The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-10-18
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CHAPTER Ix-Continued

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Despite the utmost care an occa-
sional bit of rock would rattle down
the canyon wall; fortunately the dull
ascending roar Of the small water
fall muffied the noise. For the weary
rancheros this final climb on hands
and knees, dragging their rifles with
painful care, topped the hardships
Of the night. But just as the first
faint streak Of dawn ightened the
eastern sky Sanchez, with the ut
most caution, turned the top Of the
trail and led his men into second
recess in the precipice.
OAs each man crept around the
corner he beheld with establishment
a small fire burning fifty yards away
with dim figures dancing and chant
ing around it. Sanchez did not al
low a word to be even whispered.
He had achieved his surprise; what,
now, Of the attack?
"Dancing to keep warm?" asked
Bowie to Sanchez.
"War dance" whispered Sanchez.
Another raid tonight"
stMaybe!" exclaimed Bowie men,
tally. "Call on them to surrender,
Sanchez"
The high shrill yell of the vaquero
broke loud over the empty gorge.
The dancers stopped, petrifed. The
squaws sprang up and scurried from
sight. Sanchez called for surrender.
The startled warriors looked about
in vain for foe. They raised a
quick sharp yell Of defiance. For
most of them it was the last. A
burst Of rifle fire toppled them over
like pasteboard men. The few who
partly escaped the fatal hail stag
gered or plunged, wounded, back to
shelter.
Undismayed and sooner than the
Californians could reload, a fresh
party of warriors ran out; one limp
ing savage pointed in the direction
Of the gunfire. A shower of arrows
few from the cave mouth. AS these
struck the rocks hiding the attack
ers yell and volley came from
across the canyon. Three of the war
riors went down before the rifles Of
the Texan scouts and Pedro. The
savages had not recovered from
their amazement at gunfire from a
new quarter when second volley
was poured into them from the Cali
fornians hidden on the trail.
To add to the trouble of the cave
men, boulders were tumbling down
on them from above. AS warrior
after warrior, yelling defiance, is
sued from the cave he was struck
down. The ledge was soon covered
with dead. Still Sanchez waited.
He waited till the patience of Bowie
and that of the shivering rancheros
was exhausted But the patience of
an Indian surpasses the patience of
white man. H. s
Sanchez" protested Bowie at
length, sit has been half an hour
since buck has come out"
"Yosco is waiting to ambush u.s."
said Sanchez quietly. 'If he can get
US to attack he will fight
mo matter. We can't lie behind
these rocks all day." continued Bow
ie, When the sun gets high enough
they can pick us off with arrows.
You say there's a hole at the other
end of the cave. They can crawl
through there and get above us.
When they do, we're done. Sanchez,
we've got to rush the cave"
4h"Senores?" Bowie called quickly
10 the men lining about him. He
explained the situation and what he
plrposed. * He asked for five or six
volunteers. ~ ~ ciss9--.4 s -
Bowie, moccasin shod, crept down
toward the cave, followed closely
by Sanchez and the picked Califor-
mans. Ea4,..v se.@
As they drew closer to the cave
entrance they heard within the low
walls Of. the squaws in death song
mourning their warriors; its one
advantage for the men advancing
was that it helped absorb the slight
noises of rock fragments underfoot.
Bowie was thus able, by hugging
the wall, to gain the side of the
opening itself without discovery.
He paused only long enough to
signal his followers, then, whirling
to the right, threw himself, knife
in hand, into the narrow cave open
ing.
An ear-splitting yell burst from
within. Using only his knife and
pushed closely, by Sanchez, Bowie
grappled the first warrior, a tall
supple fellow, not heavy, but with
musclessof STEEL Fol few swift
minutes "a deadly encounter was
wagedS for possession of the mouth
of the gave. The floor on which
they fought put the. Texan at a dis
advantage, but he managed, to
dodge the knife of the Indian until
he could bring him down,
He cut and jimmied his way in
side, lodging as best he could knife
thrusts and ak blows, but he gained
the entrance 1855
The struggle was too furious to
last iong. Once they saw inevitable
defeat, the surviving warriors re-
treated behind their surIaus into the