The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-08-04

and when the mules on the outskirts OF
the herd began TO sniff and snort the
sleepy herSc-s paid no heed to them
There was { low but sharp whistling
in the air. ana one of the men pitched
from his saddle with three arrows be-
tween his shoulder blades The other
felt the thud and sting of an arrow in
his side. and was almost unseated by
the sudden frantic leap of his horse
The attack was not followed by the
shrieks and yells usually employed TO
complete q stampede. The Apaches,
who appeared suddenly and mysteri-
ously on all sides, were silent, and. al
though many of them carried rifles,
not a shot was fred at the herder as he
galloped furiously away. A few arrows
whistled viciously past him as ne fed,
and two or three Indians followed a
short distance, but were easily out
stripped by the herder's fresh horse,
maddened by the arrow in his hauneh.
The herder, mortally wounded,
reached the town and told DON Christie
bal that band of Apaches had driven
away his three hundred mules, and
then they pulled the arrow out of his
side and his life followed it.
The Apaches, it was known, would
strike for the Manzano mountains and
near these mountains lived Don Man.
uel Chaves, the most daring and sue
cessful Indian fighter in New Mexico.
Don Christobal set about getting Q
troop together to follow the Apaches,
but first he put his son, Juan, upon his
thoroughbred mare and told him to
ride 10 Don Manuels place as he never
rode before, and get that warrior and
his men to head of the band in the
mountain passes.
Young Juan gave the mare her head
and few over the prairie like the desert
wind, covering the forty miles in a lit
he arrived at Don Manuel's ranch and
told his story, he was dismayed to
learn that all of the Don's men We're
out chasing Navajo sheep thieves, and
that Chaves himself was the only man
at home, except . sick brothcr-in-law
in the house.
Don Manuelwas not in the least ex-
= y
and then invited young Armijo to
alight and dine with him After din
ner, Don Manuel rose, took his rifle
from the pegs, and said:
Now, my boy, we will 60 out and
head off those Apaches."
What! You and II"
Certainly; why not? We have plenty
- iS al
and able to get there. Are you afraid?"
''Surely, Don Manuel, l am not afraid,
but my father told me to come to you
and do whatever you should say, and I
will go with you. But think we shall
be killed, for there are many Apaches."
Don't be afraid! We shall not be
killed. You know that l have seen
many Indians. and you can believe what
/ tell to you"
So Don Manuel and young Don Juan
mounted their horses and rode away
into the mountains to stop twenty-four
Indian warriors and fight them. Chsves
knew the pass the Indians would have
to take, and he led the way TO high
point that commanded it, dismounted,
and concealed the horses in the timber.
Looking out upon the plains, they
presently saw two clouds of dust, one
made by the Indians and the herd of
mules, and the other, some miles be-
hind, evidently indicating the pursuit
by Don Christobal and his men
When the Indians entered the pass
Don Manuel told young Armijo 10 re-
main out of sight, while he stepped out
upon the crest OF the ridge in plain
view. The Apaches soon caught sight
of this lone figure, boldly outlined
against the sky, calmly surveying them
from the ridge, and they halted and
rounded up the mules in a bunch.
Chaves counted twentyfour warriors,
seventeen of them armed with rifles.
The Apaches huddled together, appar-
emily consulting and uncertain what to
do.
Chaves watched them keenly, and in
a momeht he saw one slip from his
horse and glide into the woods. He
knew that the warriors purpose was to
yet'upon the ridge and ascertain the
of the force that the Indians
to be in front of them, and he
knew that the success of his plan de-
pended upon preventing the scout from
carrying out that purpose.
But Chaves gave no sign that he no
ticed the movements of the scout, al
though he never lost sight of him as he
made his WY steslthily up the hill.
The Apache came up through the tim
Der to the left, and Chaves carelessly
rested his rife in the hollow of his left
arm. The Apache approached TO within
, hundred yards, and, becoming en-
ooidened by Don NanueI's apparent IN
attention TO his movements, he made a
short run to cross an open place and
each the top OF the ridge.
Don Manuel was watching tor Just
hat movement, and his rife went TO
ais shoulder and cracked instantly, and
he Apache rolled over with . ball
through his body.
. Don Manuel then turned and beck-
med TO young Armfjo as II calling up a
,arty Of men The Apaehes in the
pass, finding that the delay had enabled
he pursuing party TO approach within
ess than half a mile, attempted 10 I
rive the mules forward. bu. the ami /
mails got punched IN a narrow place I
md all was confusion in an instant. 4
The Apaches could not get the herd T.
tarted. and the clatter Of hOofs IN the I
,ass told them that in another minute I
Don Christobal would be upon them 4
% they began shooting into the bunch I
# mules determined 20 do al the .