The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1897-05-22

We had not long to wait. Harris in
cautiously exposed his head for mo-
ment; keen eyes were searching the
crest of the mound; the crack of dozen
rifles awoke the echoes of the basin, and
he lodged back with bullet hole
through his hat that evidenced the skill
of an Apache marksman.
So far we had not pulled trigger, and
finding us SO undemonstrative, our foes
gradually grew careless of their person.
al safety. They commenced to expose
themselves in the most tempting way,
openly passing from one rock to another
IN a spirit of brayado that presaged an
epidemic of sudden mortalities in the
band should it continue. We were only
waiting for enough of the band to show
themselves to make simultaneous tar
gets for each mans aim and the chance
soon materialized.
Four of them soon stepped out from
behind their shelters, and commenced
disgusting series Of antics for our edit
cation. We improved the opportunity;
our rifles spoke simultaneously; and
two of them measured their lengths on
the sand, while another scrambled to
cover with a hating motion that indi-
Gated serious weakness in one of his
eXtremities.
After this lesson no further active hos
tilities were INDUCED in by either side.
We were careful to keep well under
cover; they commanded the water sup
ply. and we were willing 10 play wait
ing game.
When the sun dipped below the hol'i-
ION we separated, taking stations at
such points around the crest as would
best enable us to command the entire
outer circle of ascent. The horses were
secured anew, and we settled down to
night of anxious alertness.
Several hours passed without Incl
dent, the only sounds breaking the
deathlike stiffness of the scene being
the uneasy stamping and paving of the
/ horses as they endeayored to achieve
more comfortable footing on the steep
slope of the inner side. Old Barney, the
mule that carried our blasting outfit,
/ was ldi AlNiihiit iNSit'N, anu L h'''
strongly tempted to lead him up to the
crest and secure him there for the night.
| A Discrimination to lead mule loaded
with explosives up dangerous ascent
in the darkness prompted me more
strongly to leave him where he was,
however, and | contented myself with
slipping down to him and ascertain
ing that he was securely tied.
The atmosphere had been very heavy
and sultry all the afternoon, and | was
not surprised to see the heavens giving
every indication of a storm before mid
night, which augured i'll for the securi-
| ty of our position, as it would enable
the Apaehes to scale the mound with
| but little danger of detection.
The advent Of the tempest was soon
after heralded by a vivid flash that
! illuminated the basin beneath as
though an enormous arc light had sud-
denly been turned upon it, followed
by a chorus of reverberations that
voiced the intentions of the murky
heavens. l took advantage of the light
to search the ground beneath me, and
| was sure that | detected several dark
figures about midway of the slope.
In a few minutes the rain began to
descend in a saturating torrent that
resembled miniature cloudburst, and
the side of the crater was converted
into a watershed, down which innumer-
able tiny streams triclled to the lake
below. Flashes of lightning OF daz-
cling brilliancy were followed by crash
ing peals of thunder that seemed to
shake the universe, while the impact
of the raindrops on the lake resembled
the steady roar of some mighty cat
aract
Suddenly that intuitive consciousness
as certain as ocular knowledge itself
of the presence of some other human
being near me warned me to be on my
guard. Rising slowly to my feet.
waited for the next flash as a double
medium of enlightenment.
! 1t came. and with it singing pain in
my shoulder and the bear-like hug Of
a pair of sinewy arms about my body
that told only too plainly the nature of
the crisis.
Instantly recovering from the eff
fects of the knife thrust and the sur
prise, ! made mighty effort that freed
me from the grasp of my enemy, and,
springing backward, I grasped my
heavy rifle by the barrel and endeav-
cred to beat him to the earth with IT,
Round and round we circed in the
darkness, the constantly recurring
flashes revealing to me the demoniacal
visage of a brawny Apache brave as
he danced just without the deadly
sweep of the gun. The blood was flow
ing from the wound in my shoulder,
and a creeping numbness began to in
wade my entire body, warning me that
my powers of defense were rapidly
waning.
Suddenly a volume of light seemed
to leap out of the heart of the little
lake at the bottom of the funnel-shaped
hole;' the mass of lava beneath my feet
trembled and shook as though stirred
by an earthquake. all accompanied by
a deafening roar that hushed even the
tumult of the storm. / was hurled to
the ground as though Frustrated by
the hand of a giant, my head coming
into violent contact with lump of lava
in the fall, which deprived me of con-
seriousness.
When my senses returned another
day had dawned, and found myself the
center of an anxious group, from which
none seemed to be lacking. | WAS
lying beside the little spring, and from
the surfeit Of moisture in my hair
concluded that some of its product had