FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   >>  
ar out to the front he could see that one of the Indian scouts had halted and was making signs. It took five minutes hard riding to reach him. "What did you see? What has happened?" he gasped. "Heap fire!" answered the Hualpai. "See?" But Gwynne's worn eyes could only make out the great mass of the mountain with its dark covering of stunted trees. He saw, however, that the scout was eagerly watching his comrades now so long a distance ahead. Presently the Indian shouted in excitement: "Fight! Fight! Heap shoot, there!" and then at last the father's almost breaking heart regained a gleam of hope; a new light flashed in his eyes, new strength seemed to leap through his veins. Even his poor horse seemed to know that a supreme effort was needed and gamely answered the spur. Waving his hat above his head and shouting back to Turner "Come on!" the captain dashed away in pursuit of Sieber. Turner's men could hear no sound, but they saw the excitement in the signal; saw the sudden rush of Gwynne's steed, and nothing more was needed. "Gallop," rang the trumpet, and with carbines advanced and every eye on the dark gorge, still three miles before them, the riders of the beautiful "chestnut sorrel" troop swept across the plains. Meantime the savage fight was going on and the defense was sorely pressed. Covered by the smoke caused by fresh armfuls of green wood hurled upon the fiery furnace in front of the cave, the vengeful Apaches had crawled to within a few yards of where the little breastwork had stood. Obedient to Pike's stern orders Kate had crept to the remotest corner of the recess and lay there flat upon the rock, holding Nellie in her arms. The corporal had bound a handkerchief about his left arm, for some of the besiegers, finding bullets of no avail, were firing Tonto arrows so that they fell into the mouth of the cave, and one of these had torn a deep gash midway between the elbow and the shoulder. Another had struck him on the thigh. Jim, too, had a bloody scratch. It stung and hurt and made him grit his teeth with rage and pain. Little Ned, sorely against his will, was screened by his father's saddle and some blankets, but he clung to his Ballard and the hope of at least one more shot. And still, though sorely pressing the besieged, the Indians kept close under cover. The lessons of the morning had taught them that the pale faces could shoot fast and straight. They had lost heavily and could afford no more
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   >>  



Top keywords:

sorely

 

Gwynne

 

father

 
excitement
 
Turner
 

needed

 
Indian
 

answered

 

finding

 

holding


Nellie
 

bullets

 

corporal

 

handkerchief

 

besiegers

 
Apaches
 

vengeful

 

crawled

 

furnace

 
caused

armfuls

 
hurled
 

remotest

 

corner

 

recess

 

orders

 

breastwork

 
Obedient
 

struck

 

pressing


Indians

 

besieged

 

Ballard

 

screened

 

saddle

 

blankets

 

straight

 

afford

 

heavily

 

lessons


morning

 

taught

 

Little

 

midway

 

firing

 

arrows

 
shoulder
 

Another

 

scratch

 

bloody