The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-03-21


''More'n Il hundred"
"llow did you get herc?"
Jumped onto olo Gray's back an
cum--rode through en-"
There's blood on your sleevc-you
arc wounded?"
Scratched leotlo with ono of them
nrrers-nary u bullet hit me, reckin.
But you'll hcv to hurry, mister.
There's heaps Of 'om agin' six, an pop
was hit 1forc left"
The girl slipped from old Gray's back
and ran to The commanders side.
"What nowp" he questioned /
"P'raps you'll let me take n frcsR
boss, mister, an u shooter. I ha&ter
leave minc," she snid earnestly
You mustn't go with us"
You bet yer boots do"
Give her horse; sho won'ti be in
moro danger than to stay herr alone"
When the troopers were mounted
Nance spurrcd her new steel alongside
of the colonels horse, riding there in
silence for some time.
Then sho spoke abruptly: "'Taint
very bad fer six of 'em ter hold back
more'n q hundred" she said, as they
heard the sound of distant firing.
81 hope were not too later muttcrcd
the colonel, anxlously.
"Oh, no, yer amt" she answered,
chccrfully, with the same shrill laugh
"ic hear them guns-an rs long rs
pops alive them Injunsll stay out or
that camp. Hear en- now! l kin tell
pops gun 'mongst 81 million; it sounds
like cannon most, don't it? Coin ter
charge, mister?"
Yes and you must fall back to the
rear"
"No-up. Not much, don't mister.
I'll keep right side of YOU"
mo, fall back!'
you bet I'll DO right alongside OF
you, mister, when We git there. jest
look! Runnin' already, amt they,
mistero"
1t was true; tho Indians suddenly re-
WONDERED that
Heywho fights aud runs away
VIII 1.-Two 10 fight another day"
but seven of them wero captured, with
but two soldicrs wounded. Two men,
two women and throo children among
the cnigrants wcro wounded and cvory
horse lay dead.
Fifteen minutes moro would hove
wiped them all out" said Private
Knowles, grimly. as they cncircled the
wagons under which the defenders lay.
Nance slid from her horse and crawled
under tho nearest one
'Aro 20 hurt, popP" she asked, nnD-
iously.
"Nothin' more'n q scratch, 1 rccktn,s
Bo We hurt sis?" "
"Jost muslsettcr bite. Did 80 IN
me go, pcp'"
"Ye-up. recl1in did,"
oval, fetched en-" E3
II knowcd ye would" Just the}{n
curtains OF the wagon parted.
"Nance!" called tho woman. Ia
I'm hero, narm-" M
"Where ye binT' ID
IT took ole Gray an fetched the sol
jere-" "a
ooh, yc did. That's lucky re tn lfft
ter do 1t, l guess. Como in hero row.
Jim an Fanny arc both bA .,ulloted."
bad, marm?" d.
but they're fussin'." ~
The soldiers hitohed ,SSrses to the
wagons and slowly the>1 alcade moved
back to the stage station.
Not word of praise was given to
brave Nance, who had saved them all
from n terrible death.
''They all take it as matter of fact"
muttered Lieut. Sommcrs, when the
station wns reached at last. "And she
dou't seem to understand that she is as
brave us any soldier that wears the
blue. God bless her homely facet"
Give her three cheers!" shouted
Private Knowles. Now, boys-three
cheers for Nuncev
The cheers were given with will
The echo had hardly died away when
Il voice came from the pile of blankets
where the father lay.
"What you fcllcl's maxim SIGH n fuss
over Nance fer?" he growlcd.
"Why, she is heroine; didn't you
know it? She saved you ALL" was the
astonishcd reply.
'S'posin' she did, You'd better quit
that noise Nance is hushill' them
young uns as was bulleted, an she
won't thank yc ter sllecr 'em an make
cm,nervouscr'n they air by howlin' So"
The wagon curtain parted again, and
Nance's white face pcered out.
That's so. amt done nothin' but
what I'd oughter do for pop an marin
an the younguns, anyhow. But the
! younguns is asleep now, an guess ri
| git my arm seen TO if the doctor is
handy. Is hep"
The station agent stepped forward
and cut the sleeve from the trembling
arm. The barbed head of an arrow had
passed entirely through the arm. The
broken shaft told OF Nance's efforts TO