Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-06-21
log! Don't let a man jump over it to re

between it's starting place and the cabin.
All the efforts of the prostrate men be-
hind it had no effect upon the log ex-
cept to swing the end farthest from the
obstacle slightly ahead.
"There seems to be nothing for them
to do but to remove the stone. Keep a
sharp eye on the log, sergeant.
Raymer had hardly spoken when a
sudden discharge of rifles ran irregular
ly along the length of the log, and un-
der cover of the fire and smoke stall
wart warrior leaped over, seized the
stone and had lifted it nearly to the top
when Sergeant Cunningham rifle
spoke sharply.
The stone dropped on the side toward
the cabin. The Indian fell forward, with
his arms extended toward his friends.
A second warrior sprang upward topull
his dead brother over the log, and ball
from the priests rife made him topple
backward. Hands then drew the first
Indian backward without exposing the
bodies to which they belonged The fire
of the Navajoes did 10 harm.
The blaze OIL the roof was replenished
from time to time and the vigilant
watch maintained.
For long time the log remained mo-
tionless At last the sergeant who was
still looking from the doorway, ex-
claimed:
Lieutenant, the stone is moving! It's
sinking into the ground"
Raymer at the moment was looking
from the eastern window. By the time
he joined the sergeant there was no
stone to be seen in front Of the log.
''It is gone, and here comes the log, !"
he said. '"They must have dug under
meath with their knives and sunk the
stone"
"Yes, sir, and they're safe to move
that breastwork up to the cabin door
and make an end Of u.s., said Cunning
ham.
IF there were two or three more
stones in the way, sergeant, the delay
might serve US until help arrives. "
"Let's put them in the way, lieuten-
ant.
"What do you mean?"
"If you and the padre will cover me
with your rifles, I'll run out there and
drop couple of big stones in the way.
"All right, sergeant, and when you
return I'll drop two more"
Explanations were made to the priest,
and preparations were begun to carry
out the plan. The sergeant replenished
the fire OH the roof and then selected
from the loose rubbish which had been
torn from the top Of the chimney two
good sized stones.
Removing his shoes, the sergeant,
with the assistance of the lieutenant,
raised the rocks into the hollow Of his
elbows, holding them firmly against his
breast. The two others stood with their
rifles in their hands at window and
doorway and revolvers at their feet At
the word the sergeant started out at a
rapid walk, setting ais feet without
noise and going nearly to the moving
log. He dropped the stones, one before
the other, about three yards part, with.
out attracting the red mems attention,
and regained the cabin without shot
being fired on either side.
Now it was the officers turn. The
same preparations were made in his case
as in the sergeant's, and he selected
stones of nearly the same weight: Feel
ing that he must not be outdone by his
brave comrade, after leaving one stone
in line with the other he took the last
even nearer than any had been placed.
AS he was about to dropit loud yell Of
warning rang from the east side of the
ravine, and an Indian looked over the
log and fired his rifle
The bullet struck the falling rock and
sent shower Of stinging splinters into
Raymer's face. He turned and fled, his
face streaming with blood
With the discharge of the Indians
weapon the priest and sergeant opened
rapid fusillade with their revolvers and
successfully covered the retreat to the
cabin. But all saw that they had taken
their last chance at obstacle dropping.
Several terribly long hours had crept
past since the party had seen Vic's
plumy tail turn the butte on her errand
to the valley, and judging by the time
it had taken the Navajoes to bore tun-
mel under their log and undermine the
first sergeant's trigging stone it was es.
timated that two more hours must pass
before the next three distractions could
be removed unless the foe took a more
speedy method.
1t was fully nine miles to camp, and
the dog could easily reach there in all
hour. If she had arrived, help must be
on the way. But if she had been killed
by the besiegers before she reached the
north end of the butte or had been torn
in pieces by the gray wolves!
Should the log once reach the cabin,
although no one gave utterance to the
thought, all knew that no one would
survive the struggle. The men resolved
that the price of their lives should be-
dear to the enemy.
While the defenders stood silently at
their posts watching the relentless roll
ing of the log or its silent waiting while
the obstructing stones were being un.
dermined, specializing in no very hope
full vein over these probabilities, there
came q scratch at the eastern door As