El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-01-20
[Continued from Yesterday. j


The trail was SO obscure that we
were only few feet from the rock
when Bill pointed it out as 1t sk1rted
its base and abruptly rounded It's emu,
and then, Immediately looking to the
rioht behind the "a stward end of the
rock, he called out, Two Indians,
pointing toward them. We all saw
them; and then, in compliance Win my
Instructions that In case any one saw
the hostiles he was instantly TO drop
back out of sight, but not to hre-slR-
Mailing the rest of US, who would watcn
the hostiles from concealment and
learn what we could of them, while
courier was sent to notify the main
body and bring it up-we drew quickly
back and Jam med in together oenlno
the rock, with our knees ana IeRs
touching, bodies leaning forward, and
heads peering to the right to see wnat
would develop over there, half mile
away, where the two Indians were
quietly walking along, This was tne
natural thing to do, as the rock was
80 high that, sitting erect in our sad
dies, only our heads and small Por-
ton of our bodies would have shown
above it, All this happened In Few
seconds, and as the horses heads reacn-
ed. the rock it brought US i've aoreast.
It then seemed to occur to Yuma
Bill that he had not looked over the
rock; or he may have heard some noise.
for he ierked his face so suddenly and
quickly to the front that he came near
striking it against mine as 1 was lean
ing looking to the right. l believe
that the portion ola second that
gained in suddenly jerking my face
out of the way and his LOOKING over
the top of the rock as quickly as he d1o
saved my life, for in flash saw poked
barrels, with twelve or fifteen
Indian heads and faces showing behind
them. At the same instant Bill cried
out, in an intense shrek, as II 1t was
one word, the sentence. Watch out,
Lieutenant McDonsldP Throwing
myself forward on my horses neck,
grasped the reins close to the bit on
each side to turn him away, and then
came the volley, and with the smoke
in my face and eyes threw my horses
head to the left about. over the bodies
of the three dead Yumas, that had
been riding on my left, and had now
fallen under his feet. knew, from an
exclamation, that Bill had been struck,
and somehow WAS conscious that ne
had not fallen from his saddle. l.heard
the corporal, who being little
behind and lower down the slope. had
not been exposed to the volley, wheel
to the rear and call, Come on, Lieut. /!
enant, and gslloped after him, the
three troop-horses that the dead scouts
had ridden whirling and running
abreast of me, as they had been drill
ed to do in the troop, and we made Tor
q moment q correct set OF tours, In re-
treat; but realizing that it would not
do to go so rapidly, I called to the cor
poral to watch out for his horse, and
began pulling in on my own, fearing
he would fall in the descent and Grip
pie both me and himself. Old Don was
q splendid animal, but hard mOuthed,
and pulled so hard that I actually
sprung one branch of q fine steel bit
gotten say fifty yards away 1 came to
quick halt and wheeled left about, get
ting bullet through my hat as I did
it, and another singed my jaw and
neck. At this moment q tremendous
volley belched from just behind the
rock and 1 realized that
there was s another and INV, much I Larger
took aim and fred at the Indians who
were on top of the big rock shooting
at US, and instantly they jumped, roll
ed, and tumbled off in all directions,
seeking safety; for Indians hunt cover
always If it can be had. just as 1 turn
ed to face the enemy 1 saw q sight that
shall never forget. Yuma Bill had
neously with myself-possibly q second
sooner. AS his horse halted, facing
the foe, he rose upright in his stirrups,
standing straight as an arrow. every
nerve and muscle at full tension, his
big eyes blazing and his long black
hair floating behind him, even his
horse standing with the glory OF the
battle on him land it is glorious, If
crueD, with arched neck
and fiery eyes, in an expectant
attitude, ready to leap,
but nevertheless standing stock |
still; saw Bills long rifle come up
swift and steady, but I saw NO more.
was closing the breech block of my
carbine and raising it to my shoulder,
z Observation-Disclosures