Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-01-06

"FltT Gods sake, come quick, siT!''
 three or four savage foes have leaped up from behind their sheltering rocks, and one of them pays the penalty-a vengeful carbine from across the can- yon stretches the 1.-the. slender, dusky form lifeless among the rocks with the dirty white of his breech clout turning crimson in the monday glare. Up from the cave, catlike, Patterson and Little Mac" come climbing the mar row trail. Between them they drag Walsh's senseless body to the edge, and then, somehow, despite hissing, spatter- ing lead, they bear him safely down and carry him within the cave.
 "Now call in Moreno and help his partner back!'' shouts Drummond, and Costigan goes at speed to carry out the order. A few minutes of intense ex- citement and suspense, then Moreno is seen limping around the point. Behind him Costigan is slowly helping their brigand friend. A few more shots come singing overhead. A moment more and the watchful Indians will come charging up the now unguarded canyon and crown both banks.
 Now, lads, give lem two or three 1 shots apiece to make them hug their | cover. Then down for the caves, every man of you, is the order
 For moment the Indian fire, is si- fenced i'll the rapid fusillade that fol- | lows. Sharp and quick the carbines are barking their challenge, and whenever | puff of powder smoke has marked the probable lurking place of an Apache, thither hiss the searching bullets warn ing him to keep down. Then Costigan comes climbing to the lookout.
 "Let us help you, lieut. nant. Now's your time, sir, while they're firing"
 But Drummond shakes his head. He wants to be the last man down.
 Don't hang on here, sir. Come now. Sure the others can get down from l where they are easy enough, but you can't except when they re firing. Please come, sir, and Costigan in his eager ness scrambles to the lieutenant's side and lays broad, red hand on his shoul- | der. The men have fired more than the designated number of shots and now are looking anxiously toward their commander They do not wish to move until he does.
 "Give 'em another whack all around, fellers, shouts Costigan, while help the lieut. 'nant down;'' and so, with a laugh, Drum1aond gives it up, and aft CT one last wistful glance out over the desert, turns to pick up the binocular, when it is struck, smashed, and sent clattering down into the canyon by a shot fired not 20 yards away.
 Fur Gods sake, come quick, sir!" | gasps Costigan. Then. desperate at his | loved young leaders delay, the Irish man throws a brawny arm about him and fairly drags him to the end of the steep. Then down they go, Costigan | leading and holding up one hand to sus- | tain Drulnmond in case of accident. Down, hand under hand, to the accom- | paniment of cracking rifles and an- swering carbincs. while every other sec ond the bullets como ''spat'' upon the rocky sides, close and closer, until, al- | most breathlcs5, Costigan reaches the I solid bottom of the gorge and swings Drummond to his feet beside him. See ing their leader safely down, the men, with one defiant shot and cheer, scurry l lO llS SOSc OI Illc Cd1lN Oll dIlNl NOluC slipping and sliding to join their com rades. At the mouth of the cave Cos tigan strives to push Drummond in through the narrow aperture left for | their admission, but miscalculates his commander idea of the proprieties. Like gallant Craven at Mobile Bay, Drummond will seek no safety until his men are cared for. After you, pilot, :" the chivalric sailors last word as the green waters engulfed his sinking ship, l finds it's cavalry echo in Drummond' s After you, corporal" in this faraway canyon in desert Arizona. The men have scrambled through the gap, then Costigan, with reluctant backward glance, is hurried in just as a flash of flame and smoke leaps downward from the crest and the foremost Apache sends a hurried, i'll aimed shot at the last man left. Before another shot can fol- low, Drummond's arm is seized by mus cular hands, and he is dragged within | the gap. Two or three huge stones are rolled into place, and in an instant through the ragged loopholes the black muzzles of half dozen carbines are thrusting, and Costigan shouts exult- ingly, "Now, you black Jagged black | guards, come on if ye dare!'
 But no Apache is fool enough to at tack 8 strong position. Keeping we'll under cover, the Indians soon line the crest and begin sending down a rain | of better aimed bullets at the loopholes, and every minute the fiattened lead comes dipping through. One of these fearful missiles tears its way through | Costigan's sleeve, and striking poor old Moreno in the groin stretches him grooming upon the fioor A glance shows that the wound is mortal, and | despite his crimes the men who bear him, moaning, in to the farther cave are moved to sudden sympathy as his hapless wife and child prostrate them selves beside his rocky bier. Drum mond can afford to lose no more and orders the lower half of each hole to 1 be stopped with blankets, blouses, shirts, l anything that will block a shot, and l then for an hour the fire of the bes;egers i is harmless, and no longer can the be- sieged catch even an occasional glimpse | of them. At noon their fire has ceased 1 entirely, and even when breathing a sigh l of relief the men look into one anoth- er's faces questioningly. How Ing can this last? How hot, how closo the air in the cave is growing!
 Drummond has gone for moml nt into the inner chamber, where Moreno is now breathing his last to inquire for Wing and to speak a word of cheer to his fair and devoted nurses. Not one murmur of complaint or dread has fall en from their lips, though they know their father to have ridden on perilous quest and into possible ambush; though they know their brother to be lying at the ruined ranch, perhaps seriously wounded; though their own fate may ~-- -~s ~