The Savannah morning news., 1900-06-24
1enly checked his hose with a warning

denly checked his horse with a warning
cry, but It was too late.
sixteen rifles flashed out, half the
Apaches fell, and before the others could
recover from their surprise at this uneX-
pected attack the vaqueros charged down
upon them. Hopelessly outnumbered as
they were. the Apaches fought desperately
but the combat was short. The pistols of
win and Sancho were used with deadly
effect, and in a couple of minutes the
fight was over and the last Indian had fal-
len.
Now, let us waste no time" VIII said.
Ten minutes must do for our breakfast
then we will be off"
"None of the party was seriously hurt
and the wounds were soon bandaged The
Joints hanging about the fire were soon
taken down cut into slices and four In
dlans stepped from among the trees, one
of them being evidently chief.
You are breaking the rules" he said
to Will, whom he recognized as the leader
of the party 1--WE shall lay a complaint
before the great master
VIII did not answer, but Antonio. VINO
spoke their language fairly, replied. Have
you not heard the news?'
I'VE have heard no news" the chief re-
piled. 1--WE heard a gun fire when We were
| hunting two miles down the valley. We
came to see what 1t was. Then we heard
many guns and not knowing what 1t
could be, hid our horses and came on
Then you do not know that there are
800 or 400 Apaches and Tejunas in the val
| ley below, that the hacienda has been at
tackled and all within 1t killed, and that
| the herds have been destroyed? So far as
we know, we alone have escaped"
The Indlnas uttered deep EXPLANATIONS
Of surprise.
What was the fring?" the chief
asked.
"If you go on hundred yards further
| up you will find the dead bodies of twenty
| Apache braves; they have been riding In
pursuit OF Donna Clara. the daughter of
the senor, who was fortunately at your
end of the valley, having gone there with
food and medicine for the old Indian OF
your tribe who was too i'll 10 leave with
the rest. a fortnight since"
1T saw her often then" the chief said,
land this young braVe"-and he mouoned
to Will-"he has often in our camp. and
the girl visited our wigwams and gave
many little presents to our women. Did
she escape them?"
She did, but where she is we know
not We are going in search of her. If
you and your warriors will go with us we
shall be glad, for your eyes are better
than ours, and could follow the footmarks
of her horse where we should see nothing"
"Teczuma. with one of his warriors, will
60" the chief said THE other two must
go and carry the news TO our people and,
though they are not strong enough to fight
so large force, yet they Will not be Idle,
and many Of the Apaches and Tejunas will
lose their scalps before they cross the
river again"
He spoke a few words to the three men.
who at once left. and in Ten minutes one
returned with two horses. The chief had
already eaten two slices Of deers flesh
and he mounted and rode on with the
others, while his follower waited for a
minute TO eat the flesh that had already
been cooked for him. Sancho had
chosen the horse that had been ridden by
the Apache chief, and. without stopping,
they rode on until they were a few min
utes later Joined by the other Indian They
now pushed on rapidly, ascending the raw
Inc. and on reaching the top win saw with
satisfaction that high hills on both sides
bordered what was in fact pass between
them, and that Clara must therefore have
kept straight on.
The chief with his followers rode little
ahead of the others, viii with Antonio
and Sancho following closely behind him.
once or twice the chief pointed down
TO ,maks on the rocks with the remark,
"A shod horse"
"That Is all right" Antonio said THE
Indians do not shoe their horses, so we
may be sure IL was the senorlta."
The path soon began TO descend again,
and in on hour from the time OF starting
they emerged from the pass within 100
yards OF the river; the ground being here
soft. a we'll marked track was visible
Made by our people the chief said,
turning round. They often cross ford
TO hunt on the other side-large forests
there two hours ride away-good hunting
ground. Apache not come there, Hills too
big to cross"
! Beyond the river the track was for some