Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-04-13

Us not 10 expose nlmSelI 10 tue ure OI
the Apaches, he piled them on top Of
the upper wall in such fashion as to
form little turrets. He left an open.
Ing In each. through which he could
observe In turn each point Of the COM
pass whence danger might be expect
ed and could fire his Winchester with.
out exposing himself Then he began
going from post to post on contin-
uous round of self imposed sentinel
duty. "If could only climb the sa-
huaro," he thought. "and fly my red
shirt us flag to let the rurales know
I've fanked the enemy. 1t might hur-
~ them along in time to put crilnp
In these devils before they get me.
But It'll have to be hold the fort
without sny oh. say Gun you seer
business. Anyhow. I'm flying the rat
tlesnake flag Of Bunker Hill. Don't
tread on me- Whether the rurales
see II or not. I've saved their hides
II the Apaches had got to this fort
first, gee, how they would have crum-
pied up the greasers as they came
along the trail!"
Rendered thirsty by his exertions
Lane remembered the canteen In the
bisnaga. which he had forgotten among
his other preparations for defense. He
cautiously reached his hand over the
ledge and secured the precious vessel,
but as he was Withdrawing 1t. ping.
came bullet through the canteen
knocking 1t out Of his hand. As ii fell
Gathering down the side Of the ledge
he groaned: Good shooting! They've
probably left their best marksman be-
low with the ponies. No hope for es-
cape on that side. Well, there's some
consolation in the thought that they'll
undoubtedly finish me before get too
thirsty Glad 1t wasn't my hand"
Although the period he spent wait.
ing for the attack was less than an
hour by his watch. II seemed to Lane
so long that he had hopes that the
ruraes would appear In time to res
cue him. His spirits rose with the
prospect. Looking about him at the
walls, the fireplace and the red cross
he reflected. Il ain not the first man,
or even the first white man. that has
withstood an attack in this place
In Imagination he constructed the his
tory Of the fort. Here, in ages re-
mote, a tribe of Indians. defeated aud
driven to the mountains. had con-
structed an outpost against their enc
mics Of the plain, but these had cap
tured the stronghold and fortified II
against Its former occupants. Later a
band Of Spanish gold seekers had
made stand here against natives
whom they had reused against them
by oppression. Or, perhaps. as indi'
Gated by the cross, 1t had afforded ref
uge to the mission fathers, those he
roic souls who had faced the horrors
of the inferno-like desert In their
sanity efforts to convert its fiendIsh
inhabitants.
With his mind occupied by appre
tensions Lane looked at the rattle
snake upon the sahuaro, whose strug-
giles by this time had diminished to q
feeble movement Of the tail
Poor old rattlerr' he thought. ~
wish l could spare a cartridge to put
you out of your misery"
At length as Lane peered up the
mountain side he saw brush on q
ledge a little to the left Of the trail
culver as II stirred by a passing
breath Of wind. He aimed his Win
chester through crack In the wall
at the spot. and when a moment later
an Apache rose up from the ground
and leaped toward the shelter of q
rock below Lane fired. and the savage
fell crumpling.' Like an echo OF the
explosion rifle ON the right spoke.
and a bullet struck the rock by Lanes
head. He marked the spot whence
the shot came and quickly ran to an
other part Of the wall. From here he
saw the edge Of an Indians thigh ex'
posed by the side Of the bowlder be
had noted. Crack went Lanes WIN
chester. The leg was suddenly With
drawn, and at the same moment a
head appeared ON the other side OF the
rock, as II the Indian had stretched
himself out involuntary. Crack again.
and Lane had got his man.
1.-TWO shots to an Indian is e1pen'
sive." thought the prospector; "other.
wise this game Of tip-jack would be
very interesting"
There was cry In the Apache
tongue, and suddenly nine half naked
bodies arose from behind rocks and
bushes extending In an irregular cres'
cent above the fort and rushed for.
ward ten, fifteen and even twenty
yards to the next cover. Lane did not
count number or distance at the time,
but be figured these out In his next
period Of waiting from the photograph
flashed on his subconscious mind. AT
the time Of the rush be was otherwise
occupied. Crack, crack, and two OF
the Indians fell dead In midcareef
Crack. and third crewled. wounded