Frontier and pioneer life -- New Mexico -- Juvenile fiction; New Mexico -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Juvenile fiction
"Yonder!" cried Seguin, "yonder are scalps enough to satisfy you; but
let us see to our own. Come! to your horses! On with the atajo! I
will keep my word with you at the pass. Mount! my brave fellows,
mount!"
The last speech was uttered in a tone of reconciliation; but it needed
not that to quicken the movements of the hunters. They knew too well
their own danger. They could have sustained the attack among the
houses, but it would only have been until the return of the main tribe,
when they knew that every life would be taken. To make a stand at the
town would be madness, and was not thought of. In a moment we were in
our saddles; and the atajo, strung out with the captives and provisions,
was hurrying off toward the woods. We purposed passing the defile that
opened eastward, as our retreat by the other route was now cut off by
the advancing horsemen.
Seguin had thrown himself at the head, leading the mule upon which his
daughter was mounted. The rest followed, straggling over the plain
without rank or order.
I was among the last to leave the town. I had lingered behind
purposely, fearing some outrage, and determined, if possible, to prevent
it.
"At length," thought I, "they have all gone!" and putting spurs to my
horse, I galloped after.
When I had ridden about a hundred yards from the walls, a loud yell rang
behind me; and, reining in my horse, I turned in the saddle and looked
back. Another yell, wild and savage, directed me to the point whence
the former had come.
On the highest roof of the temple two men were struggling. I knew them
at a glance; and I knew, too, it was a death-struggle. One was the
medicine chief, as I could tell by the flowing, white hair. The scanty
skirt and leggings, the naked ankles, the close-fitting skull-cap,
enabled me easily to distinguish his antagonist. It was the earless
trapper!
The conflict was a short one. I had not seen the beginning of it, but I
soon witnessed the denouement. As I turned, the trapper had forced his
adversary against the parapet, and with his long, muscular arm was
bending him over its edge. In the other hand, uplifted, he brandished
his knife!
I saw a quick flash as the blade was plunged; a red gush spurted over
the garments of the Indian; his arms dropped, his body doubled over the
wall, balanced a moment, and then fell with a dull, sodden sound upon
the terrace below!
The same wild whoop again rang in my ears, and the hunter disappeared
from the root.
I turned to ride on. I knew it was the settling of some old account,
the winding up of some terrible revenge.
The clattering of hoofs sounded behind me, and a horseman rode up
alongside. I knew, without turning my head, that it was the trapper.
"Fair swop, they say, ain't no stealin'. Putty har, too, it ur. Wagh!
It won't neyther match nor patch mine; but it makes one's feelin's
easier."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account