Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1901-08-01

from not far away, came the gibber-
ing howl OF a coyote: instantly the
mountain walls took it up, tossing it
back and forth until the canon rang as
though all the fiends in hades had
broken loose. Scarcely realizing what
did, with my every nerve tingling
and twitching, 1 sprang wildly to my
feet and fired shot in the direction
l thought the NANCY little beast to be,
and the canon roared with the echo.
Slowly the uproar died away, and
then l collapsed as a chuckle came
from Lewis direction, and he re-
marked, Reckon yuh wouldn't have
much show with er ghost. pardner, if
er pore little cuss of er kyote en- start
yuh ter shootin' wild like that"
l made no answer. was indignant
with myself for losing my nerve so
easily. lay down again, but not to
sleep; 1 was quivering with nervous
ness. The coyote did not howl again
my shot had scared him away-but
the wind rose presently, and began
| wailing in most Notwithstanding
way in the rocks above me.
S-w-1-s-s-s-h, oo-oo-oo, r-a-h-h-h," a
stronger gust would go sweeping past,
and then from across the canon would
come series of faint, mournful
sounds, such as sorrowing ghosts
might be expected to utter. I began
TO understand how Dominguez came to
lose his mind through his experience
IN the canon, and to wish that l were
anywhere else, when the wind died
away as suddenly as it had risen, and
there was absolute silence. l fell to
watching the stars again; the hours
dragged slowly by, and at last | fell
into half sleep.
Suddenly I awoke and sat bolt up-
right, straining my ears for a repeti-
tlon or the sound that walked me. Soon
| heard it again; it was Helen whis
ting and plunging in fright. He was
plcketed behind point of rock where
| could not see him. Hastily | felt
under my pillow for my revolvers, but
could not find them. HeIen's snorting
and plunging grew more violent with
every moment, and at last. fearful lest
ne break his rope and we lose him. I
gave up hunting my revolvers anr,
started running toward him. me
moon was now shining brightly. and
when l came to where. Icould see the
mule, saw something Just beyond
MIN, sometPig that brought me to a
sudoen sdhdstill, and that seemed to
iieezeIhe blood in my veins-a beau
-hully marked piebald pony, it's legs
moving naturally, but it's feet seeming
And
directly toward me!
Paralyzed with terror, stood as
though grown to the spot; nearer came
the pinto, and l tried to yell to Lew,
but a harsh rattle was the only sound
my throat would make. Quivering
With fear, Helen was standing as close
% me as he could get, his rope
stretched to the breaking point. Now
he pinto was passing close beside
him, when he suddenly wheeled round.
giving wicked squeal, and like a
treak Of lightning. his heels flashed in
he moonlight, striking the pony with
surprising crash fairly in the side.
living strange grunt. for a pony the
unto staggered and fell on it's side,
laundering helplessly; the next mo-
nent, however, it's side burst open,
nd a naked Apache Indian sprang
'ut and ran at me, long-bladed
,nife glittering in his hand. Instant
y my superstitious fears vanished and
ny muscles regained their power. I'm
rmed, turned to run; but my foot
ripped, and l fell with the Indian
prawling on top Of me. ] realized
hat it was struggle for my life, and,
elling to Lew at the top of my voice,
grappled with the Apache. Back ..
nd forth we rolled and tumbled, I ,
rying to obtain possession of the
nife, and he to put an end to my
with it, neither gaining any
dvantage over the other. Minutes
eemed hours. Could Lew never hear,
wondered. my breath coming in G
harp gasps, my strength almost gone.
How long we fought l can only con- 8
cture; the Indians powers of endur- r
nee were greater than mine, and at b
st he forced me over on my back, his
ne hand clutching my throat, his II
her. grasping the knife, raised to q
rike. l saw the steel fash and glitter U
eAS moonlight, anu d Slsk6nluR lear
lot through me; the knife was in the f
t of descending, when two shots b
ng out in quick succession, and it y
wv to one side, while the Indian sank h
'wn on me, quivering in death The &
dden reaction from utter hopeless 81
'ss to sense of safety WIS more than I,
y tortured brain co'.id bear, and O
inted where l lay; the next thing
knew Lew was pouring water on my g
ce, and l saw that day was breaking. 81
When had recovered sufficiently we r.
ade an examination of the ponys e'
de. finding it partially stuffed with "
ass which rounded it out. giving it
appearance, though the de-
ption would have been readily de- s,
cted in daylight. Later in the day, as
lowing faint trail, we climbed up ,pl
the cliff village and found that the ri
dian had made his home in one of lie
e houses. Scattered about the room bI
49,