The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-11-12
CHAPTER XXI.

The superintendent house stood on
low bench above the town, looking
out over all the valley, but protected
by high hill behind. upon the summit
of which was placed mammoth black
water tank.
In its architecture the casa grande
was an exact replica of a hot-country
hacienda, a Hat-roofed, one-storied
square Of adobe bricks, whitewashed
to keep of the sun and presenting on
three sides nothing but dense trees
planted near for shade. Along the
front was long arcade, the CORRIDOR
graced by a series of massive arches
which let in the light and air. Inside
were low chambers and long passages;
and, behind, the patio and garden OF
orange and fig trees.
Built for a sumptuous dwelling,
became In a moment a fort and, with
men on the high hill by the tank, II
was practically impregnable to direct
assault.
AS Hooker stepped out on to the COW
cred porch with his saddle-gun in his
hand he became simply one more OF
band Of excited Americans, all armed
and ready to defend the house to the
last. Some were pacing back and forth
in the corredor, others were hurrying
up from the Mexican quarters with
last belated handful OF women, but the
major portion we're out on the open
bench, either gazing north and south
at the scenes of the distant firing or
engaging in a curio-mad scramble for
any spent bullet that struck.
The fighting, such as there was, was
mostly up the canyon, where a large
party Of Sonoran miners had rushed In
pursuit OF the rebels. The firing down
the canyon In the direction OF Old For
tuna had died away to nothing, and for
the moment 1t seemed as If the futile
charge and retreat was the beginning
and the end of the battle.
A party OF rebels had penetrated
clear into the town, but 1t was appar-
emily more by accident than intention,
and they had been quick to beat re-
| treat. AS for the main command OF
| the insurrectos, they we're reported at
| Chular, six miles up the railroad,
where. they had surrounded and taken
a small mining camp and captured q
train at the summit.
The column to the south-the one
which Hooker had encountered-had
taken to the high hills west of the
town, and, along the skyline of the
buttelike SUBMITS they could now be
seen in scattered bands making their
way to the north.
The defenders of Fortuna consisted
of a rag-tag garrison Of twenty fed
erals and the hot-headed, charging
miners. But apparently that was 9
combination hard to beat, for, while
the federals entrenched themselves be
hind the black tank on the hill anC
prepared to protect the town, the So
norans in shouting masses drove every
thing before them and marched on t
attack Chular.
But In this they made mistake, TO
the rebel scouts, seeing the great bod!
of defenders pressing on up the mar
row canyon, rode back and informed
4 Lu6 lIlGhJ AAO WYNN
be a poor general indeed who coult
not see the opening that was offeret
and, while the valiant Sonorans pun
sued the rebel cavalry up the pass
Bernardo Bravo sent the half of hi
thousand men to cut of their retrea
from behind.
Along the broad top of the mour
tain above they came scampering b
tens and twenties, closing In with
vastly superior force upon the noN
defenseless town. In the depths Of tn
canyon below the miners were sti
chasing the elusive cavalry, their ii
ing becoming faint as they clambere
on toward the summit and the rebC
, headquarters at Chular.
! They had. in fact, been handled lik
children, and the Americans joined
y contemptuous curses of their mistake
, bravery as they beheld in what strait
, 1t had left them.
q Forbidden by the superintendent
r participate in the combat, yet havin
- in their care the women OF the cam
they we're compelled to stand passiv
= ly aside while rebels by the hundre
came charging down the ridges. On
in the last resort. and when all dipl
macy and federal defense had faile
would they be allowed to so much {
n cock a rife. And yet-well, twent
a determined Americans might east
I turn back this charge.
p Taking advantage OF his Mexica
= citizenship. Hooker was already on Il
a run for the trenches when the supe
intendent stopped him with look.
GRO BE CONTINUED