Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-12-11

taken.
Bidding as good night, Miss Bloom
ingdale withdrew to her tent, while we
loitered awhile and smoked before retir-
ing After a time turned m on my
blanket with the others and fell speed
lily asleep, for one soon becomes indiffer
emit to peril where perfect safety cannot
be assured. I had slept perhaps an hour
or two, when the sudden crack of rifles
ruthlessly aroused me. I well knew
what it was, what it must be-Indiansl
Instantly we were on our feet, weapons
in hand and huTying outside the tent.
The crescent moon had set. the night
was pitch dark, SO that nothing could
be seen, but wild, curdling noises broke
ON the ear. They came from Pouchee's
tent With an involuntary impulse I
rushed toward it. Already it was filed
with savages, granting like swine to-
gether and brandishing their knives
about with wildness. What was the ex-
citement?
+. The savages were bluffed-the lady
was not there Had she spryly made her
escape ere tho firing Of rife or pistol
which had heard? had no means Of
knowing, not much time to think, for
the Indians turned on me like madmen
rather than red men, knocking me down
ere could fire shot. One Of them ran
at me, I suppose to take my scalp, when
the snap of a gun and the yell of anoth-
or Of their number occasioned them all
to rush precipitately out of the tent. So
dazed was I and blinded with blood
from the blow ON my forehead that for
the moment I could be but of little as
s.stance, but as soon as could sufficient
" recover my senses contrived to crawl
out from under the canvas and creep
along, hidden by the tall grass Of the
prairie Not thing to be seen. heard
the sound Of hoofs, however, becoming
more and more distant and indistinct,
and soon realized that the survivors of
the struggle, together with our stock,
had been scooped aud carried off as spoils
and prisoners for ransom. The Indians
had eluded us completely.
It may scarcely be believed, but SO
weak and weary was from my wound
that, not caring whether was safe or
not, sank into deep sleep or swoon,
awaking not again till sunrise. Then,
with start, sat bolt up and stared
about me. All traces Of the camp, the
tents, utensils, equipage, were gone.
Two Of the soldiers, together with Mr..
Breitman, were lying stiff, stark and
scalped amid the grass where they had
fallen. A dead horse was stretched at
length upon its side, with great cash
in its flank, while litter Of damaged
articles belonging to our company cum
bered the trodden sod. My companions
were all gone, and, my God where was
Pouchee?
Struggling family to my feet, l
groaned aloud with agony Of heart. Was
Pouchee murdered or far worse? 1mme-
diately a loud cry made my blood run
cold and peering in every direction over
the plains to my almost hysterical de-
light saw the graceful girlish form of
Pouchee coming at run toward me.
Fairly throwing herself into my arms,
she managed to say, between a laugh
and cry:
"Mr. Vincent, you are left alive.
Thought was all alone, in this waste
desert. But you are spared to me, thank
heavenl'
Full of unutterable emotions, I pressed
the dear girl to my heart with rapture.
care they all killed." I finally con-
triyed to ask
"All but we two, fear"
"And how did they chance to leave
your" said.
II could not get to sleep last night,
and after awhile got up to look outside
the tent, when I saw dark shadows
stealing along tho ground. At that mo-
ment the sentinels fired at random, and
flying blindly straight ahead contrived
to dodge the savages and escape, thanks
to my Indian blood. Afterward, from
distance, saw them spring upon the
horses, and yelling like fiends ride rapid
ly away"
"They are far enough off by this time.
Miss Bloomingdale, said I, $50 let us
look about and see what we can find for
breakfast. -
care you much hurt?" she asked,
with trepidation. "You are all covered
with blood
"I'll soon fix that" said L
There was a pail half full Of water
which had been left for the horses stand
ing little way off, and, without cere-
mory plunging my head into its spar
king mist presently emerge quite clean
and refreshed, but my clothes were bad
ly stained and injured, and I had to
laugh aloud, for poor Pouchee was al
ready clad in buckskin hunting shirt
and chaperelles, which I recognized as
having lately belonged to Sangaree.
There were no guns or ammunition to
be found, but long bladed bowie was
lying in the grass, badly nioked and
bloodstained, which stuck in my belt
for our mutual protection before we fell
to at some hard tack which was scatter
ed around, and which we washed down
with bottle of beer that had fortunate
ly escaped detection. That was our
breakfast