Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1893-11-11
last suddenly muffied, then silencel


MY God, men, the women! The wom-
en!' shouted Secord, darting away like a
madman, 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 800 yards, but
Carson and Austin again outran the
crowd, even the half frantic Socord 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 10 in number-and the two young
women were gone!
Carson was thunderstruck. "Outwit-
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
mpotent 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 a
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:
"You four men, Wells, Secord, Aus
tin and Wilkinson, will saddle up, reload
rifles and revolvers, take water bottles
and three pounds each of hardtack
along and start with me in five minutes.
You other IA men will stay right here
IUr lWo uays-r we don't return sooner
land keep the stock alive at all haz-
ards
Those whipped Apaches will hardly
attack again. but you'd better stick tc
camp as close as possible. If we don't
Aet back by the morning of the third day,
you'll know we've gone under. Then
push ahead TO first military post and gel
a new guide. All ready. men? Then
mount! The reds are making for the
mountains, and we've got long chase be
fore us. Good by. boys"-and before the
five minutes were up Kit and his com
rades had galloped away.
The savages were two miles ahead and
were double the number of their pursu
erS but we knew that the latter would
rescue the captives or die in the attempt
Carson was host in himself, and We
had little fear of the result The only
question was. Could our eastern bred
horses run down the tough Indian ponies
and do it in time? For it was matter
of vital Importance to the well being o.
the women that their brutal captOr'
should not be permitted to halt for ever
half hour.
We who were left watched our five
gallant comrades until they were lost il
the distance and then prepared to pas
the remainder of the night, or rather th'
first hours of the morning. in obtaining
much needed rest. Feeling certain tina
the ambushed Indians would not again
molest us unless themselves re-enforced
we agreed to keep guard turn and turi
about, one man at a time. while tn
others slept. On drawing lots the frs
watch happened to fall to me, and witt
my rifle on my lap | seated myself in
position commanding clear view to tn
edge of the canyon.
( | had not been 10 minutes on dut,
when the loud snoring of my tired com
panions proved that they We're alread,
buried in profound slumber, and smile,
to think how easily men become famil
iarized to danger. 1t was now past
o'clock. The days were at their longest
and the sun would rise at 20 minute
past 4. AS it would be nearly dayGgh
at the expiration of my watch, deter
mined not to disturb the fellows ut all
but to let them sleep until they shoul
awake of their own accord. One of ther
an embryo surgeon-had put a coupl
of stitches in my cut cheek, and tn
wound was painful enough, thought
to drive away all drowsiness,
By and by, as sat comfortably on on
of the wagon poles. that peculiar darl
ness which precedes the dawn came owe
the landscape, and | congratulated IL,
self on feeling so alert and wide awake
Only a moment afterward, as it SCENE
to me. looked around in positive a
fright could have sworn that | ha
never closed my eyes, and yet the su
was now above the horizon!
Stranger still. every last one of I'll
fallen Indians had been carried away!
had slept on my post with vengeance
and doubtless nothing but the fear of
possible interruption in their suppose
sacred duty of securing their dead ha
prevented the savages from slaughterin
every man of us!
felt uncOmmOnlv mean and chean