The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-06-07


as only small quantity could be brought
at Il time my cap being the only vessel
we had, the children especially suffered
great deal. At last one of the women dis
covered flat rock with Il hollow dip in
the middle which would hold about two
quarts or so. and | kept this filled rs
cistern. | ventured that night to roast
piece of the bear in hole in the ground
which change of diet was n welcome one
| never passed such time since | WAS
born, for | dared not sleep an hour for
fear of surprise. and the weight Of re-
sponsibility | felt. with those poor help
less creatures on my hands, was simply
awful.
Late on the second day, when l climb.
cd the hill for n last look. | saw small
band of Indians not more than an eighth
of mile away. They did not aumbcr
more than seven. but were armed and in
full war dress and We're heading straight
for the hill. Dropping on all fours, ran
as fast as | could for the mouth of the
cavern and, scrambling down, soon had
the women and children crouched up in
the far end of the larger division. whore
no shots fired into the smaller could rea !!
them, though hoped the Indians Woul !
either pass by altogether or fail to find is
if they halted. Silence then was an abs L.
lutte necessity, and the women imprcsacl !
this on the children. | then went back an
by cinging to one of the bushes swinging
across the entrance to the cave pecrcd o:,'
to see what the redskins meant to do.
could see they had struck our trail an |
suspected we We're somewhere about. To-
they diSmountcd and, scattering, began t.
search the woods
"As they drew near our hiding place I
dropped down into it and cooked the gun;
the women had brought and nv cVa
trusty rifle. | suppose my frequent So
ings in and comings out had left so,a.
trace, for they seemed to notice the e..
trance at once and presently l saw a
head pccring over. The dim light of III ,
cave might have prevented the OWL
from seeing me, but, as i'll luck wor
have it, the infant child | spoke of wa'ol
out just ut this particular moment. I've
cry was stitled in an instant. but il ..a3
been heard. and the head craned over fiji
thor, while another and another poppM
over. was crouching down as close as
could, hut hearing the click of a trigse,
l knew concealment was no longer pos
bic and blaZed away. Two screams t. III
me couple of heads had been hit. ana
the third disappeared. | heard Wi.
shouting for the others to come up m
could distinguish the tones of colloouv
being held, though without hearing VIII.
was said.
Presently lighted torch was flu
into the cave, but | had retreated into t',
farther one, and, nothing being vi>iir.
the Indians were nonplused. and | hoa.d
one cry out that there was nothing thprc.
Another retorted angrily that some one
had killed Blue Water and Leaping Tul.
tie. This was followed by a patter cr
shots on the floor of the cave. one OF
which, rebOunding. struck one of the ch /
dren on the breast. but, though the hUM t
imbedded itself in his skim the plucky
little fellow did not utter a sound. A.
their firing still produced no effect, tie
Indians did not know how to account for
matters, and presently one of them was
lmprudent enough to stick his head over
the edge. but made no move. and thry
held another council. 1t was evident that
they feared to enter the cave, not know
ing how many lay concealed within it.
and at last they hit on the very plan !
had been dreading.
"A lighted torch was thrown over. and
n quantity of leaves and moss was pushed
after it. hut their amiable intention #
smoking us out failed. owing to the damn
hess of the leaves and moss and my hav-
ing deluged the earthen floor of the cave
with all the water we had on hand Sec
ing this fail, they summoned up courag"
to enter the cavern. and as we saw the
five forms leap into our hiding place W.
opened fire on them. | killed my me- T.
Stantly. and SO did Mrs Ridley. who i'm
mcdiately let a dusky devil who. scream
ing. rushed upon her have the full cor
tents of the other barrel in his brea g.
The other woman missed her aim anl
the next moment was in the grasp Of on"
Of the Indians. but before | could com"
to her rescue her son. a boy of II. had
flung his arms around the redskins ncrt
and. hanging an his back kept him frow
striking. when the woman. picking ~ n
tomahawk, struck him tremendous blow
on the forehead. He dropped like a 'ov.
crushing the boy beneath him. The re-
naming Indian, seeing his companicn'
fall, made a break for the entrance and
was just climbing ont when | caught hin
and, firing brought him down with n bro
ken arm and ball in his side.
Seeing him helpless and thinking him
dying. | did not shoot again. but wont
back to the women. whom found shrinl
ing with excitement. | quetcd them aa3
congratulated them on their coura,.s
which, however, was entirely gone "-
soon rs the call for it was over. | rollr'
the Indian off the boy, who was consida-
ably bruised by the weight of the de.1
body, but otherwise not hurt. To-
wounded Indian | found to he an old n.
Quaintanc" of mine and seeing he Wa
dying rapidly, | did not disturb him. H.
told me that finding Ridley's Camp
serted, the main party had gone ha.'
home. but that, suSpecting me Of hariH
warned them. some Of the youu. 4
bloodS had followed Ms to he avenged
me. They were pretty certain that | H.a
the only man in the party, but did -.
know Int what others had joined us
"Woll we took possession Of the pori
and were able to travel much more rapl
ly, though had it not been nearly dosu
ate to think Of walking in our exhau 'at
condition | would not have rslcd rid g.
them, for a man on foot has - ch3u g.
on tho plains to one the mounted fellow
has. We reached Carson City witHor'
further adventure, though starvation anil
thirst and fatigue were our constant co..
pauionS, and there found the WON ~
husband and the other man. who w.'
just starting home. had to get dset,.