Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1904-01-25

We both had u rifles and pistols
ready, and dashed ahead.
The gold specimens were now a bur-
den, but we chung to them as if they
We're dear as life.
We had not gone over 400 yards
when, in the indistinct light, we saw
the head Of the arroyo; but, to our
horror, it was guarded by q band of AZ
ultant Indians. To add to the danger
of the situation, the savages seemed
rising boldly from the rocks about is.
Together we raised our rifles and
fired at the Indians before us; then
drawing our pistols, we dashed for
ward.
I was straining every Eerve, when
I heard a groan behind me, and turn
ing quickly, 1 saw Sam stagger and
fall, while not ten yards behind him
was a pack of exultant demons.
1 knew my young companion was
wounded, if not dead, and that in a
few seconds the Yavapais would be on
him with their glistening knives. l
sprang back and reached his side in
| Ill W DlilS ny NiuOOGu linz ooNA IA
| the head of an Indian in the advance.
The suddenness Of my action checked
the rest. Without 4 moments hesita-
ton [ blaZed away with both my pis-
tots, and when these We're exhausted,
l picked up Sans and answered every
arrow with an unerring bullet.
Two shots more, and all the cham
bers would be exhausted, then there
would be nothing left but to die fight
ing over the PROSTATE form OF my COM
panion.
Leave me! leave me! Remember
your wife and children!' groaned Sam.
l did remember them, and with a ter
rible anxiety at that moment; but the
thought only intensified my resolve to
save my friend.
l took deliberate aim at Il l sup
posed to be a chief from his actions,
and I saw him leap into the air and
fail on his face.
One shot more was left, though l
raised both pistols as boldly as if every
chamber was loaded. l had my finger
on the trigger, and would have fired,
but | saw them running back in the
darkness, as if panic-stritken.
In q moment l s!unS both the rifles,
and securing the pistols. ! picked up
Sam and ran back for the protection
of the rock for which | had first aimed.
My first work was to reload all the
arms; then, watching to see that l
was not surprised, l examined Sans
wound as we'll as the darkness would
admit. He mad tainted and lay like
one dead. l fourd an arrow had
struck him in the back, and now pro-
truded through his right breast. I
cut off the flint head OF the weapon
and drew it out. and tlien forced some
water netween his lips from his own
canteen.
a groan told me that he was reviv-
ing, and at the same instant I heard
a rumblinS sound that seemed to be
approaching. I was at 4 loss to dis
cover what it meant at first; but the
mystery was soon solved. The III
dams We're rolling rocks toward us in
4 circle, determined to crush US under
their weight, or to hurl us over the
cliff.
The rocks came nearer. I could see
the black outlines rolling in, and hear
the grunts of the Indians, Who were
taxing their strength to 10Y them.
I had not many minutes to think. I
felt along the edge Of the cliff for
some distance, and found that, While
not perpendicular near the top, the
angle was very sharp, and TO the val
ley below it was fully 200 feet. 1t was
my only hope and l determined to risk
it. Hastily strapping Sam to my belt,
I dropped first one rifle and then the
other, and l heard them rolling down,
down, as if they would never stop.
Fastening the pistol, I took a last
look at the stars, and clasping Sam in
my arms, I lay on my back, and feet
foremost l slid wei the side of the
mesa.
1 kept my perpendicular position,
though 1 felt my clothes being torn
as I was dashed over the rocks with a
QulthISSe tHol tooA lily HiSSlu away
Down! down! down! It seemed as If
it would e V stop. My breath was
leaving me, and consciousness, too.
when suddenly We were stopped with
a jerk, and I must have tainted. When
I revived, I found we We're balanced
Il on each side Of 4 stunted cedar
tree, while away below us l imagined
I could see a black yawnirg abyss.
I can never forget the horror of that
long night-a horror increased by the
thought Of the abyss below, and the
fact that Indians for hours hurled
rocks down that swept by US with q
laundering sound and a mighty force.
l had no recollection CT how
friends, who had been searching,
found us at daylight, and carried US
to camp, nor could l believe till l saw
it, what they told me-that the cedar
to which we chung was only six feet
from the solid earth, instead of being
over a frightful abyss.
Sam got well and lived TO go back
wealthy to his Julia, as I did to my
wife.-New York News.
How Ealzac Worked.
In twelve years BalZac wrote sew.