The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-09-18

fast those Apaches can shoot There, |
he Is down No, up again, but with
the four canteens in his left hand, the
right arm hanging limp and the shoul-
der dropping. On he staggers ; anoth-
er crash from the rifles ; down he goes
again, struggles to rise, but fails and
holding the c%anteens upright tries to
draghimself toward us.
There was q clatter among the rocks
as rifles we're cast aside, and forgetting
their thirst and wounds, six men leap
ed over the powders and ran to the
fallen Indian, who, gashing on the
hillside, still held the canteens SO the
water would not spill. Four of us
grabbed him in our arms, Jimson and
Kaintuck took the canteens and we
ran to the rock. AS we did SO there
was a chorus of yells from the cliffs
and the number Of shots seemed re.
doubled, but we gained the shelter of
our barricade unhurt and laid our bur-
den down tenderly. AS we did SO he
spat out a great mouthful of blood and
gashed:
Ell aguaNthe waterG-did-you."
We held a canteen to his lips, but he
turned away his head. "No-muy
POGO livery little) save It," Thon he
closed his eyes and gasping and spit
ting out the s~trangling blood. There
was absolutely no hope for him. He
had been literally shot to pieces. His
right arm and shoulder were shatter-
ed another bullet had struck him in
the'kidneys, and two more had gone
straight through him, from back to
front. He lay there gasping for q few
moments, then suddenly raised himself
on his left elbow, tried to speak, but fell
back, his limbs Strengthened convulsi-
yely nd-Alban WAS AVENGED.
We moved the body to n side, out
Of the way. The captain picked up a
canteen and, removing his hat, bowed
his barred head toward Joe in silent
acknowledgment, and after drinking
passed the canteen. Having satisfied
Il thirst we took up our rifles, and
the monotonous firing continued.
"Tan-a-ra, tan-a-ra, tan-a-ra tara"
came the clear notes of u bugle from
down the gulch, just after a volley and a
squad of Troop Of the 10th gallopod
around IL bend, in the canyon on the
trail of the renegade Kid. Then there
was u scattering on the cliffs, aud we
had our innings at the scurrying In
dians.
The surgeon is with the ambulance
two miles below il you need him !"
yelled the lieutenant in command, as
dismounting the squad he took to the
mountains in pursuit. We went down
to tho spring and waited for the ambu-
lance to come up. Our captain bor-
rOwed a pick and shovel, and while the
surgeon dressed the wounds Of Unison
and Kaintuck the rest of us dug a
grave for Joe among the rocks where
he died. 1t was nearly finished when
the and our two comrades
came up. That's right, dig it deep |!
| see he is an Indian" said the surgeon.
The captain Strengthened up in the
grave, q reproving look on his face.
" Yes, sir, he air only a Injun but, sir,
he died ike a man." Wrapping Joe
in his blankets, we lowered his stiffeu-
ing body into the grave with our
l~ariats, then we stood silent and gazed
at the captain. He thought for a NOM
ent and, removing his old weather.
beaten hat, said:
81 dunno what ter say, boys, but
I've heerd III read som'ers hat greater
love hath no man than this"
Then we filled the grave, heaped it
around with the powders to protect it
from the coyotes, and picking up our
rifles turned TO depart. But evidently
a thought of other days camo over our
old captain, for he paused, his blue
shirted figure Strengthened. to it's full
height, the heels of his rough mining
boots came together with a chug.
Halt " One look at him, and at
least four of the party knew what was
coming. "'Tention, squad Ready |!
Fire !" aud a soldiers last salute rang
out on the evening air. Then we
started back for camp across that weary
stretch of desert.
Now, whenever I receive word from
the committee, l see a bare, brown
hilltop, and on its summit q rounded
heaps of stones, from which little
clouds OF bluish-white smoke are slowly
drifting.-St. Louis Globe-Democrat.