The Plow-Woman Part 57

A little while, and she whispered again. "Can't go--stop--can't----"

Every breath was sawing at her sore lungs. She tottered, pitched forward, and went down.

It was then that Charley pointed to the front, and as if to a vantage-place. Dallas looked, and saw, at the end of sheer walls, an oblong opening of greyish light. She hailed it dumbly. There was where the coulee narrowed until a man, standing in its bed with arms outstretched, could place the tips of his fingers against either rocky wall. There a last stand might be made. The Throat!

One helping the other, they dragged themselves on and into the opening.

The time had narrowed. Close behind, crashing through a thicket, were the warriors, announcing themselves with shrill whoops.

Dallas waited, propped against a stone. The words of the old Texas song began to run in her mind:

"_We saw the Indians coming, We heard them give a yell, My feelings at that moment No mortal tongue could tell._"

She was spent. She had no hope of being spared from death. Yet she was strangely calm and unafraid.

"Marylyn'll be happy," she said. "I know John Lounsbury well enough for that."

She became conscious of thirst. A branch of wild roses, shining with raindrops, bobbed above her. She bent the flowers to her mouth, one by one, and sucked their moisture.

She looked to the front again, across the spreading meadow. She heard the cheeps of awakening birds, and small movements in trees and gra.s.s.

The grey of the sky was turning to pink. There was a lifting fore-glow in the east.

"See, Charley," she said, "there'll be good light to fight in. But--but there's just one charge."

CHAPTER x.x.xVIII

FRASER HEARS A CALL

As each man of the rescuing party splashed out upon the sandy beach before Shanty Town, he headed for the open level. There was no waiting for commands, no attempt at order; only the sound of laboured breathing, of frantic urging, of the plying of heel and fist. Butchery threatened, and a wasted moment might be the one that could have stayed the knife.

Crossing the Bend, the company was strung to a long, bedrabbled line. It was slow going. Already the horses had stood hard usage--the detour with Matthews, the return, and the severely trying swim. Fraser, given the lead, still kept it, dinging hoa.r.s.e persuasion into "Buckskin's"

flattened ears.

So far, the troopers had kept silent through fear for the girls'

safety--fear that the hostages, if aware of pursuit, would wreak instant death. But now, as their lieutenant advanced to the shack, the men behind, while trying their utmost to gain, sent forward yell upon yell to startle the Indians into dropping their captives and seeking cover.

No whoops replied, but from the doorway, unheard, the voice of a man, "Oliver--Oliver!--here!"

As the line swung up, and by, in a circle, Fraser, weapon in hand, was down and pressing forward.

He found Lounsbury, seated on the sill, from which he rose unsteadily.

"Lounsbury! Lounsbury!"

"Quick--the coulee! They went that way--Give me a lift!"

His hand was wet. Fraser caught him about the waist.

"Oh, you're wounded!"

"Yes,--glancing blow. But I tied it up."

"Lounsbury? Wounded?" It was Oliver.

"Up the coulee, Captain! Give me a horse."

The captain turned, shouting orders. The other tried to follow, Fraser supporting him.

"Here, somebody, a horse for Lounsbury."

A third man dismounted--Jamieson. He put a rope in Fraser's hand.

"Take my horse," he said. "I'll stay. Ride like the devil, Lounsbury, and soak 'em one for me!"

They helped the storekeeper mount. The command had gone. He and Fraser followed.

Half the troopers were travelling the farther brink, half the near. The two caught up with the latter detachment.

Progress was slow. The men were tired from the fire-fighting. The horses were all but blown.

Nevertheless, not a moment's halt was taken until, after six wearisome miles, the troopers came opposite the cottonwoods where the Indian dead were lashed.

By now the darkness had lifted considerably, and a scout, who was riding the southern side, advised a hunt for tracks.

No tracks were found on the near brink. The horses moved forward again, Oliver and Fraser waiting behind to hear from the opposite side.

"Anything over there?" called the captain, and they fell silent for the reply.

All at once, as they waited, Fraser began peering down into the coulee.

"What's that?" he whispered. "What's that? Hark!"

"What?"

Just then came a shout: "No tracks, Captain."

Oliver kicked his boots into his horse's side. "Come on, come on," he said, and went hurrying after his men.

"But, Captain----" Fraser was holding back. "There was a cry. I heard----"

"Come on, Fraser." Oliver's horse broke into a trot.

"Captain!"

A third time Oliver called sharply. Behind he heard the cayuse following.