Year: 1877

SlOpC liIO DSlONs


1t did not take long to convince the
savages that this mode of attack was
impracticable, and they attempted
flank movement. On the left was q
large rock, thickly covered with stunted
shrubbery, from which the position oc-
cupied by the whites could be complete
ly commanded.


But the point was difficult of access,
and could be reached only by leaping
ravine in full view of the beleaguered
men, and within easy range of their
rifles. But how could two men success
fully defend SO many points of assault ?
The case appeared hopeless, but they
were not the men to despair. TO White
was assigned the duty of keeping up
the fire in front, and McClelland un-
dertook to defend the threatened flank.


Soon he saw tall, swarthy warrior
crouching on the brink of the ravine,
preparing for the leap which was to de-
eide the battle. Only an inch or so of
the dusky figure was discernible,and the
distance was nearly one hundred yards
but the scout knew that everything de-
pended on his foiling the savage, and
he resolved to risk everything upon a
single shot. Coolly and deliberately he
raised his rifle, his trained nerves were
brought under perfect control, and the
weapon became as steady as the rock on
which he stood. He drew bead so true
that failure seemed impossible, touched
the delicate trigger, the hammer came
down, the flint was broken into dozen
fragments, but the gun was not dis
charged.


A half stiied lips of the hunter, but
he retained his self-control, and pro-
ceeded TO adjust new flint, though he
felt almost certain that the savage would
gain the coveted position before he could
discharge his weapon. Finally the flint
was in place, and as he gave the screw
final turn, he glanced in the direction of
danger, and saw the enemy crouched,
every nerve strained, and at the same
instant he sprang with the agility of
panther for the coveted advantage.


The scout gave utterance to a sup
pressed groan as he saw the movement,
and gave up all as lost. But at the
same instant the vaulting savage uttered
piercing shrek, fell limp and lifeless
on the rocky edge, and rolled into the
ravine. He had been shot, but by
whom There was not time to inquire
whence the friendly bullet had come,
for new dangers were demanding in
slant action. r


The fall of the swarthy warrior called
forth loud cries of defiance, indicating
that man of some note had fallen and
that he was to be avenged.


McClelland soon saw that the advan-
tage gained was but temporary, for q
stalwart Indian was seen to be cautious
ly approaching the spot which had
proved so fatal to his predecessor. He,
too, was about to make the fatal leap,
and had been covered by the scouts
rifle, when another shot from an un-
known had sent him reeling into the
abyss. The howls of rage which came
from below showed that another favorite
chief had fallen.


Another and another essayed the fear
full leap, and met with like fate, when
the Indians withdrew to devise some new
method of attack They had lost seri-
ously, were ignorant of the number and
character of their enemy, and after care
fully guarding every path by which an
escape was possible, they drew off to de
termine on new plan of attack and the
beseiged were given brief season for
rest and reflection.


Now for the first time they thought of
the girl, but she was missing. They
concluded that she must have fled in
terror when the firing commenced,
probably returned to the Indian camp ;
or perhaps she had been killed during
the fight, and her miserable captivity
ended.


Great was their surprise, therefore,
when she made her appearance from be-
hind dense clump of hazel, with a
rifle in her hand. Her story was soon
told. In the thickest of the fight she
noticed warrior fall in thicket consid-
erably in advance of his companions ii
occurred to her that if she could only
get possession of his gun she might ma
terially aid her friends, Taking advan-
tage in change of position by the as
sailants, she crept out through the tall
grass and secured the coveted prize, to-
gether with plenty of ammunition
Her quick eye had also discovered the