Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1902-02-14

Out on the Pampas
~ a uesrv
CHAPTER xI.-tContinued.)
b. q. a. HEINZ


CHAPTER XI.-tContinuedJ
Maud had thrown the gate open, and
stood by the post with the barrel Of her
rifle resting on a of the wires. STEADY,
Ethel, steady" she said in a hard. strange
voice, as her sister Joined her; "Hu-
bert's life depends upon your aim. Wait
till I fire, and take the man on the right,
Aim at his chest"
The sound Of Maud's steady voice acted
like magic upon her sister; the mist
which had swum before her eyes cleared
OF; her limbs ceased to trembIe, and her
hand grew steady. Hubert was now with
in a hundred yards, but the leading In
dian was scarce a horses length behind.
He had his tomahawk already in his
hand. in readiness for the fatal blow. An
other twenty yards and he whirled it
round his head with a yell of exultation.
"Stoop, Hubert, stoop!" Maud cried
In a loud, clear voice; and mechanically.
with the wild wal whoop behind ringing
in his ears, Hubert bent forward on to the
horse's mane. He could feel the breath
of the Indians horse against his legs,
and his heart seemed to stand still.
Maud and her rifle might have been
taken for a statue, so immovable and
rigid did she stand: and then, as the In
dams arm went back for the blow,
crack, and without u word or IL cry the
Indian fell back. struck with the deadly
little bullet in the center of the forehead.
Not SO silently did Ethel's bullet do it's
work. A wild cry followed the report:
for an insta $ she Indian reeled in his
saddle, and therf %steadying himself, turn
ed his horse sharp round, and with his
companion galloped off.
Hubert, as his horse passed through
the gate and drew up, almost fell from
his seat; and it was with the greatest
difficulty that he staggered toward Maud,
who had gone off in a dead faint as she
saw him ride on alone.
Ethel had sat down on the ground,
and was crying passionately. md Terence
came running down from the house with
n gun in his hand, pouring out Irish
threats and CALCULATIONS after the In
dians. These were changed into n shout
of triumph as Charley stepped from be-
hind the hen house, as they passed at n
double barrels the unwounded Indian fell
heavily from his horse.
Anxious as he was to assist his young
mistress, for Hubert was far too shaken
to attempt to lift Maud from the ground.
Terence stood riveted to the spot, watch
ing the remaining Indian. Twice he reel
ed in the saddle, and twice recovered
himself, but the third time, when he was
distant nearly half a mile, he suddenly
fell off to the ground.
II thought the numbering thief had
got it," muttered Terence to himself, as
he ran down to raise Maud, and with
the assistance of Sarah to carry her up to
the house, against the doorway of which
Mrs. Hardy was still leaning, too agi-
tated to trust herself to walk.
Hubert, now somewhat recovered, en-
deavored to pacify Ethel, and the two
walked slowly up toward the house. In
a minute or two Charley came running
up. and the poems We're seen hurryins
toward them. After n silent shake of the
hand to his brother, and u short ''Ihank
God" Charley, with his accustomed en-
ergy, took the command.
Hubert, do you and Terence get all the
arms loaded at once! Lopez, tell the
poems to hurry up the pillow oxen, shut
them in the Enclosure and paddock all the
gates. 1 will warn you if there's any
danger. Then bring all the men and
women up here. l am going to run up the
danger flag. Papa is out somewhere OH
the plains" So saying. and taking his
Colts carbine, he ran up the stairs.
In a moment afrerward his voice was
heard again. "Hubert, Terence, bring
all the guns that are loaded up here at
cnce-quick, quick! and then he shouted
loudly in Spanish, ''Come in all; come in
for your lives" In another minute they
Joined him on the tower with Mr.. Hardy's
long rife, Hubert's carbine, and their
double-barreled shotguns, into each OF
which Terence dropped a bullet upon the
top of the shot. Hubert could scarcely
help giving a cry. At a distance of II
quarter of q mile Mr.. Hardy and Fitz-
gerald were coming along. pursued by at
least a dozen Indians, who We're thirty or
forty yards in their rear. They were
approaching from behind the house, and
would have to make a sweep to get round
to the entrance, which was on the right.
on the side facing the dam. This would
evidently give their pursuers a slight ad-
vantage.
"They hold their own Charley said
after a minutes silence; there is no
fear. Lopez" he shouted, run and see
that h outside as we'll as the inside
gates are Open"
II hin you might Use the long rifle
now," Hubert said; sit might stop them
if they feel that they are in reach of our
guns"
mo, no." Charley said, 81 don't want
to stop them; don't show the end of a
gun above the wall" Then he was 81
lent until his father was within three
hundred yards. He then shouted at the
top of his voice, Mind the outside fence:
mind the outside fence!!"
Mr.. Hardy raised a hand to show that
he heard, and as he approached Charley
shouted again, ~.Sweep well round the
fence, well round it, for them to try and
cut you Off"
Charley could see that Mr.. Hardy
heard, for he turned his horse:s head so
as to go rather wide of the corner of the
fence. "Now, Hubert and Terence, get
ready; we shall have them directly.n
MI. Hardy and his companion gallopcd
past. with the Indians still fifty yards be-
hind them. Keeping twenty yards from
the corner of the fence, the fugitiyes
wheeled round to the right, and the In
dams, with a cry of exultation, turned to
the right also to cut them off. The low.
%treacherous wire was unnoticed, and in
another moment men and horses were
rolling in a confused mass upon the
ground.
Now" Charley said, "cvery barrel we
have" and from the top of the tower n
rain Of lead poured down upon the be-
wildered Indians. The horses. frightened
and wounded, kicked aud struggled