The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-04-11


It was by no means impossible that
Miss Valencia might have bsen visiting
relatives in the rio aribA That such
Journeys were not unusual in New Mex.
ico had been proved by his adventure oh
the Jemez trail in October. The possi-
bility of again meeting her renewed
hopes he had in vain been attempting
to Danish and aroused q resolution
which lent new tension to nerves and
muscles, preparing him for any struggle
necessary to rescue the girl whose
image filled his thoughts. Closing the
box, he returned to his horse and depos-
tied the treasure in a pouch attached to
his saddle.
Directing the men to throw the end
of the lariat over the limb of a tree, that
the body Of the Mexican might be drawn
above the reach of the wolves, and re-
ceiving the report of the returning cor
poral that the halt had been made at
''seven mile pine" Raymer ordered the
torches to be extinguished and the
march resumed.
The moon was just clearing the east
ern mountains, and its rays, fltering
through the screening foliage, made
the trail visible once more and permit
ted the gait of the animals to be greatly
increased.
Half an hour later the detachment
reached the border of q level opening
consisting of about dozen acres. On
the farther side were the cabins in which
the women and their attendants were
reported as being besieged by small
band of Indians. While yet consider
able distance from the edge Of the open
ing halt was made, and the lieutenant
advanced alone and Oh foot to make an
observation.
All was still. Not hostile sound
broke the silence of the night. If the
Navajoes were still there, they must be
in ambush awaiting the approach of the
soldiers, or else, as seemed more proba-
BILE to Raymer, they had overcome the
Mexicans and left. The finding Of the
dead man in the trail was good evidence
that the travellers had left the cabins,
but how?
A terrible dread seized Raymer as
this thought took shape The familiar
jewelry in his possession suggested that
Dona Teresa was one of the prisoners at
the springs. If she had been there and
was not there now, she must be captive
or dead. His knowledge of the horrible
atrocities perpetrated upon captive
white women by the Navajoes made the
thought almost maddening.
The lieutenant reached the border of
the forest, and placing himself behind
some low bushes looked across the open.
ing toward the two gray adobe cabins,
but saw no signs of life. With impa-
! tient fingers he disengaged his fieldglass
from its case and adjusted the focus.
He swept the whole northern limit Of
the interval, including the cabins, with
out seeing an Indian. He removed the
glass from his eyes and stood gazing at
the SILENT moonlit scene. Suddenly he
started. A figure had risen ON the roof
of the cabin to the left-another-tw
more-a fifth and-lastl Using his glass
again, he saw they were Indians, half
concealed by the walls which rose like
parapet two feet above the fiat, earth
covered roof. They were STOPPING and
busy with something at their feet.
Watching them closely, he made out
that they were digging hole in the
roof
This evidence that las senoras were
still prisoners in great danger caused
Raymer's heart to bound with joy and
q resolve to rescue them. He did not
doubt the result. Success in his former
contests with the red man had given
him confidence in himself and his COM
rades. He turned his glass once more
along the border of the opening, and
looking more closely than before dis
covered, directly opposite, party of
men and horses concealed in the wood.
Presently flame lit up the painted
faces on the cabin. They had ceased to
dig and were grouped together, holding
bundles Of something in their hands.
They held something in the fame, and
its volume increased a hundredfold.
They were lighting billets of pitch pine!
Yes, they were at their old game-drop-
ping the blazing brands into the interior! !!
Something must be done, and that quick
ly.
Corporal Coffey, Clary, Evans. Sat-
tlerp' called the officer in stage whis-
per, come this wayl Stand on my right
in line and take aim at those rascals on
the roof. Fire when I do
Four Of the Oldest soldiers of the COM
pany passed the reins of their animals
to their comrades and advanced softly
to the point indicated. The click of five
locks was heard, and at the same mo-
ment the Indians on the roof broke out
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! Aim! Firei"
At the simultaneous discharge the In
dian sitting on the wall toppled back
ward and fell to the earth never to stir
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