Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-04-28

..llos McGuffy kneeling at tinS point.
They're coming, Barney" whispers
the boy, all eager and tremulous with
excitement. and pointing down between
the vertical walls. ''Look!" he says.
Gazing ahead to the next bend, Cos
tigan can see Moreno and his Yankee
ccanpadre crouching behind their shell
ter, their carbiues leveied, their atti-
tude betokening intense excitement
ard suspense It is evident the enemy
are,within view.
III have 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 a
STEP And, forgetful for the moment
Of his orders in his eagerness Cor fight,
the Irishman runs down the canyon,
leaps the svirling brook just as he
reaches the point, and obedient to the
warning hand held out by their bandit
ally drops on his knees at the bend,
McGuffy close at his heels. Off go
their hats. Those broad brims would
catch an Indian eye even in that gloom.
How many are there coining:" he
whispers.
Moreno puts his finger on his lips,
then throws out his hand, four fingers
extended.
"One 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, CT I'll break
every bone in your skim
"Hist!'
Down they go upon their faces, then,
Indianlike, they crawl q few feet far
Their where there is Il little ledge. The
canyon widens below; the light is
stronger there, and bending double,
throwing quick chances at one another,
then from sheer force Of Indian habit
shading their eyes with their brown
hands as they peer to the front; exchang-
ing noiseless signals, creeping like cats
from rock to rock, leaping without
faintest sound OF the noccasined foot
across the bubbiing 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
| the first two anyhow"
Breathless silence, humping hearts
! one instant longer, then the chasin 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 nail.
Another whirls about, bounds q few
yards along the brookside, and then goes
| splashing into shallow pool, where
he lies writing. The two farthest
down the canyon have slipped back be-
hind the rocky shoulder. The other
two. close at hand. have rolled behind
the nearest shelter and thence send
harmless bullets whining overhead.
Costigan lets drive wild Irish yell of
triumph and delight.
| Now, then, run for it, boy. Well
done, you two, if We are blackguards, ~
he calls to Moreno and 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, ard working
like beavers Costigan and his two men
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 sorcly 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 filed 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 exertion. 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 c8rbine answering
| the hidden foe. Twice has Ccstigan
implored the 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
| IN 4a {,
A:N k1wE