Cañon City record., 1904-10-06

amid half dozen such. but 1t COM
manded the others. 1t was covered
with pines and cedars OF small growth
and there was a splendid spring right
on the crest.
Darkness found us occupying circle
about forty feet across. with stones and
powders and logs for shelter. We felt
that we were safe from attack that
night, but what would happen on the
morrow was a matter for grave consld-
Grafton. 1t was more than likely that
a couple OF hundred Indians would be
brought up and take positions during
the night.
None OF US except the woman slept
an hour all night long. We used ie-
vers to loosen other powders and roll
them into the circle, and with our
knives and hatchets we cut on limbs
and cut down small trees and used
them for chinking. We got the AMI
mails into a sort OF gully below us
and made their position as safe as pos
sible, and when daylight came there
was nothing more to be done. We had
above 600 rounds of ammunition and
could reckon on 1t lasting US at least
three days, and we had food for the
same time and an unlimited supply of
water.
Daybreak found US ready for au at
tack. The colonel's wife took her place
between two men, rifle In hand. and
for half an hour we expected sudden
rush. At the end OF that time a single
warrior appeared to view and In bro
ken English demanded our surrender.
The sergeant answered deflantiy. and
three minutes later there was an un-
broken circle OF Ore about us. Indians
had mounted into the trees to the
right and left of us TO get piunging
fire. and from the crests OF the lower
hills they poured In their bullets Mt
random.
At the end Of an hour they ceased
firing. Not a man OF US had been
touched. but stray bullets had killed
one Of the mules and wounded two
horses. We looked for a rush now.
and as we made rendy for It the colo
ners wife quietly sank down beslds
me and said:
"Tve tumbled over sage hens and
jack rabbits. and ought to be able 30
hit an Indian. Do look frightened p
"You are AZ white as . ghost.
ma'am." replied a. turned to her.
But am all right" abe smiiingiy
said. "and here they comet
30 they did. With every painted
warrior yelling at the top Of his voice
the entire band charged US at once.
taking in the whole circle. 1t was not
until they gut close up that we could
see anything to shoot at. and every
few seconds the sergeant cried c.t to
US to hold our fre. It was over In Ave
minutes. They had not expected to
find US so strongly intrenched. and we
knocked them over like nincpins.
believe we killed or wounded n full
score. and It took the fight out OF them
20 thoroughly that not ride wns fired
again until afternoon. In this charge
I was sure that the coloners wife killed
one warrior and wounded another.
Soon after 2 O'Clock. and without the
slightest warning. we were charged
again. and for ten minutes It was a
wild melee. We nred into their very
faces as they sprang upon the rocks.
and OF four warriors shot down out
side the breastworks we had TO give
the colonel's wife credit for three. Even
when the fight was at Its widest WINS
watching her. but with her Winchester
at her eye she was taking aim and
pulling trigger like a veteran OF half
q dozen battles. Her face was as
white as that of n dead woman. hut
do not believe she felt the least fear.
u was the red mems supreme and
final effort. and It was well for Us that
II was so. when we had beaten them
OF the sergeant and another lay dead.
four men were badly wounded. and
they had cut our animals out Of the
gulch and run them on. Had the at
tack been renewed the savages would
have gained a victory in no time.
1t was when we knew that the In
dams were drawing OF that the brave
little woman. who had certainly done
her share Of the fighting, suddenly
burst into tears and tainted away, and
II was a quarter Of an hour before we
knew that It was Mysteries, instead OF
Z wound She rallied after awhile.
however, and It was her hands that
bound up the hurts Of the wounded
and lovingly caressed the faces OF those
who had died defending her. We held
our position the remainder Of the day
and through the night, and then md
ing that the Indians had gone for good.
We made our way baek to ths eest and
Usstprsd ths colona1's wffo - his
uhango. Peoce coua a1n1n am . few