Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-03-09

| that fatal encounter had taken place
within the preceding half hour.
The ranchman was clearly right il
interpreting the action of tho Apaches
as all attempt to draw them into am
bush, and he was only prudent i'll re-,
fusing to be tricked. 1t may he added
that the whto men tried the Same
strategy upon the Apaches, for had they
pursued the fleeing horsemcn, tho latter
from tho protection of the rocks and
Businesses could have opened fire with
their repeating rifles that would have
tumblcd the dusky miscreants from
their ponies with bewildering swiftness
1t hardly need be added further that
each party failed in the attempted sub
torfugo
BY tho time the foothills were reach
! ed night had closed in. 1t was not fully
dark, but tho sun was well below the
horizon, and tho short twilight was
fast deepening.
"Thore will be no moon until after
midnight, " remarked Huntloy, check
ing his pony.
"Do you count that favorable?"
eyes; we shall have better chance
Tor maneuvering, and this thing will be
decided before tho moon rises. "
"What do you propose to do:'
Part company, leave our animals
here, steal up as near as we can and do
whatever our hands find to Go. "
The speaker showed no excitement or
alarm, but none the less, as Rundell
l. -
profoundest depths. As he finished
speaking he swung himself from his
saddle and stood OF the ground. Tho
young man initiated him.
This is one of the cases where dis
union is strength" added the ranch
man, "for if we attempt to work to-
gether there will be moro than double
the liability Of failure. Therefore, we
must separate and work independently. :"
Have you any definite plan in
mind?" asked Rundell, somewhat mys.
titled by the words and manner of his
friend.
"No. This is situation IN which
each must he governed by circum-
stances. We will get a. near to the
house as We can and hold ourselves
ready to dash forward and strike a blow
whenever the chance occurs. Remem-
Der what devils you are working against
ana that they are not only twice as
cunning MS we. but will he on the watch
for us and will show no mercy 10 either
l have nothing to add; good night.
While talking the ranchman had re.
moved the bit from his pony's mouth
fo as to permit dim to crop the scant
grass. The saddle was not disturbed
and at the moment of uttering the last
words Huntley passed out of sight
among the bills, which were rough
rocky, wooded and crossed by brawling
brooks. Before Rundell realized it he
was alone.
"Huntley acts queerly tonight. l
wonder whether he is ratified by the
danger that has come so suddenly upon
his family. However, l can see the good
sense in most Of what he says, and l
will do as he suggests.
He slipped the bit from his horses
mouth, but did not remove the bride
or saddle. He had a feeling that he
might find sudden need of the animal,
III which event he wished no delay ir
making use of him. 1t would take but
a moment to replace the bit, while
everything else was ready.
1t was manifest that it would not do
TO approach the ranch over the open
country that had just been used, for, g
detected, as most likely he would be,
his only hope would lie in his fieetness
90 =, II 4.
some Of his enemies got behind him, as
they could readily do. Only ono course,
therefore, was possible. That was to re-
main among the sheltering hi1s while
he moved round to the right of the
dwelling. By using ordinary care he
ought to be able to approach within n
few rods without detection, and that he
now set out to do.
"IIuntley ought to be twice as useful
as /, - he reflected as he passed from
sight Of the two ponies, "for he has
lived 20 years in the Apache country.
| suppose by opening fire upon the red
skins from the rear they may be fright
ened into refraining from an open at
tack on the house, though the women
are in sad situation Hellon'
His exclamation was caused by the
reports of Huntley's Winchester, fred
from point not far in advance. The
curious feature Of it was that there
We're five reports, which occurred with
the same intervals as before.
Zone of the most singular IL ings
ever knew" reflected Rundell, who
had paused and Strengthened up, while
he looked in the direction of the sounds,
as if he expected to see the explanation
of the curious occurrence. 81 wonder
whether Huntley is trying to introduce
new style Of border warfare, or il
may be there's something in the number
five, with the middle numeral vel
spaced off from the others, that is spo-
cially obnoxious to the Apaches, though
| have no recollection of ever having
heard anything of the kind"
1t was useless to speculate over the
matter, and the young man ..ad no time
to do so. He had started out to reach q
point among the hills "a hundred yard,
to the cast Of the building, and he could
not attain the place too soon. Natural
~, however, his thoughts turned main
~ to the occupants of that low, squat
building and the peril that menacet
them, for there was more than one in
J explainable feature in the situation.
In the first place, with the exception
Of the shots fired by the two white mel
and the little group of Apaches Run
doll had NOT hoard thp rpunrt pf n pun