The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-01-27

| undertaking" out of a Shimmering
mist of heat radiation, and they We're
upon us before we could form for de-
tense. No ear in that tremendous din
could hear Murphy's roars of COM
mand.
1t 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.
1t was thrilling, savage moment.
Clouds Of horsemen hurled themselves
! at us with deafening yells, discharging
| 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 18 left uninjured. Three were
killed outright and three disabled.
Nine horses and mules had been killed
or crippled.
The faces of the living were grave
enough, and filled with graver fore
boding when it became apparent that
the Apaches had not met with severe
repulse. They had carried, off their
dead and were drawn up ON a ridge
marked by clumps of greasewood a
mile or so in our advance. In five min
utes three thin columns of smoke
arose among them, and we knew that
they were signaling for the approach
Of another band.
To go back into the canons meant
certain destruction; to go forward
seemed equally perilous. But Murphy
was fighter; he feared the moral eff
feet Of entrenchment and so began to
put things in fighting order for ad-
vance.
Four men were lowering the dead
into 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.
ho YSI lon
pointed out to him.
The professor Strengthened his lank
figure, adjusted his spectacles, and
gazed intently toward the mirage-dis-
torted figures and the thin wreaths of
smoke which curled over them. Pres
emily he spoke:
"Lieutenant, do you think-h-m-m
they'll come on again?'
"Sure!" said Murphy.
"Then," said the professor, calmly,
then, Lieutenant, we must-h-m-m-
must drive 'em off,
Immediately he began to unpack his
big gun case. He worked deftly, talk
ing from it's long cover and unwinding
a swaddlcd Creedmoor rifle of great
power and range. This ponderous
weapon, the barrel of which had been
specially made to the professors or
der, as learned later. must have
weighed Is or 16 pounds. To it had
been fitted beautiful full-length tele-
scope sight, with set-screws for regu-
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 a degree of re-
spcct.
so you'd like to try a shot," said
the lieutenant. well. guess it won't
do any HARM
1T must rest upon a wagon, lieuten-
ant-h-m-m. You'll have the mules
removed. to give steadiness."
He spoke authcritively and Murphy
hesitated for an instant; then, with
quizzical look, he gave the requisite
order Soon the cover of the unhitched
wagon had been lifted and the profess
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 set
screws of the telescope, and in taking
the gauge of slightly adverse breeze.
Never shall I forget the derisive
faces of Murphy's men, or the half-ex-
cited, half-deprecatory flush upon the
lieutenant's face as he stood with lev
elled field-glass, to note where the first
shot would strike. In the heat mirage
the figures of the Apache horsemen
were so distorted and magnified that,
! although nearly half mile distant,
| they were fair marks to the naked
eye Grouped, however, they made a
| great blurred patch upon the horizon.
Two minutes passed, and still the
professor was busy with delicate ad-
justr'slts; but then he got to work,
! and presently the roar of the Creed
moor burst forth. Some seconds of 81
1ence followed; :Asn Murphy slapped
his thigh with q whoop of triumph.
Sym oct I;y,P Sto@~~1 49,,