The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1899-02-25

places where an animal could get up or
down. The view from the edge IF this
cliff-or rim rock as it was more
commonly called--over the wide val
ley spread out below it for miles and
miles was uneXcelle[, and Cameron,
knowing that Miss Steele must come up
this cliff at one of two places, headed
for the one he felt she would be most
likely to take. AS he drew near the
edge of the mesa he left the trail and
rode over to the cliff; and thinking per.
haps to surprise bunch of antelope
feeding quietly in the valley below him,
as well as to prevent Miss Steele from
first seeing him should she chance to be
below, he left his pony under a cedar
and taking his Winchester in his hand
carefully walked up to the edge of the
cliff.
The road leading down the valley ran
close under the cliff, and was lost to
sight around point of the mesa but a
short distance to his right Carefully
scanning the prairie, he could see no
one, but, from the way three or four
punches of half-wild horses were tear,
ing across the valley below him, lie felt
satisfied that either she or some one
else had started them, and concluded to
wait few moments.
Suddenly, from far below, came 4
sound that for an instant sent his heart
to his throat. for it seemed as if he
heard woman's voice, borne upward
from around the point to his right, and
yet it was far more likely to be the al
most human cry of a mountain Ion, or
even the childish yell of some lone coy
ote, either of which could readily be
mistaken for female voice in distress
AS Cameron stood there, fairly holding
his breath in his eagerness to each the
faintest sound from below, one moment
assuring himself that his ears were a.
fault and the next so certain that it was
woman's voice that he could scarcely
wait for its repetition in order that he
could be sure which way to go. once
again there came family and We,
stronger and more definite than before
| the cry of distress, and that voice Miss
| Steele's, and before he was really sure
from which quarter it came, there burs:
into sight around the point of the mesa
not a quarter of a mile away from him
but down in the valley, the figure of q
girl on horseback leaning low over hel
ponys neck, and urging him to his ut
most speed on the road leading up t
| the cliff, while some 40 or so feet be
hind her, riding as hard as she, was the
Navajo, Chatto, his red head band gone
his long, black hair streaming cut il
the wind, and whirling over his heat
in great loop his rawhide reata.
1t took Cameron but an instant tt
grasp the situation and see that the In
failing, meant to rope and drag hel
from her horse. He quickly saw, also
that busted with his reata, and not hav
ing chance to use his quirt, his pony
was falling slightly behind, for tn,
Navajos seldom wear spurs, and th'
girl was not sparing her pony's tanks
but was using her quirt at every jump
Cameron's first impulse was to spring
down the cliff, and run to her aid, Blu
with groan he realized that it would
take him too long to do this, for it wa,
only by careful climbing that one coult
get down the first 40 or so feet of tn,
wall, and then the rest would be SLOW
travelling at the very best. Tie rae,
below him was in plain view now, ant
in few rods more they would pass or
of his sight in the little side canyon
through which the road led up to III,
top of the cliff. To ride back to tina
place would take too long, also, and tn
man quickly realized that it was II,
time for delay.
To kill a Navajo meant trouble TO
everybody around, for the whole trib
would take it up, and wreak yengeanc
upon any white settlers they could find
hence the settlers dreaded and ay9ide,
killing an Indian except in the last eS
tremity. But Cameron knew that h
could kill the Navajo's pony and saw
the girl. Throwing his Winchester eve
a rock on the edge of the cliff for rest
estimating the distance at 600 yards
and taking careful aim at the shoulde
of the Indians pony, he sent shn
which sped fair and true to its mark
The pony, struck just behind the shoul
der, and shot through the heart, role,
headlong in the dust, sending the In
dian sprawling full 20 feet away, blu
unhurt.
i, For an instant the Indian wa
stunned; but evidently thinking hi
. pony had fallen by accident, he aros
and started toward him. Cameron
: however, was ready for this move. Pre-
Stunning the Navajo would try to get hi
rifle, which was slung in its holste
, and underneath the dying pony, an
, before Chatto had got half way to th
animal, he sent a second shot, whic
struck between the Indian and pony
and showed him what caused the an
mails fall. With true Indian instinct h
/ turned and ran in zigzag way, 10 di:
concert Cameron's air, to a ditch @
wash near the road, into which h
r threw himself, and crawled and worme
his way down to where the sides wer
! | high enough to allow him to run in