Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-03-02

anu perhaps more, lnplr PONIES are on
a gallop, and they are heading straight
for the house. "
Rundell now signaled tho question:
Can you stand them off for short
time? We shall be there as soon as pos.
sible -"
eyes" was the instant response Of
Miss Huntley. 1--WE can stand them off
till night, when they will have the adj
vantage. Have a good care for your
selves. You are worse off than we. Per-
haps you would better keep away and
leave us to fight it out alone"
Isn't that like herr" exclaimed the
father, with "a kinding eye. "Sho is
more concerned for us than for herself
because we are III the open, where the
Apaches will have better chance at
us. There is rifle apiece for her and
her mother, and no man i'll Arizona
knows better how to use them than
they"
at may be, " signaled Rundell, chat
the party approaching are not enemies. "
"All Apachcs off their reservation are
enemies, was the prompt response.
cat any rate they should be treated
as such. We shall join you soon Watch
all sides of the house"
"Have no fear for us. Ask father
if
The Photograph worked with astonish-
ing swiftness up to this point, and then
suddenly ceased as if some unusual
cause had interfered with it, Rundell
ri Ia, e.,
not another flash appeared. Showing his
own mirror into his pocket, he brought
his glass to his eye.
The fiat, wooden structure, only a
story and half in height, was brought
into plain view, but no sign Of n living
person was to be seen on or about it.
When signaling in the manner dcsCrib-
ed, Miss Huntley was accustomed to
pass through the trapdoOr i'll the roof,
because of the greater elevation and I'M
restricted play Of sunlight thus secured.
Doubtless she had done so in the pres
ent instance, but something must have
occurred to cause her hastily to abandon
her post. Whatever its nature, it ad led
20 the alarm Of tho two men, who
struck their spurs into the tanks Of
their ponies and sent them forward I. 3 u
swinging 9allop.
But James Huntlcy was veteran
ranchman and needed not the warning
of his daughter to know that for a time
he and his companion would be in
greater danger than the two women
within the building, for they could fire
from any side of the house, and each
had repeating Winchester and plenty
Of cartridges. The risk that the Araches
would thus be compelled to face was
serious one Their opportunity would
come with the night, when they could
pteal up unobserved and use the torch,
but until that time the females were
sure TO give a good account of them
selves.
The country behind the two horse
men was rough and broken, though
comparatively level between them and
the house, while the rough wooded
bills approached close to the dwelling
on the east. The Apaches are consum-
mate hOrsemen, riding as we'll without
saddles as with them and asking moth
ing more than bit of ropo or thong
to serve for bride 1t was to be sup
posed that their animals were compare
lively fresh, and probably as fleet as
those. ridden by Huntley and Rundell.
The latter were brave men, and might
have been the bravest and still unable
to hold their own against n dozen In
dians, every one Of whom was well
mounted, daring and eager for "A fight.
The gallop of our friends continued
until nearly one-half the intervening
distance was passed when Huntley
drew his pony down TO walk. All this
time the attention of himself and Run.
| dell was fixed upon the dwelling before
! them. The young man was on the alert
! hoping thai Edith would flash some
! tidings through means of her small
mirror, while the father looked for any
| thing that could give clew to what
was going on.
Both were disappointed. The sun had
sunk so low in the sky that III few
more minutes it could give no help in
signaling, while the keen eye of the
elder caught not the first sign Of life
about his home
1t was not long, however, before the
! horsemen deserted something of the
most disQuieting nature
While the hills came close to the
house on the east, the long level, sandy
plain stretched for miles to the west
and north. The building cut off
the view in the latter direction, and
the ranchman was puzzled to understand
why the ApacheS kept out Of sight. 1t
looked as if they were using the struc-
ture as screen, though such could
have hardly been the case, since they
had no means of knowing of the APP
prOach of the white men.
Look" exclaimed Huntley. in low
voice. rs he frightened the rein and
brought his animal 10 a halt. Il was
expecting it. "
Around the western side of the build
ing rode three Apaches, their ponies on
a walk. They We're distant perhaps a
couple Of hundred yards from the house,
and were circling out, as if afraid tc
approach it too near. They had hardly
come into plain view when they stopped
their animals
Rundell already had his glass to his
eye and carefully studied them. Not
one of the three had saddles, and he
was quite certain that two, and prob.
ably the third, were barofooted. Their
coarse black hair dangled about their
Oh, Il do, HOY 81 81 n