The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1913-05-02

ciedr ulSHt, anu tHeTe ID bLldll CudHCo
Tor even an Indian to hide in that buff
falo-grass with the stars shining. They
got to come up from below, for
no buck could climb down this bluff
without making a noise. / Cont see
why. with decent luck, we unit hold
out al we are until help gets here;
those fellows who rode away will re-
port at Canon Bluff and send \ rider
to Dodge for help. There ought to
be soldiers out here by noon tomor-
row. What troops are at Dodge now"
only a single company-infantry,"
replied Moylan gloomily. "All the rest
are out scouting long the Solomon.
Damned II l believe they'll send ~ a
man. Those two towards will likely
report us all dead-otherwise they
wouldn't have any excuse for runnin'
away-and the commander will satisfy
himself by sendin' a courier to the fell
lers In the field"
well, them" commented the Ser
geant. his eyes cleaning. we've sim
ply got to fight 1t out alone. l reckon,
and hang on to our last shots. What
do you make Of those reds?"
The three me stared for some time
at the distant group over their rifles,
in silence.
They amt all Arapahoes. that's GER
tain," said Moylan at last. Some Of
'em are ~Cheyennes. I've seen that
chief before-it's Roman Nose"
THE big buck bumped up on the
roam"
That's the one, and he Is a bad
actor; saw him once over at Fort
Kearney two years ago. Had a u
Gil there. Say!" in surprise, "ain't
that an Ogalla Sioux var bonnet bob
bin there to the right, Sergeant"
Hamlin studied the distant feath-
cred head-dress indicated. shading his
eyes with one hand.
y reckon maybe It II, Moylan," he
acknowledged at last gravely. Those
fellows have evidently got together;
we're going to have the biggest scrap
this summer the old army has had yet
Looks as though it was going to begin
dance is on. boys; there they come:
they will try 1t on foot this time"
He tested his rife. resting one knee
on the seat; Moylan pushed the bar
rel Of his Winchester out through the
ragged hole in the back of the coach,
and the little Mexican lay nat, his
eyes on the level with the window-cas.
ing. The girl alone remained motion
less, crouched on the floor. her white
face uplifted.
The entire field stretching to the
river was clear to the view. the short
dry b~uffalo-grass offering no conceal
ment. To the right or the coach, some
fifty feet away, was the only depres
sion, a shallow gully leading down
from the bluff, but this slight advan
tage was unavailable. The sun had al
ready dropped from view, and thu
gathering twilight distorted the fig
ures, making them almost g~rotesqu,
in their savagery. Yet they could b.
clearly distinguished, stealing silent
ly forward. guns in hand. ~spreadin,
; out in a wide half-circle, obedient Il
the gestures of Roman Nose, who, still
: mounted Upon his pony. was travers
ing the river bank, his every motion
outlined against the dull CLEAN of wa
ter behind him. From the blacl
: depths of the coach the three mel
watched IN almost breathless silence
gripping their weapons, fascinated
determined not to waste a shot. Cor
. zales, under the strain, uttered a fierc
t Spanish curse, but Hamlin crushed hi
. arm between iron fingers.
D Keep still, you fool!" he mutteret
never glancing around. Let your gu
talk"
The assailants came creeping OF
snakes rather than men, appearin
less and less human In the increasin
shadows. Twice the Sergeant LITE
his Henry, sighting along the brow
barrel, lowering the weapon again /
doubt of the distance. He was col
scious of exultation, Of a swifter pulls
of the heart, yet his nerves were lb
: steel, his grip steady. Only a dill
: feeting memory of the girl. half hi
den in the darkness behind, gave hi
uneasiness-he could not turn an
look into har eyes,. Roman Nose wa
advancing now at the center Of tn;
creeping half circle, a hulk1ng figul
perched on his pony's back, yet we
out of rifle range. He spread h
hands apart, %clasping a blanket, loo
ing like a great bird Tapping its wing
and the ground In front famed, Il
red flare splitting the gray gloom. TT
speeding bullets crashed through Il
leather Of the coach, splintering Il
wood; the Mexican rolled to the foe
uttering one inhuman cry, and lay m
tionless: a great volume Of blas
smoke wavered in the still air.
a Wait! Wait until they get to the
;r feet!" Hamlin cried eagerly. IA
% there they come-now unlimber."
He saw only those black. indistin
o. figures, leaping out of the smoke, CO
Ia verging on the coach. their maxi
or~o vpItftod thair vOicoa minU1irc