The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1897-04-23

hENtAA# tHaA.H ST. A.H N|hH.
ohnams which mountain torrents had
cut ont within a weef, aud twice We
bad 20 drag trees and logs ont Of the
path before We could 60 on.
Nothing had happened when we
reaehed the valley, aud as wa looked
around ua and across it nothing could
be seen 10 alarm. We had just taken
the ropes OF the blocked wheels Of the
ambulance when tho warwhoop Of the
hostile Indians sounded behind us,
and We looked back over our trail 60
catch sight Of hundred mounted
warriors bearing down upon as They
had picked our trail and run us down.
"Mountl Now, straight across the
valley Fall m 20 the rear Of the anu.
bulanee"
Tho voice Of the old sergeant was
hard aud firm ne be spoke. The cur
tains OF tho ambulance we're mp, and !
glanced at the colonols vile She
had seen and heard. Her cheeks had
palod, but she was removing a repeat
ing rifle from It's hooks as we fell in
behind Che vehicle. 1t was q clear
FIVE mile dash. The prairie was as
level as q floor, and tho mules needed
no urging after hearing the yells OF
the Indians. The soldier driver
wound the limos about his hands,
braced his feet and away We went
We had a start Of half a mile. No
man looked back The pace was not
hot one, and there was cover five
miles away. Tho Indians gained on
rs, but only inch by inch. The mules
took up such a gait that our horses
had to lie right down 10 it to keep up.
Not a word was spoken as we rode, but
every ear listened TO locate those
coming up behind us. II they came
too near we must halt and open FIRE
while the ambulance pushed on. We
had almost reached cover before three
or four ride bullets came singing over
our heads. Three minutes la1er we
were among the trees and rocks and
the race was ended. As the ambulance
halted and'we flung ourselves of our
horses I looked back and saw a band
of at least seventy Indians almost
within rifle shot Of us. The road
struck the hills at a gulch, aud they
dared not follow Us into that They
gave vent to their disappointment by
shouts and yells and a waste of am
munition, aud Tor a few minutes they
had no plan in view.
"Well, We beat them in a fair race,
said the colonePs wife, as she descend.
ed from tue ambulance with the rife
in her hands. Sergeant Gregg, what
are you going to do now?'
Take cover, ma'am," he replied, ef
he gave her the military salute.
''Yes, Of course" che said. as she
looked about. "Did You ever see q
pair of mules run faster? Knight have
got q shot but for you men behind.
There must be nearly hundred In
dams out there, but l guess we are
safe enough now"
She ratified on in that fashion while
we were taking the mules from The
ambulance and unsaddling our horses
and it was a great weight of our mind
to realize that she would not be I
burden on our hands. It was idle Il
think of pursuing our journey in thu
darkness which would soon close down
and before more morning there would
be plenty OF Indians on the trail beyonC
We must take cover and hope to stan,
them off until help arrived, or the.
grew discouraged at the SIEGE As W
were consulting about location anC
defense the colonel's wife came bsc
to us from the mouth of the gulch an
said:
"There's the place, over to she left
men. There's a spring ON that hill
with o good growth to shelter all, an
you can see plenty of powders lyin
about"
The sergeant had selected the sam
spot, and in the course OF quarter {
, an hour we were occupying it. W
got the horses and mules up there, bU
the vehicle was left behind. 1t was
cone-shaped hill amid half doze
such, but it commanded the Others
} Il was covered with pines and cedar
of small growth, and there was
splendid spring right in the crest.
t the Indians had been fierce in the
; pursuit or crafty in their plans, "
5 could not have reached it. 1t was I'll
f outbreak of war again with them, an
they were Overcautious. They Dire
0 back into the valley to consult, thl
: giving us a fair show, and we wei
T snug enough when night fell. and the
e made q dash for us, which we east
, repulsed. Darkness found us occup,
: ing a circle about forty feet acros
!. with stones and powders and trees fl
f shelter, and though the situation WI
}. an anxious one and full of danger, q
Q were in good spirits. We made a fl
Q between two rock and cooked our su
pers, and by the use of blankets we p
o up tent for the colonels wife, thoul
o against her protests. After the O.
single effort of the Indians, which W
/, doubtless more OF a reconnolssan