The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1905-01-19

It was "save himself who can" ex-
cept that no man thought of flight.
Each trooper and civilian got behind
horse, mule or wagon, drew his Colt
and fired into the screeching, clatter-
ing mob, which charged home upon us
in the characteristic Apache rush. :
It was q thrilling. savage moment.
| Clouds of horsemen hurled themselves
at us with deafening yells, discharging
q rain of feathered shafts and lunging
fiercely at horse and man with their
long lances. They rode down and over
and through our thin line, veritable
bosom of destruction. ;
When this whirlwind of savagery
had howled over US and the dust of it
had lifted somewhat, we took account
OF our casualties. OF % fighting men
we had IS left nninjured. Three were
killed outright and three disabled.
lNine horses and mules had been killed
Or crippled. :
The faces of the living were grave
enough, and filled with graverS fore
boding when it became apparent that
the Apaches had not met with severe,
repulse::,, ss,Theyshsds carried Off their
dead and were drawn up ON a: ridge
marked BY 'cfufhps Of greasewood q
mile o.. so in our, advance. ...l In five min
Iutss three thin columns Of smpke
Earoses aiaong them, and wesknew that
they were signaling for the approach
of another band. !
To go back into the canons meant
certain destruction to ; 60 " forward
seemed equally perilous. But Murphy
was fighter; he feared tho moral eff
feet Of entrenchment and So began. to
put things in fighting order for ad-
vance. t}y5 {jE.,s.I5{f y
| Four men were lowering the dead
into a shallow pit when the professor
came up out of the canon in our rear.
We had reckoned him with the lost,
but somehow the Apaches had missed
him. He came among us with looks
Of concern.
why, why, men, this is-h-m-m
most unfortunate!" he said. His
face betrayed sorrowful emotion as
the dead were covered with salute
fired. Then he donned his hat and
inquired after the enemy, of whose
din his deaf ears had heard nothing.
The Indians upon the ridge were
pointed out to him.
The professor Strengthened hts lank
figure, adjusted his spectacles, and
gazed intently toward the mirage-dis-
torted figures and tie thin wreaths of
smoke which curled over them. Pres
emily he
Lieutenant, do you think-h-m-m
they'll come on again?" : e
':Sure!" said Murphy. So
'Then, 8 said the professor, calmly,
"thena lieutenant, wei must h-m-i m
must dave: 'ein OFF, sNa J / =
Immediately he began bs unpack#his
ing from its long cover and unwindlng
a swaddlcd Creedmoor rifle of great.
power andsa range. This ponderous
+ weapon, tue barrel of which had been
specially Madesto the professors Cor
/ der, as I learned later, must have
weighed IS or 16 pounds. To it had
been fitteda beautiful full-length tele-
lating the elevation and windage.
- "A laugh broke out among the troop
ers, who were unable to resist the
humor Of the situation. Murphy
grinned, but looked at the polished and
costly target-gun with degree Of re-
spect.
$50 you'd like to. try a shot," said
the lieutenant "Well, I guess 1t wont
oany harm" '4@ (
| ct must rest upon a wagon, lieufen-
ant-h-m-m. You'll have the mules
removed. to give steadiness." &
l. He spoke authoritively and Murphy
hesitated for an instant; then. with a
quizzical look, he gave the requisite
order. Soon the cover of the unhitched
wagon had been lifted and the pr6es-
sor stood upon feed-box with his big
gun resting we'll across some piled -up
sacks Of corn. He busted himself at
once in making careful estimate of
the distance, in adjusting the bet
screws sof the telescope, and in taxing
Ethe gaugesof slightly adverse braeze.
Never shall I forget the dertSive
faces of Murphyss men. or the halfex
cited, half-oeprecatory flush uponat the
lieutenant's feces as he stood with lev
elled field-glass, to note where the frst
shot would strike. In the heat mirage
the figures Sof, the Apache horsemen
were 10 distorted and magnifed chat.
although nearly half q mile distant.
they were fair marks to the naked
eye. Grouped. however. they made Z
great blurred patch upon the horizon.
4 Two minutes passed. and still Ithe
! professor was busy With delicateA lad
justrsnts; but then Re sgot to work.
and presently the roar of the Creed.
moor burst forth. Some seconds d 81
lence followed; then Murphy slapped
his thigh with whoop of triumph.
"7ou got him! By George. you got
him!" he cried.
y. 3''fs$ 49, -