Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1907-09-13
CHAPTER VII

There was a short delay, during which
the conuuerors appeared to he consulting
together in low voice; while doing SO.
an Indian chief, who was no other than
the Jester, entered the hall. The general
and the capataz were then again picked
up by the redskins, and at sign from
one OF the masked men, transported on
to the voladero.
One hundred and fifty to two hundred
Indians, mostly armed with guns. and
ranged In good order round the terrace,
the center Of which remained free, faced
the cavern, having among them the dis
armed Mexicans, the baggage horses and
mules.
The tent still stood In the middle Of
what was to have been the encampment |;
but the curtain was raised, and a horse
man was standing in front of it, as IL to
defend the entrance.
At the moment when the party emerged
from the cave and appeared on the ten
race, the horsemen drawn up at the en-
trance Of the defle opened out to the
right and left, leaving a passage for
small troop of men dressed In hunters
garb, and whom 1t was easy to recognize
as white men; two ladies, mounted on
ambling mules, were In the midst of them.
This troops of strangers was composed
of eight persons altogether, leading with
them two baggage mules. AS the men
were disarmed, and walked on foot amid
some fifty Indian horsemen, they had. In
all probability, been surprised by a party
of redskins.
The two ladies, one Of whom was Of
certain age, while the other appeared
scarce IS, and who might be supposed
closely related, through the resemblance
OF their features, were treated with an
exquisite politeness they were far from
expecting by the Indians, and conducted
to the tent. The curtain was then low
cred, to conceal them from the glances
Of the Indians.
The newcomers, at a signal from their
conductors, ranged themselves with the
other prisoners; they were powerful men
whom the Indians had probably not given
a chance to defend; otherwise they look.
ed as if they would sooner be killed than
yield.
Two masked men took their seats on
the granite blocks, and the Indians who
carried the general laid him on the ground
in front of this species Of tribunal. The
person who seemed to be the president of
this sinister assembly gave a sign. the
prisoners bonds at once fell off, and he
found himself once more able to move
his limbs.
The general drew himself up crossed
his hands on his chest, threw his body
lack haughtily, raised his head and look
ed at his judges with glance of with
ering contempt.
what do you want with me, bandits ?"
he said; enough Of this; these insolent
maneuvers will not alarm me.'
"Silence !" the president said, coldly +;
'it is not your place to speak thus"
Then he remarked to the Jester, who
was standing a few PAGES from him:
Bring up the other prisoners, old and
new everybody must hear what is going
to be said"
The Jester gave a signal to the war
riors; some Of them dfsmounted, an
preached the prisoners and, after loosen.
ing the cord that bound the capataz, they
led him, as we'll as the poems and pris-
oners of the second caravan, in front
Of the tribunal. Then, at a signal from
the Jester, the horsemen closed up round
the white men.
Ito be continued.)