Argosy, Volume XXIII — Index Page, 1897 — page 21: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A CAMPAIGN OF STRATEGY. | 591 Bozeman’s house, like nearly every one in that section, was but a single story in height. Along a portion of the front was a rough piazza, the single door being in the middle portion. ‘The roof was even with the eaves of the building itself, which were not twenty feet from the ground. ‘The rafters extended horizontally along the interior, leaving the slight space formed by the peak of the roof, which at that side was three or four feet higher than the lower eaves. This space was reached by a sloping ladder, while in the roof was a small trap door, through which a person could make his Way and gain a view of the surrounding country, ‘‘ Let. us take a look from the roof,’’ said Kate, hurrying indoors. She caught up the field glass, and a few minutes later they were both on top of the house, at the risk of being prostrated by the terrific heat. The first scrutiny to the westward disclosed a number of horsemen in the distance, riding toward the ranch. A minute’s study was sufficient. ‘““They are Apaches,’ said the young woman ; ‘‘ we have no time to lose.’’ They hurried to the lower floor, closing the trap door after them, and each caught up a Winchester, whose magazine contained fifteen cartridges. ‘' Kate, watch from the window at the rear, and I will do the same at the front,’’ said Molly. ‘‘ Are we to do nothing but watch?” Yes, shoot! The instant you can make sure of your aim, fire. Ifyou show any mercy or refrain from shooting, it will be taken as proof of cowardice. You know what it means, sister, to fall into their hands ! Better that we should let them set fire to the house and burn us to. death.’’ ‘“ Have no misgivings as to m doing all I can,’’ was the calm response of the young woman, who a few months before was a leading belle ata fashion- able seaside resort. : It fell to her lot to open proceedings. She had been at her station scarcely fifteen minutes, when her sister called to her, ‘“ Do you see them ? ”? “ Yes; they are a big party.”’ There must have been a round dozen bucks coming with their pomies on a gallop, a force frightful enough to paralyze two women at the very sight of them: They were riding in a bunch, their heads bobbing up and down in an odd way while every face was turned toward the house. None of them _had. saddles or bridles. A halter or a single strap served for a guiding rein, and was all that these superb horsemen needed. ‘Thus mounted, they were fit to ride to the death. The miscreants were half naked. Their chests were bare and ‘none of them wore any head gear ‘The coarse black hair flapped about their shoulders, and was without feather or any manner of ornament, except from the blue, yellow, red, and white paint that was daubed on the crown, and smeared over the breast and face, the latter being touched up with several white rings and black crosses. Had the wretches spent a week in trying to make themselves look hideous, they could not have succeeded better. They wore breech clouts and probably half had moccasins, the remainder being barefooted. On 5) (S@) IELDOOLKS (S@)