The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1894-04-12
COPYRIGHT, 1898 BY CHARLES KING.

~
|oAT, 1893 BY CHARLES KING.
! pened to show his head above the rocky
parapet, there came tipping dozen
bullets about his ears. and the cliffs
fairly cracked with the sudden flash
of rifles hidden up to that instant on
every side. indians who can creep
upon wagon train or emigrant camp
in the midst of an open and unsheltered
plain find absolutely no difficulty in
surrounding unsuspected and unseen a
bivouac in the mountains. Inexperi-
enced officers or men would have been
picked off long before the opening Of
the general attack, but the Apaches
themselves are the first to know that
they have veteran troopers to deal with,
for up to this moment only one has
, shown himself at all. At five minutes
| after O'Clock Lieutenant Drummond,
glancing exultingly around upon his lit
| tie band of fighters, had blessed the
foresight of Pasqual Morales and his
gang that they had SO thoroughly forti-
fed their lair against sudden assault.
Three on the southern, two on the north
ern brink of the gorge and behind inn
penetrable shelter, and two more in re-
serve in the canyon, his puny garrison
was in position and had replied with
such spirit and promptitude to the
Apache attack that only at rare inter-
walls now is shot necessary, except
when for the purpose of drawing the
: enemy and locating his position hat
is poked up on the muzzle of carbine
The assailants' fire. too, is still, but
that, as Drummond's men we'll know,
means only look out for other devil
ment. -
Out on the eastward desert, still far
over toward the other side, little party
of Apaches is hurrying to join the fray
i Two are riding. Where got they their
horses? The others-over half dozen
come along at their tireless jog. trot
1t was this party that, seen but dimly
at first, gave rise to such ebullition of
! JOY among the defenders and defended
| It was this party that, closely scanned
through his fieldglass, occasioned Lieu
tenant Drummond's moan of distress
With all his heart he had been hoping
for the speedy coming of relief over that
very trail-had counted on its reaching
J him during the day. He was sure it
could be nothing else when the corpo-
raj reported something in sight, and so
when he discovered the approaching
party to be Apaches no words could
describe the measure of his disappoint-
ment and dismay. Not for himself and
his men; they were old hands and had
a fine position to defend. His thought
are all for those in whose behalf he has
already made such gallant fight and
for poor Wing, whose feeble moaning
every now and then reaches his ear.
At 10 o'clock he is able through his
glasses to distinctly make out the num-
Der and character of the coming party.
Nine Apaches, all warriors, but one of
them apparently wounded or disabled,
! for they have to support him on the
horse, and this it is that hampers their
advance and makes it slower. They
are heading for the oasis at the mouth
of the canyon. There they will leave
their horses and their wounded, and
then come creeping up the winding
gorge or crouching among the powders
from the east to join in the attack on
the hated paleface. Drummond can
have no doubt of that. New DISPOSE
tions are necessary.
"Stay where you are!' he shouts to
his men. You take charge up here,
Costigan; l want to post man or two
below at the bend" And down he
goes, sliding and scrambling until he
reaches the edge of the brook. Moreno,
squatted against rock, glances up at
him appealingly.
"Senor Teniente, pray you loose
me and let me help. The Apache is
our common enemy" he pleads.
An idea comes to Drummond. Wings
carbine can be utilized. He can post
Moreno down the gorge at the second
bend to command that approach and
put little McGuffy, the recruit, at the
next bend to command Moreno and
send bullet through him if he shirk or
swerve.
Il declare I believe I will, you old
scoundrel, he says. Here, McGuffy,
| UAAO1O IAA0 AOAAOWs V0 kOt 10 look
around q minute.
Into the depth Of the fssure where
Moreno's women are praying and rock
ing He peers moment. One of the
wounded bandits is now past praying
for. The other, painfully shot but
plucky, begs to be given a chance to
fight for his life.
You are too badly hurt now. We
couldn't get you up there, is the an
swer.
well, then, put me on with Moreno,
wherever you're going to assign him.
Surely if you can trust a greaser you
can a white man. I'm only fit to
hang perhaps, but d-n me if want to
lie here when there's an Indian fight
goine on"
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