Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1894-02-01

Now was my chancel True, / could
not see the house, but if l wished to
kill my buffalo now was my time.
fred, and to my establishment, missed
Missed Yesl The bullet went flying
on its mission. Little did 1 imagine
what that mission was
Once again l fred. stopping my
mustang in order to take steadior
aim. The buffalo swerved; the bullet
struck tree and in another moment
heard a loud cry. The animal could
not have uttered the sound. 1t was
more like human voice Had l shot
any one?
Suddenly n horror came over me
Had my random bullet struck one of
the ladies? Had l killed or wounded
Miss Mellor or her friend? Was it pos.
sible?
In my anxiety spurred poor Pedro
and was intent on dispatching the
buffalo, when two pistol shots rang
out from the direction of our rancho
One lucky shot the bull fell; another
in the heart; my victory stood com
pletel But my joy was very quickly
tempered with alarm, when heard
savage yell, which l could not mis-
take.
Great powersl Indians at the rancho!
And the ladies' ...
My heart lcaped to my throat
Hastily loading all the chambers of
my Winchester, spurred my steed for
home. Tho house was not far distant
and in few Minutes came within
view. "
The door stood open, In front were
six Apaches, held in check at thirty
PAGES distant by woman and SER
vant--a youth-both of whom were
armed and actually defying the In
dams for the moment
Why they had opened the door
could not understand 1t would not
easily have been found, and the win
dows were handler for the assailants.
Yet here they WERE standing irreso.
lutte. There was no time to be lost.
My appronch was almost UNDECIDED as
emerged from the cover of the wood
around the house. One glance was
sufficient
Hating, | fred all the chambers of
my rifle in quick succession. An
answering fire came from the hall.
Four Indians dropped; the others fled
at once, after discharging a voiley OF
arrows at the defenders, who avoided
them by promptly lying down as soon
as they saw the bows drawn.
My establishment was extreme when
in the defenders of our house recog-
nized Miss Mellor and a shepherd
not the young stranger who had in
formed us of the neighborhool of In
dams. In n few moments ! was in
possession of the facts, but Miss Nevil
was missing and Miss Mellor was in
the greatest distress concerning her.
1t appeared that the darlt-skinned new
shepherd had carried her away into
the wood, and the servants who now
began TO assemble gave evidence that
he had actually done so.
AS we were discussing the chances,
the other members of our party,
alarmed by the reports of firearms,
had come up. A search was at once
instituted. The cry which had
heard while chasing the buffalo was
still ringing in my ears. We hurried
into the wood, or scrub, and after
search were rewarded by hearing
faint cry for help We searched in
the direction of the sound, and a most
remarkable tableau met our gaze.
On the ground lay the darlS-featured
shepherd dead, his body pierced by a
bullet from my Winchester. Standing
beside him was an Indian pony, and
strapped TO the body b7 u belt lHy--or
rather hung-NIiss Nevil, quite unable
to move and but half sensible.
A few moments sufficed to relieve
her from her perilous position. She
afterward told us how the shepherd, in
league with the Apaches, had at
tempted to plumber our house and car
ry her Off The buffaloes were only
decoy, driven in by some of the tribe
while others plundered us. The traitor
shepherd had attempted to carry off
Miss Nevil, but the first shot which l
had fired struck him and put an end to
his career. My second bullet had
glanced away, fortunately, perhaps;
but Miss Nevils scream OF terror had
guided me to the house.
need hardly say that the rescue
was entirely due to the course adopted
by the bull, and we were very CRATE
full for his share in the business But,
alas for sentiment! we needed beef,
and many an excellent meal was
made from what Radcliffe ever after
ward termed "that blessed buffalo,
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