Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-12-31

in blood curdling warwhoop in which
they were promptly joined by the main
body in the wood. The five savages on
The roof were plainly visible.
Now, corporal. said the lieutenant
"you take the tallest fellow, Clary the
| shortest, Sattler the one with his shoul-
ders bare, Evans the one. sitting on the
wall, and will take the one with the
three feathers. Ready! Aimi Fire''
/ At the simultaneous discharge the In
dian sitting on the wall toppled back
ward and fell TO the earth never to stir
again. A subsequent inspection Of the
roof showed that two others had been
killed, and the trailing blood to the rear
wall proved that the rest had been
wounded
Immediately upon tho discharge of
! the rifles the door Of the cabin was
opened, the fiery brands were thrown
out, and the door closed again. The In
dians in the wood were seen to mount
in hot haste and disappear Raymer
waited few moments, during which
Sergeant Mulligan and the foot party
arrived. Making some dispositions TO
guard against surprise, he crossed the
opening to the cabins Hating few
yards away, he called, "Hello"
"Who is it," asked q mans voice in
Spanish.
"Friends-soldiers from the great
ralleysp
The door was opened, and two men
mn out into the moonlight
Are the ladies safe?" asked Raymer.
There is but one She is safe, praise
the yirgin"
"Your messenger, Ramon Vaca, said
there We're two ladies and three men. :"
There was bat one lady and her
maid. When we arrived here, Jose Val
dez and the maid went into the other
capln with the ANIMALS. some time III
tho night they ran away, and we saw
them pursued into the forest by los bar
baros.
"They were mounted, Of courses"
Isl, senior, they took the best horses" "
"Was the mans horse pinto brand
I'd II. v.r"
"The same, senior. "
"Horse and rider lie dead in tho
wood.
"valgame Dios! Where is Juana?"
"Quien sabe? We saw nothing OF
her. She must be a captive Of the In
dians."
"Pobrecita Juanital She has paid
dearly for going with that rascal Jose. "
An examination of the packs showed
that the runaways had robbed their
mistress of her iewelry and other prop
erty. During the examination Raymer
learned all the particulars concerning
the events of the day.
The Mexican party originally consist
ed Of two old ladies, a maidservant and
an escort Of three men and a boy. They
were journeying from Abiqui TO Jemez
by way Of Los Wales GraDdes All were
mounted on horses, and their luggage
was borne on three pack mules. When
the party reached q small hamlet
league north Of Los Ojos Frios, one Of
the ladies fell sick and was left there.
The journey being resumed, the trav-
elers were approaching the cabins at the
springs when band Of Navajoes at
tempted to cut them off. BY vigorous
use Of spur and ;p the Mexicans sue
ceeded in reac the cabins without
receiving a shot They then sent Ramon
vaca to the camp in the valleys for aid
They saw him disappear in the forest
beyond the opening, followed by two
Indians. As the two pursuers soon re-
turned trophyless, the Mexicans sup
posed the boy had accomplished his er-
rand. Not long afterward Jose and
Juana made q dash for the great val
ley's trail and appeared to have escaped
without injury.
Then the siego began. Bullets were
fired through doors and window shut
ters, but without effect The house, be-
ing built of adobe, with earthen roof and
chimneyless. was literally fireproof It's
only vulnerable points were at the door
and windows, and those couN not be
approached without exposing the be-
siegers TO the fire Of the besieged. After
long lull i'll The firing the occupants OF
the main cabin Were startled by hearing
tramping upon the roof, followed by
digging.
Had these hunting lodges possessed
chimneys tho savages could have
thrown their brands and leaves down
them and by covering the tops with
blankets smoked out the occupants.
But to accomplish this they were
obliged to dig hole in the roof. The
smoke had become sufficiently suffocat-
ing to greatly distress the Mexicans
when the soldiers fired. The sudden ces-
sation Of the warwhoop, the thud of a
falling body and the descent from the
roof proved that friends Were near.
The moon was now well up in the sky,
and surrounding objects were plainly
visible. Raymer told the Mexicans to
get ready to accompany him to camp,
and in a short time they appeared with
their pack and saddle animals ready for
the road. A woman, clad in black, her
face concealed in hood, mantle and
veil. walked feebly out Of the cabin,
leaning upon the arm OF an attendant
and apparently bowed by the weight OF
years. She was speaking to him in
low voice, and at the conclusion of her
remarks he turned to the lieutenant and
| said. "La Sonora Vieja wants TO know
if you found any of her property ON the
body of the rascal JOSEF"
"Yes, sonora; l found this casket,
replied Raymer, offering her the box
which he had taken from his saddlebag.
The old woman made gesture to the
| man beside her 10 receive 1t, at the
same time murmuring something too
low for any one else to hear When she
had finished, the man said. La Sonora
vieja returns her thanks"
The frequent repetition OF La Sonora
yieja-the Spanish for old lady-struck
the lieutenant as odd, but rejecting
| that it might be custom Of the class 10
| which the lady $ attendants belonged he
dismissed the matter from his mind
and gave his attention to preparations
| for the return march. The column then
left the cold springs and entered the
| wood
The moonlight enabled tho party to
keep the road without difficulty and
make good progress At the place where
Raymer had caused the body OF the
rascal Jose" to be suspended in tree
a halt was made long enough to lower
and bind it to the back Of mule, that
it might be taken to camp for burial.
Arrived In camp, the lieutenant first