The Jennings daily record., 1902-07-14

he had left his striker to sleep In his
quarters and keec guard over his
things. So it was into the tucklesg
soldiers heart that the knife was
driven, and the next day a telegram
apprised 'HartpoIe that his striker was
murdered and his suit of mail was
gone.
The day after that all the depart.
.nlen4 knew that the Coyoteros were
on the war path, and, having cut the
reservation, were killing right and
left. They were led by medicine
man called "Ciego." and the scouts
reported that he was dressed tn a gar
ment of white iron which no White
Eyes bullet could pierce. They also
reported that the Chiricahuas and the
Pah- Utes and the Sierra Blancas were
joining him. 1t promised to be an in-
teresting time for the Territories.
Hartpolc began to have dim idea
| of why the medicine man had wanted
his Spanish mail now. He was Or
! dcred out. of course. Most of the de-
partment was. Trouble of the sort
that this promised to he had to be
checked at once, If at all 1t was Sc
rious already. but there was one thing
| in favor OF the troops. which was that
| the hostiles showed no desire TO get
away. Their tanatical faith in the
| medicine man led them to seek battle
rather than to shun ii. And twice.
having done So they beat Off the
| troops. because there We're. as usual.
| too few. But the third time they We're
caught in pocket of the Mogallons,
and there We're no less than six troops
| agans, them. Hartpole's was of the
number.
The Indians fought from dawn of
the first day until twilight of the Sec
hind shelter. then at last they re-
treated to a shallow cave high up on a
| hillside, and there was no getting
7 them out. \ mountain howitZer
might have done It. but there was
none with the command. All day the
troops fred volleys into so much of the
mouth of the cave as showed between
the pine trunks and the walls Of rock.
They knew that the slaughter within
must have been pretty severe. but
there We're no signs of surrender. nev-
ertheleSs The hostilcs might hold out
until the last one was dead. they Ger
tainly would until their medicine-man
should fall. The mcdicineman could
be seen from time 10 time, cleaning
figure moving clrmsily among the
trees and underbruSh. And for all
that it Wen, so slowly and was so
bright, no bullet seemed evep to hit it.
Even the white men began to consider
it with awe.
At sunset of the second day. when
the sounds from the cave had all bu,
ceas sed and the Indians within it We're
without ammunition and at bay. the
glistening form came clamberins de-
liberately to the top of high rock
whooping and yelling, calling the rem
, nant Of its followers OH. 1t stood 81
, for moment, the red sun rays strik
, ing through the pine branches on thu
, dented steel. a weird sight in th'
, depths Of the mountain businesses o
, the New World; so odd and strange
, that the soldiers hesitated with thei
|
bines.
!, But Hartpole. kneeling alone behint
, a bowlder, remembered only that tha
, glowing armor was his. and that h
! wanted It, The visor was up and b,
, could see the glitter of the one goot
| eye He had won sharpshooter'
medal in his time. and he put hi
, ! skill to use now. There was pun o
= | smoke from above his bowlder. ant
the shining figure threw up its arm
, | and staggered Then 1t fell forward
down from the pinnacle of rock. clat
tering and crashing among the log
, and stones.
They found. when they dragged hin
out. that Hartpole's bullet had gon
straight through the good eye, an'
+, ! that Ciego was ciego in very trutl
now-and quite dead.-San Francisc
! .Argonaut.
Armored Automobiles.