Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1905-04-13

After ten days OF marching we HIeu
out of tortuous canon. one hot morn
ing, upon the high plain, and having
by some chance taken the lesser of
the two trails. where canon and road
forked, We found that we had escaped
humiliation in a huge ditch only to
meet a fierce Apache rush upon the
mesa. Wild riders seemed to emerge
-100 200-out of nowhere, suddenly
Undertaking" out of a shimmering
mist of heat radiation, and they were
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 fight.
Each trooper and civilian got behind
horse, mule or wagon, drew his Colt
and fired into the screening, clatter-
ing mob, which charged home upon us
in the characteristic Apache rush.
1t was a thrilling. savage moment
| Clouds of horsemen hurled themselves
at us with deafening yells, discharging
rain Of feathered shafts and lunging
| fiereely 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 sayagery
had howled over US and the dust of 1t
had lifted somewhat, we took account
of our casualties. OF 20 fighting men
we had IS left uninjured. Three were
| killed outright and three disabled
Nine horses and mules had been killed
| or crippled.
The faces Of the living we're 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
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 a fighter; he feared the moral eff
feet OF entrenchment and so began to
put things in fighting order for adj
| vance.
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 we're covered with a salute
fred. Then he donned his hat and
inquired after the enemy. Of whose
din his deaf ears had heard nothing.
The Indians upon the ridge we're
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
entity 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 deity. TAX
ing from its long cover and unwinding
l rfAa az
power and range. This ponderous
weapon, the barrel OF which had been
specially made 10 the professors or
der. as | learned later. must have
weighed is or 16 pounds. To II had
been fitted a 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-
spect
$50 you'd like TO try a shot," said
the lieutenant well, guess it won't
do any harm"
at must rest upon wagon, lieuten-
ant-h-m-m. You'll have the mules
removed. to give steadiness."
He spoke authoritiyely 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 well across some piled-up
sacks Of corn. He busted himself at
once in making a careful estimate OF
the distance. In adjusting the set
screws Of the telescope, and in taking
the gauge of a slightly adverse breeze.
Never shall | forget the derisive
faces Of Murphy's men, OF the half-ex-
cited. half-oeprecatory flush upon the
lieutenant's face as he stood with lev
eIled field-glass. to note where the first
shot would strike. In the heat mirage
/ 49,