Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-10-03
Copyright, 1904, by the Author.)

couio not see the farm Dullalngs.' Uor
poral Foot, on duty, was inside the cor
raj wall when the distant firing began
and ran for the gateway at once, but II
had ceased by the time he got to O
point whence Kelly's ranch was visible.
Then for moment the lieutenant
was in quandary. His orders required
him to send to and fire the beacon at
the butte If the Apachcs appeared in
the valley, but this might not have
been Apaches at ALL 1t might have
well been a skirmish between the
horse thief and his pursuers, who had
tracked him to some refuge near KEEL.
ly's. That was matter in which mil
itary interference could hardly have
been tolerated Settlers and frontiers
men, though eager enough to have the
army look after the indians, much pre-.
fer to dispose Of their own renrolatcs
IN their own way II an ATTACK hoc
been made by Apaches 1t was speedily
over, for not another sound was heard,
Within the corral the women and chill
dren, however, had been aroused by
the suppressed excitement. and Kellys
daughters were now clamoring to be
allowed to 60 to see II all was well
with father and mother, and Crane
ordered q corporal and two men to
mount, ride thither and ascertain what
had happened In ten minutes they
rode away, and in ten minutes more
were back again, driven in by
sharp and sudden volley from the
thiclet along the Sandy, not FIVE hun
dred yards up stream. The providers
had so secreted themselves as to enable
them to command the road leading to
Kelly's and the canyon, reasoning, no
doubt, that some Of the troop would be
sent up to reconnoiter. Crane had
never fought Apachcs before, but this
served to convince him. lie reasoned
that the bottom was full Of Tontos,
that they surrounded him on every
side and that the only thing for him to
do was to dispose his little force as
best to defend the terrified women and
children and hold out against over
towering numbers until relief reached
him from the fort lie now thought It
high time to fire the beacon, but who
was to do 1t with Apaches watching
every pathway How could anyone
hope to reach that outlying butte?
Every minute 1t was growing lighter,
however, and as soon as broad day
came ne determined to make the at
tempt, and then Downey, also an ex-
dragon and stalwart settler, took
hand in questioning the corporal who,
with his fellows had been driven in un-
hurt' yet a tribe demoralized. Neither
morse nor man had scratch, yet every
body had heard the fusillade-six or
eight rapid shots almost punched. II
never knew Apaches to fire so many
shots before" said he, and miss.
You're sure they weren't more'n ten
yards away
certain sure said the corporal.
certain sure said his followers, two
good looking young troopers. Then
aiter a moments bordering Downey
sa'd ne believed he could get to the
quite IN safety, and he d 60 and fire the
pie, whereat the women began to wall
again ana The lieutenant to protest, and
right IN the midst OF the discussion
SOMEBODY shouted 'Hurrah!' and
coluinh OF SMOKE speedily bursting into
name, siiot upward toward the zenith
from inc summit OF the ola butte, and
everybody thought how plucky thing
!. was IN Nelly 70 creep OUT there and
ciinp tlat Jagged bowlder strewn cone
in the dim morning light, set fire to the
ever ready suck OF WOOD ana steal oack
70 MS lalr' lhey were talking OF 1t
ofoau oayighe anu nelly came In
S i,r,
INC 'iacAsuaros ran OH my mules,
lo Sa,a' WIN d uerce oaIn' ana Kiiied
'oor nus,amenle' Ihere cant be moren
'iN u, 'oia' .ah 'ne lieutenant spare
ne a rev men 70 go aiter them? They've