The Russellville Democrat., 1893-08-03


 only mile CT so away now, came his fellow troopers, two in front, another tagging some distance be- hind, riding sleeplessly toward him and dangerously elose-to number of sheltering rocks. Intent only on them and still wishing 10 attract their attention, he swung his broad brimmed hat, waving it off to the left, but with no apparent result. Confound them Were they sound agleepf Could they never be made to see7 Poor Dick was able now only to strike a feeble canter, so utterly vas he used up, and just when Wing, look ing only to the front, was thinking that he might as well discontinue the spur and let his poor horse rest, they labored forth from the shelter ing shade full upon the tawnY, sun lit sand. Then, while the sergeant's s eyes were temporarily blinded by the glare, there came from the rocks to his right sudden flash and report. He felt at the same instant a sting ing pang in the leg. He bad just time to grasp bis own carbine and to attempt to swing off when the second shot echoed loudly from the rocks. He felt poor Dick start and swerve; he felt him going headlong, and the next thing he knew he was vainlv striving to peer into the face of the evening sun from over the qniver ing body of his auhful friend, un able for the moment to see the faintest sign of an enemy, and then the blood came yelling through the little hole in his worn cavalry trous CTS, midway between the hip bone and the knee, and he knew he had received serious, perhaps desper- ate wound
 For the moment. therefore, he could do nothing more but look for suceor A glance down the desert told him his fellows were at last rudely awakened True to the praci ice of the craft, the instant fire was opened from the rocks eacn mar had put spurs to his horse and dashed away to a safer distance with such speed as was possible with their jaded mounts, each trooper warily scanning the dark line of the foothills in search of the foe. and striving as he rode to unfasten the flap that held his caFbine, in the fashion of the day, athwart the pommel of his saddle; and now, cir cling further out upon the plain, in wide sweep, with earbines advanced, they were hastening 10 the succor of their eomrade. Presently one of their number suddenly drew rein, halted his startled bronco, aimed to the left of the horses head and fired, then cramming a cartridge into the cham Der, came riding further. The others, too. followed suit, shooting at some object apparently among the rocks in front of the sergeant's posi- ton One of the men threw him self from his saddle, and kneeling on the sands drove two or three shots at long range. Eager to add his own fire to theirs, Wing pulled his hat brim over his eyes threw forward the barrel over tue now stilled carcass of pooi Dick, and peered eagerly up the ravine in search of some foe at whom to aim Blindly he searched for dnsky Apache skulking from rock to rock there was no moving thing in sight. But what was this, this object that suddenly shot out from behind little ledge and, turning sharply to the left, went clattering into the depths of a dark aud frowning gorgei Could he believe his eyesf Did the Cbiricahuas, then, have horses and wear trooper hatsf Bending low over his steed and spurring him to the uttermost exertion, a tall, even sol