Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-06-24

the horizon TO the northwest. One man
stopped TO question, but speedily came
calloping on in pursuit Hes scared
out of his wits. He can't prove what he
says" was the brief report 10 Lambert
and the sergeant, now riding side by
side at the head of the little column.
Another hour. and, closer 10 the river.
they were following the meanderings
Of the stage road, and the ridge loomed
higher ahead. Two more settlers had
been passed; and they were exaggera-
tive beyond any semblance of proba-
bility. The Indians numbered thou
sands, the dead hundreds. The stage
had been warned not to push on beyond
Paloma bluffs last night, but persisted
in an attempt to reach the Caliente. Col
Sweet and party had been butchered 10
n man-victims of his own rash effort
to aid the poor fellows at the station.
and of his criminal disregard OF Texan
warnings.
well know the truth in an hour,
lieutenant, so there's no use wasting
time with those beggars. You can see
the Paloma from yonder bluffs" was
Dolen's only comment.
lust at one o'clock the foaming, pant
ing horses were reined in. and the girths
ioosened, while Lambert guided by the
veteran Indian-fightcr, crawled eau
tiously up the height in front of them.
Half the men dismounted, were sta
iioned with ready rifle or csrbine where
they could command every approach.
Who could say whether Indians ver<
rot even then lurking IN every ravine
4 young Texan, following the road.
pushed on cautiously to the point. SO
as TO scout the trail beyond. With
dropping heads and heaving flanls the
motley herd were huddled in q little
holders eagerly watching the young
leader and saying few words. Warily
Dolan reached and peered over the crest
They could see him pointing-could
see both he and Lambert shading their
eyes with their hands and staring away
into space-could see Dolan suddenly
clutch the officers sleeve, and, crouch
ing lower, point as though to some OBJ
jects far out over the slopes beyond.
Then down they came, eager, elastic,
with cleaning eyes and glowing faces.
Mount, men, mountl There's fight
not five miles ahead!" sasng out Dolan,
and, swinging into saddle, with Lam
bert only a length in lead, struck spurs
to his horse, the whole squad Gathering
at their heels. Young Texas, peering
around the point heard them coming,
and threw a long, lean leg over his
scraggy pony. "See anything?" he
hailed.
"Yes; Indians attacking something
or other bout mile to the north Of the
road; looks like a dug-out o. some
kind"
"'Tis dug-out, by Gawd! ] know
the place. Witherell's herd used to
Craze around their last year, and he
and his boys built that dng-out In case
they were attacked; and maybe the
stage managed to get back there. Some
ones alive, else the Indians wouldn't be
fighting"
A cheer went up from the foremost
men. After all, then, there was yes.
tige of hope. Lambert, eager and i'm
petuous, was squirting off TO the open
prairie that lay beyond a sweeping
bend of the stream. but Dolan hailed
him:
"Not yet, lieutenant, not yet There's
come wild arroyos out yonder. Stick tc
the road, sir, till we can see the hut
It's up long, shallow valley beyond
! that second divide. l know the place
| now"
But they'll see us, sergeant shout
| ed Lambert, as he bent over the pom
| mel, and drove his rowels wickedly al
the torn flanks of his poor brute -
hoped to surprise them and charge"
Lord love you, sir, there's no sur
prising these beggars in broad daylight
They've been watching for some of Us
ever since sun-up, and they've seen u:
now Lucky they haven't guns, 'cep'
old muzzle-loaders. They've mostly
| nothing but bows and lances."
The horses were painting furiously
| now. and some of the squad were string
ing out far in the rear. Dolan. glancine
back. saw two or three men vainly lash
| ing their exhausted mounts long mus
ket-shot behind.
| "It won't do, lieutenant; we'll have IL
keep together, or, first thing you know
o hull pack o. them yelpin' ours II btu
out of some ravine, cut those fellows
off-kill and scalp 'em and scurry away
| on their fresh ponies before we could
| get back TO help. Let 'em catch up, sir
Wen get there time enough"
AnG so, more slowly now, as advised
by the veteran plainsman, Lambert lee
his party, the young Texan ranging
alongside and riding on his right He
too, wanted 10 charge, and again old Do
Ian pointed out the absurdity of 1t
Their ponies are fresh and nimble
We'd never catch them, while they
could ride around and split uswith theil
damned arrows What we want is G
chance with ourSpencers and rifles, sir
that's the way TO empty their saddles
and stand 'em off. Look yonder, sir"
And then, Just as Dolan pointed, three
mounted warriors, their war-bonnets
trailing over their bounding ponies
backs-the first hostile Indians Lam
bert had ever seen-burst from thelI
covert behind the low divide to the
rightandwent scurrying away towards
the northward hills in wide detour tc
Join their comrades. The road dtsap
peared round gentle rise In the prai
RE half q mile ahead.
"Out with you, Lang and Naughton!'
said the sergeant briskly. go ahead
to that point" And the two troopers
we'll knowing what was required o.
them, darted on without a word, Lam
bert and the main body following now
at steady trot. Before the two thus
| thrown In advance had come within
three hundred yards of the bend, a little
let Of smoke and fire flashed out from
over the ridge, followed instantly by
two others; both riders swerved; one
horse stumbled and went down his rider
cleverly rolling out from among the
striking, struggling hoofs. That's ths
way they'd have picked you off, SIR
shouted Dolaa, as the whole party burst
into q gallop and drove straight for the
ridge. We'll sweep them aside in
second"
They did not wait to be swept aside
Six or eight painted savages were spin
ming away over the sward by the time
the troopers came laboring to the top
and others, circling, yelling, brandish
ing their arms, and hurling jeer ant
challenge over the intervening swale
were IN plain view along the opposite
slope not half mile away. Beyond
that lay the scene of the siege; and JUS
over it, only few yards away from the