The Van Buren press., 1898-04-09

The lieutenant walked around and
examined the corral. In the center
stood a house; it was rootess, and
signs of the recent rayaging work of
the Indians were everywhere. The walls
were Scared where bullets had clipped
off Jumps of adobe, and the whole place
looked as if it had stood a protracted
siege.
Dust looked into the well. By ener-
getic bailing. he and the trumpeter
succeeded in getting most Of the water
out. He then lowered himself down on
bucket to the bottom. \ foot or two
of water was still left, but its surface
was below the spring which was its
source.
The bottom was soft and Shiny. With
handful of this Shiny stuff he as
eended to the corral. On examining it,
he saw that it very evidently contained
some substance which was undoubted-
ly the poison.
With the help of the little trumpeter
the lieutenant filled several buckets
with pure water from the live spring
hich supplied the well. This water,
even if ne had no antidote, might help
the men. Dust rushed about to supply
ii to them and to make them comfort
able.
He brought blankets for them, filed
their eanteens with pure water, ar
ranged their saddles as pillows, and
placed their arms near them. He fed
the horses and the mules, and even held
eanteen to the lips of the brute who
had struck him such a cowardly blow
that afternoon. Meantime he prayed
with all his heart that the Indians
would not attack him while his COM
mand was in this condition.
When he had done all he could for
the men, he and the trumpeter drank
some of the pure water and ate food
together. What was he to doP No
help could be had; it would take three
days to send for and receive aid, for
the nearest troops were back at the
post. Meantime the men seemed easier,
and certainly none were worse.
BY and by they began to fall asleep.
Dust hoped the effects of the poisoning
would pass off during the night. There
was no rest for him or the trumpeter
that night. The sick men continually
walked and called piteously for water;
frequently the watchers had TO catch
and tie up a horse or mule that broke
loose.
Toward morning big white mule
rnufpaH hiG huItar-etf-ar md
cred down to the bad-water hole to
drink. The lieutenant went after him,
but the mule ran off in the dark. Think
ing it was useless to chase him, Dust
turned back to the corral.
Before he had gone halfway he was
startled by noise behind him, and
stepped aside just in time to escape
being run over by the mule, which was
flying terror-sfrieken back toward the
gate of the corral. suspecting the cause
of the animals fright, the lieutenant
threw himself on the ground and erept
back to the water hole. There he
crawled up behind a eactus-bush and
lay down, pistol in hand, listening.
lie had been there but a few minutes,
peering into the dark, when he became
aware that something was creeping
toward him through the sage-brush.
Nearer and nearer it came, till Dust
could distinguish the naked limbs and
see the cloth band around the head of
an Apache Indian. The lieutenant COW
cred him carefully with his revolver
and waited till he felt he could not
miss, then ne fired. Without stopping
to learn the effect of his shot, he
Jumped up and ran for the corral.
Shots rang out in the dark and bull
cts whistled over his head, but while
he was flying to the corral gate Provi-
dence sent him a strange inspiration
by which he might save the troop.
The trumpeter, alarmed at the shoot
ing, ran out TO meet him, carbine in
hand.
go get your trumpet, boy, and blow
TO horse quickly" cried Dust; then
help me put brides on some of the
horses"
In a few seconds the notes of the
trumpet rose on the night air. Some of
the sick men started up from their
blankets and grasped their guns, but
the effort was too much for them, and
they sank back moaning, even while
they stared wondering to see the lieu
tenant and the trumpeter rushing
about among the horses, fastening
brides on them hurriedly.
They heard the lieutenant call out:
Link the horses together in sets of
fours with the skirmish links, as if the
troop was going to fight on foot. Twill
lead the first four you the second; the
lest will follow"
Presently they were both mounted,
then Dust said: BLOW Forward
gallop-march!' Straight out of the
corral they went in column of fours,
just as the troop would have gone, the
lieutenant lashing his leaders with the
end of a lariat, over sand and brush on
mad run, the trumpet sounding the
charge"
A few scattering shots greeted them
as they emerged from the gate of the
corral. But the trumpet-calls had
frightened the Indians, and thinking
Il whole troop of cavalry was charging
them. they fed.
After q wild ride in the dark for half
mile, the lieutenant turned the horses
back to the corral, and galloped into
camp victor in his first affray.
The sick men lying in the corral wept
tears of JOY when they saw him return.
Some of them staggered to their feet
crying like children, and tried to assist
in catching and tying the horses.
After this was done Dust walked over