harvey, crouching
behind his barley bags, felt his blood
turn to ice water in his veins when,
with exultant yells and taunts, the COR
raj suddenly lighted mp with broad
red glare. The match had been applied
to the big haystack close to the brush
covered shed, close to the "leanto," un-
der which go much infammable rub
bish was stored. 1t could be question
of only few moments; then they, too,
would be mass of flames, spreading
rapidly westward. The stout adobe
wall separating the ranch proper from
the sheds would protect the occupants
from direct contact with the flame, but
what could save the roof? Stretching
from wall to wall were the dry, resin
Gus pine logs that formed the basis Of
the bulky structure. Over these tho
lighter boards of pine and over all,
thickly piled, dry as bono and infam-
mable as tinder, heap on heap of brush.
Once this was fairly ablaze the hapless
occupants of the rooms beneath might
as we'll be under the grating of some
hugo furnace.
High in air shot tho leaping flames.
Far and wide over the desert spread the
lurid glare. Screaming with terror, the
women of Moreno's household were al
ready dragging into the corral their few
treasures and rushing back for such
raiment as they could save. Far over
at the corral cate, where the bullets of
the besie' uld not find them, Pas
quail Mo. and his exulting band
were gathe the chief lying upon his
serape, w cody bandages about his
leg, his fol. ers dancing about him in
frantic glee, all keeping carefully out
of range Of the black doorways, yet
three or four crack shots lay fat in the
sands, their rifles covering the now glar-
ing fronts Of the threatened rancho,
ready to shoot down, Indianlike, the
wretched garrison when driven out.
1t was at this juncture that from
somewhere in the middle room, behind
Moreno S heavy door, voice was heard:
Hand out the safe. Hand out your
money now, and we'll leave you in
peace. Every man Of us will ride away,
and you can come out as soon as we are
gone. Answer, for you have no time
to lose."
Answer him, you" shouted Feeny
to Mr.. Dawes. Send a shot through
and hit him if you can.
But before the clerk could drop the
fan with which he was striving 10 re-
vive his fainting chief, the young fell
low from Harvey's party, he who was
stationed at the north door and had
been so fortunate as to shoot Morales
himself, now suddenly sprang from his