The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1902-08-29

rally aided him, and after he hat
found the correct range he mana geo
by carefully shooting Mt every ex
posed redskin to force q very whole
some fear into the soul OF the enemy
The girl, entirely inefficient to rem
der any aid, sat silently watching
with a wonderful kind Of interest the
boy who was doing all that man
could do to save his life and her
own. Occasionally bullet bored
through the mud walls and sent the
dry mud flying in their faces, but
the range was great and the walls
stopped the majority of the bullets.
The hours seemed to come and 60,
TO them; dozen times Horton had
momentarily ceased his fire to listen
for the welcome thud Of hoofs. and
as often was disappointed. II was
in reality but an hour before he sud
denly discovered that his supply Of
rife ammunition had been expended,
and that the six charges in his pis-
tol were his only remaining articles
OF defense. The girl saw this as he
discarded the rifle and drew the pis-
toll, and felt her heart sink as she
realized the situation. She saw him
as he gazed searchingly out over the
plain in an effort to discern a bit Of
friendly blue. and saw the despair
which no man can hope to conceal,
come into his face and snuff out the
bit OF hope and dignity brought
there by the joy Of well fought com
bat.
Horton carefully examined each
precious charge in the pistol, striv-
ing TO force himself to think calmly;
and all the time an unknown voice
repeatedly asserted that further re-
sistance was entirely useless. Still,
possessed by that wonderful Anglo
Saxon courage which grows more
and more rebellously firm as the
fight goes more and more to the
enemy, he quietly informed the girl
that he had only begun to fight, and
by his demeanor attempted to live
the lie
Instinct, however, told the girl
that his cheerfulness was entirely
assumed. but by neither word nor
look did she betray this knowledge.
Silent, not voicing vain regrets,
nor weak vindictiyes, they stood. hv-
ing for the moments that reeled off
with fearful regularity, each fraught
with the question of life or death.
Occasionally Horton. from force of
hah ri. ID L..
each time he slightly shook his head.
The wary Apaches, noting that the
white mans terrible rifle was stilled,
had stolen down to the last fringe
of rocks that offered them protec-
ton, and we're making visible prepa-
rations for rush. Still, they knew
that the blue-shirted cavalrymcn had
an uncomfortable habit of shooting
terribly fast and accurate at short
range, with the pistol, and so they
still hesitated.
Horton, closely watching their
every move and carefully weighing
every circumstance. reluctantly de-
cided that the time had come to
make the girl aware Of the hope
lessness of their situation.
ITS all up with us now, I'm
afraid, Miss Jordan" he said, quiet
ly. They're getting ready for rush
out there, see. and when they try
that. I'm afraid won't be able to
hold them off. I'll only have time to
fire probably couple Of shots, then
II know she said, quickly, as IL
the privilege of speech was relief
after the long pulseiess wait.
''We'll be killed. Well, you'll find
that I'm not afraid to die"
The boy became visibly embar-
raised.
"'Tisn't that" he said. dropping
his eyes to the floor. "They won't
kill you, you know, Miss Jordan;
'tisn't their style with white women.
let you live; you I'M
derstand, don't you, Miss Jordan"
For a moment she did not comprc-
bend. then when the revelation
ilawned upon her all her composure
and self-oosscssion gave way.
my God, they don't really do that, |
do thcy?" she cried.
The boy nodded.
"Oh, it can't be-" she said. clasp |
ing her hands as the fearfulness of
the boys disclosures grew upon her.
I'D sooner die hundred times"
She stopped suddenly, for her eyes,
roaming furtively, had fallen upon
the pistol in the boys hand. the only
Icthal weapon remaining to them.
Her gaze rose steadily TO his frank
eyes, and for a moment they gazcd |
at each other, each fully cognizant
IF the Others thoughts. The boy
grew sick at heart. for there was
world of pleading in the girls eyes.
''You will, won't you?" she said.
abruptly. you'll surely spare me
The fate Of falling into their hands
alive" 1t was a weak little plea, a
plea which told of all hope for life
departed, and only wish remaining |
Tor decent death.
Horton walked to a loop-holc and
scanned the plain in an effort to find
,ne clew upon which to hang single
thread of hope. But nothing new
appeared to disturb the never-cnding |
monotony Of the landscape. Then
The hone died in bis breast.