The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-01-11
drawing our pistols, we dashed for

I was straining every Eerve, when
| I heard 4 groan behind me. and turn
ing quickly, + saw Sam stagger and
| fall, while not ten yards behind him
| was a pack of eXultant demons.
T knew my young companion was
wounded, if not dead, and that in a
few seconds the Yayapais would be on
| him with their glistening knives. I
| sprang back and reached his side in
time to bring my dubbed rifle down Oh
the head of an Indian in the advance.
The suddenness of my action checked
the rest. Without 4 moments hesita-
ton I blazed away with both my pis-
tolls, and when these were exhausted,
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.
1 did remember them. and with a ter
rible anxiety at that moment; but the
thought only intensified my resolve to
save my friend.
I took deliberate aim at one [ sup
posed to be a chief from his actions.
and I saw him leap into the air and
fall on his face.
One. shot more was left, though 1
raised both pistols as boldly as if every
chamber was loaded. I had my finger
on the trigger, and would have fired,
but I saw them running back in the
darkness. rs. if panic-stricken.
In a moment I slung both the rifles,
and securing the pistols. l picked up
Sam and ran back for the protection
of the rock for which I had first aimed.
NV first work was to reload all the
arms; then, watching to see that L
was not surprised. 1 examined Sans
wound as we'll as the darkness would
admit. He had tainted and lay like
one dead. I found an arrow had
struck him in the back, and now pro-
truded through his right breast. 1
cut off the flint head Of the weapon
and drew it out, and then forced some
water between his lips from his own
canteen.
A groan told me that he was reviv-
ing, and at the same instant I heard
a rumbling sound that seemed to be
approaching. 1 was at a loss to dis
cover what it meant at first; but the
mystery was soon solved. The In
dams were rolling rocks toward us in
q circle, determined to crush us unde
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 We're
taxing their strength to move them.
I had not many minutes to think. 1
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 I determined to risk
it. Hastily strapping Sam to my belt,
I dropped first n rife and then the
other. and I 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 slid over the side of the
mesa.
I kept my perpendicular position,
though I felt my clothes being torn
as I was dashed over the rocks with a
quickness that took my breath away.
Down! down! down. 1t seemed as il
it would never 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 were balanced
one on each side of a stunted cedar
tree. while away below us I imagined
I could see a black yawning 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 a
laundering sound and a mighty force.
I had no recollection CT how u
! friends, who had been searching,
| found us at daylight. and carried us
to camp, nor could I believe ill 1 saw
it. what they told me-that the q
to which we chung was only six feet
from the solid earth. instead Of being
over a frightful abyss.
Sam got we'll and lived to, go back
, wealthy to his Julia. rs I did to my.
| wife.-New York News.