The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-08-06
l.
Hampton, of Placer.
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Hampton, of Placer.
10 was moi an tragedy of
the west. II slightest chronicle OF 1t
survive, 1t must be discovered among
the musty and nearly forgotten rec
ords OF b Eighteenth regiment of in
'fantry.
Yet the tale In worth telling now,
when such days are past and gone.
.Tnere were 16 of them when, like so
many hunted rabbits, they were first
securely trapped among the frowning
rocks, n forced r~elentlessly back
ward from OF the narrow trail until
the precipitous canyon walls finally
Matted their disorganized flight, and
from sheer necessity compelled a rally
IN hopeless battle Sixteen,-ten in
fantrymen from old Fort Bethune, I'M
der command of Sgd. Wyman, a gray
headed sergeant of 80 years continu-
GUS service In the regulars, two cow
punchers from the XXI" ranch, a
stranger who a Joined them unin-
ytted at the ford over the Bear Water,
together with old GiLis, the post
trader, and his silent chit of a girl.
Sixteen-but that was three days be-
fore. and in the meanwhile not a few
OF those speeding Sioux bullets had
found softer billet than the limestone
rocks. Six of he soldiers, four al
ready dead. two dying, lay out
stretched in CHASTITY silence where they
fell.
Then the taciturn ellis gave sud
den utterance to q sobbing cry, and q
burst Of red spurted across his white
beard al he reeled backward, knock
ing the girl PROSTATE when he fell.
Eight remained, one helpless, one q
mere lass Of 10. 1t was the morning
OF the third day.
The beginning of the affair had burst
upon them SO suddenly that no two in
that stricken company would have
told the same tale. None among them
had anticipated trouble.
In all the fancied security Of un-
questioned peace these chance trav-
elers had slowly toiled along the steep
trail leading toward the foothills.
ellis and the girl, In well rs the two
cattleherders, were on horseback; the
remainder soberly trudged forward on
foot, with gum slung to their shout
ders. Wyman vas somewhat in ad-
vance, walking beside the stranger,
the latter a man of uncertain age,
smoothly shaver, quietly dressed in
garments ~bespeaking an eastern tailor,
q bit grizzled Of hair along the tenn
ples, and possessing a pair of cool,
gray eyes. He had introduced himself
by the name OF Hampton, but had vol
unteered no further information, nor
was II customary in that country to
question impertinently.
Hamnfon fhrouOh fho modiur of
easy conversation, early discovered in
the sergeant an intelligent mind, pos
sessing some knowledge of literature.
They had cen discussing books with
rare enthusiasm. int the former had
drawn from the concealment of an
inner pocket a diminutive copy of The
Merchant of Venice" from which he
was reading aloud a disputed passage,
when the faint trail they followed sud-
denly dipped into the yawning mouth
Of q black canyon. 1t was a narrow,
gloomy, contracted gorge, a mere cash
between those towering hills shadow
fng Its depths on either hand. A swift
mountain stream, noisy and clear as
crystal, dashed from rock to rock close
beside the more northern wall, while
the il-deaned pathway, strewn with
90Wk0G4o 944 @46AAO4 ~ 4oAS
chung t the opposite side, where low
scrub trees partially obscured the
view.
All was silent rs death when they
entered, yet they had barely advanced
. short hundred PAGES when those ap-
parently bare rocks i'm front famed
red, the narrow defile echoed to wild
Dcreeches and became instantly crowd
-.s.l I,.-f-- Ro,,roC II -oC
IKE n plunge from heaven into hell.
Blaine and Endicott sank at the first
Are, while Wyman's stricken arm
dripped blood. Indeed. under that
sudden shock. he fell. and was barely
rescued by the prompt action of the
man beside him. Dropping the opened
book. and firing madly to left and
rsent with . revolver which appeared
60 spring into his hand as by magic,
che latter coolly dragged the fainting
Soldler across the more exposed space,
until the two found partial security
among q mass of loosened rocks litter
ing the base Of the precipice. The
others who survived that first scorch-
ing discharge also raced toward this
same shelter. impelled thereto by the
unerring instinct of border fighting,
and ninging themselves nat behind
protecting powders. began responding
% the hot IRE rained % them.
Scattered and hurried as these first
volleys were. they proved sufficient to
check the bowling demons in the open.
II has never bee Indian nature to
lace unprotected the aim OF h white
men. n those dark figures, which
only q moment before thronged the
marrow gorge. leaping crazily In the
riot OF apparent victory, suddenly
melted from sight. Sinking down into
leafy coverts beside the stream or into
hales among the rocks. like 80 many
VANISHING prairie dogs. Now and then
= slnewy brown arm might incautioua-