The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-04-26

icahua tribe, re-enforced by swarm
from the Sierra Blanca, concentrating
ON him now? The silence about him is
ominous. Not an Indian has shown him
self along the range for half an hour,
and now these fellows to the east are
close to the ccpse. In less than 30 min
utes there will be five times his puny
force around him. Is there no hope of
rescue?
Once more he turns to the east, across
the shimmering glare of that parched
and tawny plain, and strains his eyes
in vain effort to catch sight of the
longed for column issuing from the op-
posite valley, but it is hopeless. The
hot sun beats down uponhis bruised and
aching head and sears his bloodshot
/ eyes. He raises his hand in mute ap-
/ peal to heaven, and at the instant there
is FASH sharp report not 80 yards
away, an angry spat as the leaden mis-
sile strikes the shelving top of his para
| pet and goes humming across the gorge
stif1ed shrek from Ruth looking fear
! fully up from below, an Irish oath from
| Walsh as he whirls about to answer the
shot, and Drummond can barely repress
little gasp
Marrow squeak that, Walshi That
devil has crawled close up ON us. Can
you see him?'
"Begad, sir, l can see nothing at all
but rocks, rocks, rocks. How can man
fight anyway ag'in human beings that
crawl like snakes?"
Zip! Another shot, close at hand too,
and from another unseen foe. The first
came from somewhere among the bowl
ders down to the southeast, and this
second whizzed from across the canyon.
A little puff of blue smoke is floating
up from among the rocks so yards or SO
to the north of the narrow slit.
Crouching lower, Drummond calls
across to Cossigan, posted as the eastern
most of the two men on the opposite
side:
That fellow is nearest you, corporal
Can you see nothing of him?'
Nothing, sir; was looking that
way, too, when he fired. Not even the
muzzle of his gun showed"
This is serious business. IF one In
dian or two can find it so easy to creep
around them, and armed only with their
muzzle loading guns send frequent
: shots that reach the bes1cged lin re-
verse, " what cG;l be hoped when the
who]e band gathers and every rock ON
every side shell rs hostile Apache?
From the first rummond has feared
that hu-revc" -fective might be these
defens-y -, Inst the open attack of
white men, they are i'll adapted to pro-
tect the defenders against the fire of L.
dians who can climb like squirrels OF
crawl or squirm through any chink or
crevice like so many snakes.
Another shot! Another bullet hattens
itself on the rock close to his right
shoulder and then drops into the dust
by his knee. 1t comes from farther up
the cliff-perhaps 200 yards away
among those stunted cedars-but shud-
deringly close. Costigan and the ether
men glance anxiously over their shoul-
ders at the point where their young
commander and Walsh are crouching.
They are not yet subjected to fire from
the rear, these others. The lookout,
the signal station, as it might be call
ed, is the highest point and most ex-
posed about the position.
For Gods sake, lieutenant, cries
the corporal, don't stay there. They've
got your range on two sides anyhow.
Come out of it. You and Walsh can
slip down as we open fire. Well Just
let drive in every direction until you
are safe below"
Drummond hesitates. He sees a half
pleading look in Walsh's honest face.
The Irishman would willingly tackle
the whole tribe in open fight, but what
he doesn't like is the idea of being pot
ted like Gagged tiger, never knowing
whence came the shot that laid him
low. Then the lieutenant peers about
him. Yes, it is exposed to fire from
point in the cliffs to the west, and
there are rocks over there to the north
that seem to command it, but if aban-
doned there will be no way of prevent
ing bold advance on the part of the
Apaches up the rugged eastward slope.
1t would then stand between the de-
tenders and the assailants. giving to the
latter incalculable advantage. Hold
1T he must for few minutes at least,
until, recalling McGuffy, he can set
him and one or two others to work pii-
ing up rock barricade in front of the
cave. Then if driven out and no longer
able to stand the Indians off they can
retire into the caves themselves, hide
their precious charges in the farthest
depths, and then. like Buford at Get
tysburg, fight like the devil'' till res
cue comes.
mo, down with you, Costigan," he
answers. Get McGuffy and Fritz;
block up the front of the cave with
rocks; move in those Moreno women;
carry Sergeant Wing back to the far
ther cave-Miss Harvey will show you
where. Stand fast the rest of you.
Don't let an Indian close in on u.s..
Look, lieut. 'nant, whispers Walsh;
they're coming up down beyant you
there"
And peeping through a narrow slit
left in his parapet Drummond can
just see bobbing among the powders
far down toward the willow conse two !