Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-06-19

There was window in each of the
wal, except the one against the cliff.
1t was evident that four NEIL, if sup
piled with plenty of rations and car
tridges, could make successful defense.
Water could be had by lowering a
bucket or canteen from the south win
dow to the spring "a feet below the
window sill.
The Indians, who had galloped furi-
ously and vociferously up the trail on
the western side of the brook, had halt
ed at safe distance when they saw the
white men and women enter the cabin.
They seemed to show great respect for
the place of refuge and the rifles at the
windows. The weapons III the hands of
the lieutenant and sergeant could throw
a bullet farther and could be loaded
more rapidly than any guns in their
possession, for this was before the In
dian trader had sold the tribe the modern
improved firearms. The priest and his
serving man were armed with hunters
rifles.
The men in the cabin removed the
saddles from the horses and hitched the
animals in the end of the room farthest
from the chimney. The women with
drew into a corner beside the fireplace,
and spreading few blankets upon the
floor sat upon them, the sisters in front
and the other behind. Vic nosed around
the cabin for time, and being ordered
by Raymer to lie down crept between
the nuns to the veiled figure in the cor
ner, where two beautiful hands were
thrust from beneath the shawl to caress
and draw her to share of the blankets.
"Evidently," thought the lieutenant as
he witnessed the act, "the sisters are
taking some young girl to their school. "
Officer, sergeant and priest gathered
at the western window, leaving the
servant to guard the eastern, where
three Indians had appeared among the
distant pines, apparently for the purpose
of watching that side. The rest Of the
Navajoes, "a in ALL could be seen on the
farther border of the level space which
stretched before the west door just out
of rifle shot, grouped as if in consulta-
tion.
lone thing is very certain, father, "
said Raymer. elf they cannot approach
us, they can keep us here and starve us
out What amount OF provision and am
munition have you?'
"Jose and I have hundred rounds
of cartridges, and we have three days
food for five persons, which, OH pinch,
can be made to last week" replied
the priest.
"And your housekeeper put in lunch
for the sergeant and me that would keep
couple Of shipwreclled mariners quite
as long"
"We can pull through a tolerable
siege fairly WE'LL" observed Sergeant
Cunningham, "but these horses will not
do as we'll. There is nothing in the way
Of forage but the stale straw and pino
plumes in these old bunks. "
They will have to fast" said the
priest, until we get away or die. We
must not turn them loose to become the
property of the Indians. -
'No; should prefer to shoot my horse
rather than have him change to such
ownership" said Raymer. II think.
however, he added, "it will not come
to that. Ny men at Jemez will reach
camp day after tomorrow and find that
the sergeant and l have not arrived.
Search for us will at once begin, and as
we were known to take the cut off they
will come this way. We are sure of be-
ing rescued within four days. "
eve have food enough to last that
time, and our animals can manage OH
the straw, but these copper skinned fel-
lows are going to attack Us i'll the dark
ness, fear," said the padre.
eve might keep fire before each
door, sir, suggested the sergeant.
"Thcse cid bunks could be broken up
for fuel. y
II am afraid they would prove OF as
much advantage TO the enemy as to us,
sergeant" replied the lieutenant. Il
wonder if this flat roof is covered with
earth?'
The sergeant went to the wide mouth
ed chimney, and easily ascending the
fiues by stepping Oh the projecting ends
of the rough stones of which it was
built looked out of the top and reported
that the roof was covered with two feet
of earth.
"All right, then. We can keep q
small blaze going there, which will IL
Illuminate the space about us and not
confuse our sight, but will confuse that
of the enemy"
The men set to work and pulled down
all the hunks. breaking the puncheons
and posts of which they were made into
fragments with large stones taken from
the hearth. Then the sergeant once
more assembled the chimney, and by di-
rection of the lieutenant pulled down
one side of the part projecting above
the roof, the side looking in the direc-
tion opposite the precipicc. This would
enable a man standing in the top of the
chimney to feed the fire upon the roof
without being exposed to the shots of
foe OH his right and left, the only points
of attack.
These preparations went slowly along,
and the October afternoon was entering