Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-07-11

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"Ha'f" shouted tie 's% 5srema"' lifting oH'
Those who had rifles drew them from
the leather beckets that hung to their
saddles.
"You haven't got no rifle, SO you
can't do no good with us. Stay here"
said the foreman as I started forward
you'll SEQ some er the fight Later on,
don't fear" What he said was quite
true. could do no good by going for
ward, armed only with my pistols.
Furthermore, though did not won't to
shirk my share in this fight, in the re-
suit Of which / more than any one
there was interested, l had not the
slightest desire to see more of It than
was necessary.
The party led by the foreman toiled
BAH way up the inclne and stopped
while the foreman went forward alone.
Reaching the brow of the little hill. for
moment he peered cautiously over,
then beckoned to his men. They came
and lay prone, reffing their rites on
the sand in front Of them. After the
pause OF second the foreman must
have given some sfgnal, for the rifles
spoke together In crash, and the white
smoke dIifted hzily bach, for moment
conceahng the men. Another volley.
end much heavier one answered oura
The bullets knocked little spurts Of sand
from the ridge or few, singing like
! mosquitoes, over our heads
Then the shooting became rapid and
irregular. sounding like nothing 80
much as number of packs of frecrack-
srs eet off together. The men were FIR
Ing at will. Lying next to the foreman
Spider was wasting cartridges, to Judge
from the rapidity of his fire. he was
using one Of the rifles he had captured
the night before we had started out,
and each time he fred he would slip in a
fresh cartridge to avoid exhausting the
magazine. Once man who lay near
him screamed and then swore. clapping
HE hand to his shoulder and withdraw.
Ing 1t covered with blood. AS he back
ed down the slope Spider offered him q
bandanna handkerchief wherewith 10
bandage his wound, but he declined 1t,
and tore of his shirt sleeve, using that
instead.
After awhile the firing elackeued,
until there was only an occasional re-
port. Followed by Spider the foreman
came down the slope and walked TO-
ward mo.
SIT amt no good he called as he
came within speaking distance. ''Them
fellers kin hold us here Jus go long as
we don't do no more than we're doin:
All we en- do ie ter keep 'em under
cover, an we've done that now. Their
amt one Of 'em what dares ter show
his bead. But while we're waitin here
they en- take them cattle clean back
ter Portland. Me-. II we only give 'em
time enough. We got ter get 'em outer
there somehow.
crush 'em outi" exclaimed voice
among the men.
Reckon IL comes ter eunthln HE
4 that" responded tho foreman. eve
can't touch their TANKS, cause their
ridge is longes'n Ours"
A charge. then. clearly was neces-
cary, and 1t was as clearly my duty to
lead that charge I did not want DO,
bat II I hoped to retain my self respect
or that Of my men there was no Other
course left open.
"All right, called, trying to speak
uncdncernedly. mount, boys and line
up"
''IIold onl" cried tho foreman. ri
don't need half the men / got up thar.
an you'll want all you can get. Walt
till eend those / don't want buck to
you" Spider, who had been listening
to all that was said, made dash fol
bis horse. Being sternly ordered bach
TO his place on tho ridge. be went, TAX
Ing the horse with him.
The foreman sent me nearly two.
thirds Of the men he had. They were
all mounted and waiting when the
Ballet Girl rode up and Joined them.
ordered him away, but he paid no at
tention to the command. Not sound
could be heard except now and then
the faint jingling Of q bit or the whir.
ring click where some man whirled his
cylinder In examining his pistol The
foreman divided the men he had left
into two parties. one Of which he placed
~ either end Of the ridge they oocu.
pied, leaving an open space between
them. Then he signaled that all was
done l wanted to give the order to ad
vance, and the only words that 90
CURED 10 mo at the time were the ones
used to start fOotraces In the college
had left the year before
care you ready 2" called. The mer
screwed themselves into their saddles
and leaned forward. Some of then
cooked their pistols. Then. ION you,
marksl Set Cor
Scarcely knowing what / did, dartet
the spurs into the TANKS of my horse
he leaped forward. At the Same instan,
there was wild yell from the men,
and the ground Numbered and shook n,
they followed. AS we passed our me1
on the hill, their rifles blazed all to
gethes. ! could see the sand fly from
the opposite Slope.
1t seemed 10 take hours 30 traverst
the few yards that divided us from oul
enemies. In reality II must have beer