The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-12-13

from his wrists and ankles prepare
tory to further proceedings.
No sooner, however, were the gal
liant fellows limbs free than, utterinl
a haunting shout, he struck out righ
and left like lightning and sent two
of his cantors headlong to the earth
his evident design being TO provoke
the crew into killing him at once. Blu
dozen of the miscreants threw them
selves upon him in a body and boz,
him down again.
Then, while some of the other de
mons held his arms and legs, Others
drove the sharpened stakes into the
ground, and soon the poor fellow
never for moment ceasing to revils
his enemies as "wnite-livered suuaw.
and cowards," was stretched out, face
up, and securely bound by his extend
ed hands and feet to the stakes. The
monsters intended to build a fire upon
his stomach and thus slowly burn him
to death-and all this within fifty
yards of where we crouched!
Every man of us, half crazy for ac.
ton, held his rifle ready for instant
use; but still there was no signal from
Abe, and nothing but our perfect con.
tidence in his judgment prevented an
attack. Our cruel wait was nearl--
ended, however. 4Nk
While the main body of savages,
yelling and prancing in hellish delight,
formed great ring around their vic
tins two braves approached, one of
whom bore an armful of dry twigs and
the other lighted brand.
The circle was just opening to let
them pass, when, like the trump of
doom, there rang out from the lips of
our leader the signal word Now"
Twas the last earthly sound heard
by nearly a score of blood-thirsty
Apaches, for rifle bullet flies faster
than its report, over so short a space.
and those who fell dead on the firing
of our Simultaneous volley heard only
the signal shout.
Never was surprise more complete
or victory more instantaneous. The
four conspicuously tall warriors, the
two eXecutioners and twelve other
braves dropped dead in their tracks;
while the survivors, utterly panic
stricken, stood for one second in
amazed bewilderment; then turned to
fly, as above their affrighted cries
arose the triumphant cheer of the
saved prisoner.
"Revolvers, boys! Give it to them
yelled Capt. Abe, and, firing as we
went, we all dashed forward in pur-
suit of the scurrying horde. Three
more fell at our first volley, and even
those few who happened to have their
bows in hand never stopped to draw
them, all rushing for cover at their
topmost speed.
As we charged along, Tom Granger
six feet three inches in height, strong
as bull buffalo and swift of foot as a
deer-left the rest of us behi'd, and
raging like a maddened tigG over
took two of the savages ere tn could
gain shelter. One fell with bullet
through his brain, but the OF r sud-
denly turned and struck with enge-
full knife at his pursuer. swiftly
swerving, Tom avoided the deadly
thrust, caught the fellow up, in his
arms and CONTEMPORARY shouting:
| IN not waste lead on your carcass, -
dashed him down with terrific force on
piece of rock, killing him as sudden
ly as might thunderbolt.
By this time not live Indian was
to be seen; more than one-half the to-
tai force lay dead upon the ground,
and many others had limped away
more or less wounded. So, giving up
the useless pursuit, we turned to free
Bill Somers.
THAT was mighty close call,
boys" he coolly said as we lifted him
up. (which of you fellows laid out
this raid?"
ABE johnson did; the Lord bless
him; | never could have planned it, "
generously answered Granger.
"Well, Abe, I'm everlastingly be-
holden to ye. The oldest Indianfg liter
in the whole west couldn't have done
it better, and all the boys backed you
up like bricks. I'm real proud of the
crowd. The sneakin' varmints came
upon me just as I'd found a good pass.
Not thinking there was a red here
abouts, I'd been careless like, and the
first thing | knew, | walked up right
here, tied fast hand and foot"
Exactly as l guessed" reioined
Abe. Here, Bill take pull of this, y
handing over his flask.
On looking around, we found fifty
three ponies kneehaltered in a grassy
| hollow a few rods away, while all the
lances. war-clubs and most of the bows
and arrows belonging to the routed
savages had necessarily been left be.
hind.
about twenty-five of the varmints
have got away" said Somers, as he
was hungrily devouring some hard
tack and bacon, but as they've moth
ing but knives left, we needn't bother
about them All creation couldn't
coax them to pitch into this party
again. Make bonfire of all the
weapons, boys, then we'll mount a
pony apiece, lead the spare ones and
push right through the pass to camp
ut isn't more than two miles away
and we'll make it before it gets real
| dark. Of course, the reds'll be watch.
! ing us, and that's the best of the Joke
| for they can't meddle with us, and the
sight'll be worse than poison to them
Tomorrow We'll come through here