Arizona republican., 1901-04-01

sprlnging to his feet prepared to re- new the conflict. Geronimo, seeing his enemys disadvantage, sprang from his horse, and giving him a cut with his bow that sent him scurrying off the field, presented his front to his oppon- ent, and invited him to advance and have 1t out.
 when Geronimo held up his empty qulver. then dashing bow and quiver to the ground drew his knife and once more advanced.
 Asakeeta had already thrown his bow aside when he saw his enemy was out of ofammunition and reached for his knife but 1t was not in his belt. He had for gotten 1t. Now began a desperate struggle for the knife in the Apache s possession. Hot and furious were the lunges. Several times the blade was drawn through the old chiefs hand, inflicting terrible wounds. but still he struggled on. They were both almost exhausted. but grimly, desperately, vlciously they fought until finally As akeeta got good hold of the handle. drew it from the Apache's clutch and plunged it into the Apa"he's heaving breast.
 According to the savages code the victor was entitled to the head-dress, arms and scalp of the fallen foe, but as Asakeeta stepped forward to claim these relics there was a mighty shout, the swift chatter of horses feet and then the rattle of rifle shots. Several of Asakeeta's band fell dead, and the others, with the old chief at their head, formed to meet the onslaught of the treacherous foe. The new leader of the Apaches rode a beautiful black stallion, which leaped to the left as they came within close range, thus keeping his master well out of the d- rect fire.
 The new leader was dressed as an Indian but Asakeeta's sharp eyes de- tected the features of his old enemy Black. Quich as a flash the old chief took a shot at him with a gun he had snatched from the stiff hands of dead Indian, but missed, and before he could take another shot the Apaches were upon him and his men.
 It is impossible to describe the battle which followed. There was the crack of rifles. the flash of powder. the twang of bows and whiz of death-laden ar rows, the yell of fiends in victory, tho groans of fiends in defeat, exultation despair; the gleam of steel as the knife | descended and the yell of agony as il struck. The ground was slippery with hlood, and bunny with prostrate bod ies. Here a grim warrior acquainted with death clutched his crimsonet blade and watched an opportunity tC bury it in one more foe before the fina collapse; there two stalwart men strug. gled for mastery and each for @ chance to murder his opponent; wonder vic. tOrlous brave grabbed the scalp-loci of his antagonist and with singl, stroke of his keen knife severed it iron the ghasty head.
 The battle was sh 3rt, bloody and deci sive The Apaches were the victor' and rent the air with their piercing war-whocp. With but ten of his meY Asakeeta tore himself from the enc my's grasp and started to retreat They would run for few yards. theI turn and fight, much after the fashol of a bear followed by host of dogs At last they reached the fot of the En chanted Mountain and started up it.
 rocky talus. Black sat on his horse a a little distance cheering his men, anC
 he laughed in goulish glee as h.
 thought he saw the beginning of th
 last act in this realistic drama. Tn
 only part he took in the recent con | Al. al,
 they fought.
 Rapidly the retreating men climbed
 the ridgy incline until stopped by tn
 preciptous side of the mountain Her
 Asakeeta. taking the lead, ran swift.
 around a jutting boulder, wheele'
 sharply to the left and started to clim
 the sheer rock. It seemed impossible
 but the old chief, who had been up be , fore. proceeded swiftly. step by steI
 now almost perpendicularly, now to tn
 right and again to the left. seemingl
 eticking to the bare rock like a fly t the wall. until he at last stood upon tn
 bald top. His men were at his heels , all save one poor fellow who had bee
 brought down when within a few fee
 of the top and fell with a thud to tn
 head of the talus, where he bounde , and rebounded until he rested almos , on the level plain.
 The Apaches had not attempted {
 follow, but stood watching the clingin enemy, and taking an occasional sho , at them. Why should they risk thei , necks in the hazardous ascent? di they not have the foe trapped? A , they had to do now was to sit down fo
 a few days and starve the entire banC , And this they proceeded to do. Asakeeta and his men suffered terri
 bly, from hunger and thirst as the day [ dragged as loathe to depart, but tn old chief suffered most of any. He wa tortured by the thought that he woul , lose all his men. He cared little fo himself He was old, and besides, thi , was a glorious place to die. His splr
 would have a short flight. But to ! I shut up like this by his hated enem
 and lose all his warriors was disgrace : infamy. He thought this the wors
 fate which could befall him. He woul go off at night alone and pray to tn Great Spirit for help, for some way
 rescue his men. One night while h
 was praying, some vOce--like the voic t of distant waters-sp0ke to him an ? told him to search vigilantly for anoth ? ed place to get down. The next day h , hunted and at last found a place wher