Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-01-21
CHAPTER III

We went on again at rapid trot and
shortly after sunset we were mounting
the rugged trail leading to the pass
While we were stumbling up the stony
track, guiding our painting horses, here
beneath a lofty, overhanging wall and
there around the brink of an unfathom-
able abyss, an uproar Of shouts, cries
and rifle shots burst out, apparently
few hundred yards beyond.
Forgetting all prudence, dug spurs
into my horse and rode recklessly up the
path, followed by my troopers as reck.
less as myself
In two minutes we came to an open
plateau broadly illuminated by the
newly risen moon where, amid the
flash of firearms, the CLINT of waving
steel and yells which would have made
music for carnival of fiends, Il score Of
dark figures We're struggling and whirl-
ing to and fro around a small group.
one or two of whom wore the light, hut-
tering garb of women.
l saw one Of the shapes on horseback
bend down and drag one of the females
to his pommel. Then another figure on
foot darted toward him. There was
double stream of red fire, and the shape
on horseback threw up a pair of naked
brown arms and pitched headfOremost
to the earth. The figure on foot assisted
the female to the ground then olasping
both hands before his face sank in
heap at her feet.
The whole of this picture impressed
itself upon my brain in IA succession of
lightning flashes. Then | was in the
midst Of the melee. l have no clear
memory of what came after. l recall
only confused plunging Of infuriated
horses, a wheeling and slashing of sa-
bers, the reports of carbines and revolv-
ers, IA trooper rearing his charge to
make down blow here, another bend
ing far out of the saddle to deliver
thrust there, myself in the heart of it
! all, working away, doubtless with zeal
commendable in young officer.
The skirmish was a matter of less
than ten minutes. When we had sent
those of the Apaches who were not left
dead or wounded upon the field scram-
bling up the heights for their miserable
lives, we pulled ourselves together and
! began to take note of our own condi-
ton.
One of my troopers was badly hurt in
the side with lance thrust another s
leg had been broken by ball, and two
or three were grumbling over flesh
wounds more painful than dangerous.
Altogether we had come off very well.
The colonel had behaved like the OBJ
stinate, narrow minded, but heroic old
soldier that he was, and now stood
leaning upon his saber, waiting to re-
Ceive my respects. which | paid him in
due form.
"You have done we'll, SIR" he CON
descended to remark, Every we'll in
deed. Not that needed your help No,
sir we should have thrashed them all
the same"-which was not true-"but
thank you, lieutenant "
A woman's voice crying out in an
anguished tone: "Fatherl Father! He
is dead Come herel" interrupted our
conference.
We hurried to where a number of
troopers, some bearing torches ignited
at the smoldering campfire, had gath
cred about prone figure, whose head
was supported upon "a girls knee. The
man s face was so covered with blood
from "A wound that l did not recognize
him at first He wore civilians dress,
and his rigid hand still clutched re-
volver
"Hello!" cried the colonel, his gener-
GUS feelings in the ascendant for once.
"That is the brave fellow who gave us
warning of the attack He fought like a
paladin. never saw such utter reckless
gallantry, and have seen some pretty
rough fighting in my time too, A civil
ian at that! | sincerely hope he is not
badly hurt. "
"Deadl Deadp sobbea the girl heart
brokenly. "He saved me at the sacrifice
of his own life,"