Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-05-10

tAClbtlllcHu.. anu pOtheiiS upWu DeCWetn
the vertical walls. "Look," he says.
Gazing ahead to the next bend, Cos
tigan can see Moreno and his Yankee
conpadre crouchng behind their shell
ter, their carbines leveled, their atti-
tude betokening intense excitement
and suspense. II is evident the enemy
are within view.
"I'll hove one shot at 'em, bedad,
to pay for the dozen their brother
blackguards let drive at me" mutters
Costigan. Come on, you; it's but
STEP" And, forgetful for the moment
of his orders in bis eagerness for fight,
the Irishman runs down tho canyon,
leaps tho swirling brook Just as he
reaches tho point, and obedient to the
warning hand held out by their bandit
ally drops on his knees at the bend,
MoGuffy close at his heels Off go
their hats. Those broad brims would
catch an Indian eye even in that gloom.
How many are there coming?" he
whispers.
Moreno puts his finger on his lips,
then throws out his hand, four fingers
extended.
lone apiece then, be jabers! Now,
Little Mac, you re to take the second
from the right-their right, | mean
and don't you miss him, or III break
every bone in your skin"
Hist
Down they go upon their faces, then,
1ndianlike, they crawl "A few feet far
Their where there is a little ledge. The
canyon widans below; the light is
stronger there, and bending double,
throwing gu ok chances at one another,
then from sheer force of Indian habit
shading their eyes with their brown
hands rs they peer to the front; exchang-
ing noiseless signals creeping like cats
from rock to rock, leaping without
faintest sound of the lnoccasined foot
across the bubbling waters, four swar-
thy scamps are coming stealthily on.
Two others are just appearing around
the next bend beyond.
Ready, boys? They're near enough
now. Cover the two leaders! Drop
the first two anyhow"
Breathless silence, humping hearts
ono instant longer, then the chasm bel
lows with the loud reports. The four
guns are fired almost as one. One half
naked wretch leaps high in air and
falls, face downward, dead as a nail.
Another whirls about bounds few
yards along the brookside, and then goes
splashing into "A shallow pool, where
he lies writhing. The two farthest
down the canyon have slipped back be-
hind the rocky shoulder. The other
the nearest shelter and thence ' seihdd
harmless bullets whizzing overhead.
Costigan lets drive wild Irish yell of
triumph and delight,
"Now, then, run for ii, boy. Well
done, You two, if We are blackguards. "
he calls to Moreno aud his mate
They won't disturb We again for 10
minutes anyhow. Hold your post,
though, till we call you back. We're
going to block the mouth of the cave"
Twenty minutes later, and working
have lugged rocks, logs, bales of blank
cts, everything, anything that can stop
a bullet, and the entrance to the cave
is being stoutly barricaded Patter-
son, who was sorely exposed at his post
and ordered down by Lieutenant Drum
mond, is aiding in the work. Wing
has been carefully borne into the back
cave, whittier, too, the wailing, quak
ing Moreno women are herded and bid
den to hold their peace. There, too,
Fanny and Ruth. silent, pallid perhaps,
but making no moan, are now kneeling
by their patient. Costigan runs in with
two buckets he has filled with water
and Little Mac" follows with half a
dozen dripping canteens. More rocks
are being lifted on the barricade, con-
venient apertures being left through
which to fire, and Costigan, feverishly
eager, is making every cxertion. for
any minute may be the last with those
plucky fellows battling there aloft.
The air rings with the shots of the en-
circling Apaches and with the loud re-
port Of the cavalry carbine answering
the hidden foe. Twice has Costigan
implored tho lieutenant to come down
anyhow, so long as his crippled condi-
ton prevents his firing gun, but Drum
mond pokes his bandaged head one in
slant over the edge to shout something
to the effect that he is ON deck" until
he has seen the last man down, and Cos
tigan knows it is useless to argue at
last the barricade is ready. Walsh,
peering grimly around, just the top of
his head showing over the parapet, begs
for one shot and shouts his Hibernian
challenge to the Apache nation to come
forth and show itself. Drummond
picks up the glasses for one final look
down the desert and across the valley
in search Of friends who surely should
be coming cautiously places the bin
ocular" on the inner edge of the top
of his shelving rock, then raises his
head to the level.
Fur the love O. God lieut. 'nant. don Z
sit so high up" implores Walsh.
They're sure to spot Oh. Christ -
And down goes the poor faithful fell
low. the blood yelling from deep
cash along the temple. He lies sense
loco ar his communicate faat