“THE COMANCHES ARE COMING.”
When Egbert Rodman fired and missed the second time at the apparition
at the top of the gulch, his emotions were certainly of the most
uncomfortable kind.
He was now certain that in both instances he had hit it fairly and
plumbly in the very point aimed at, and it was equally certain that he
had not harmed it in any way.
The mustang did not stir an inch, nor did any movement upon the part of
its strange rider indicate that he or it was sensible of the slightest
disturbance from the two bullets that had been aimed at its life.
Clearly then it was useless to waste any more precious ammunition upon
it, when it was simply throwing it away.
Still Egbert was too intelligent and well educated to share fully the
belief of Captain Shields, although he could not avoid a cold chill, as
he proceeded to load his two discharged pieces, for, to say the least,
it was inexplicable, and no man can feel at ease when face to face with
a danger which proves to be invulnerable against effort upon his part.
With the exception of Egbert, the other men believed the same as did
their captain, and the vim and spirit that had marked their courageous
defense up to this point, now deserted them, as the sad, despairing
conviction imparted itself to each, that all hope was now gone, and
they had but to wait the coming of inevitable doom.
The mustang with the moveless apparition upon it deepened the spell of
terror that rested upon the whites, by starting down the hill in the
direction of the encampment. He walked with a slow, deliberate tread,
like a war-horse stepping at the funeral of his master, and it may be
said that the blood of the staring bordermen froze in terror at the
sight.
Undoubtedly their senses would so far have left them, that they either
would have dashed out of the gulch, or cowered down in terror behind
their barricades, like children frightened at the approach of some
hobgoblin.
But this last great calamity was spared them; for, while yet at a
considerable distance, the mustang came to a sudden and dead halt,
paused a moment, and then, with a snort of alarm, turned about and
dashed away at headlong speed.
The mustang was gone so speedily that there were many who were not
aware of the manner in which he had made his exit, and were ready to
believe that he had vanished like a vision of the night, a proceeding
in perfect keeping with their idea of the phenomenon itself.
The hours dragged wearily by until noon came and passed, and not a
sign of an Indian had been seen, nor had the frightful apparition
reappeared. When the survivors saw that the sun had really crossed the
meridian, there were several who began to feel the faintest revival
of hope, while one or two were inclined to believe that the Comanches
had withdrawn in a body and would be seen no more, discouraged by
the desperate resistance they had encountered, and the escape of the
messenger, and the probable coming of a body of cavalry from Fort Adams.
While Egbert Rodman could not share in this belief, yet, to relieve
the suspense which oppressed all, he determined to pass outside the
encampment and learn whether or not there was any foundation for such
belief.
Of course, great risk was incurred by doing this, but all had become
used to risks, and he leaped from the wagon and ran at quite a rapid
rate up the hill, the entire group watching him with an interest
scarcely less than that with which they had scrutinized the approach of
the apparition.
The relaxation in the vigilance of the Indians had been taken advantage
of by the whites, especially by the women and children, the latter of
whom, with the innocence of their age, were running back and forth and
frolicking, with as much gayety as if playing upon the green at home,
with no thought of death in their minds.
“That chap will never get any sense in his head till it is put there by
a bullet,” remarked Captain Shields, as he stood attentively watching
his young friend, secretly admiring, in spite of his words, the
intrepidity which he had displayed from the first.
“Why did you permit him to go?”
“Good heavens! I didn’t permit it; the first thing I knew, I seen him
jump out of the wagon and start up the hill. Didn’t I try to stop him
when he was after the red devil with his canteen, and what good did it
do?”
“It seems to me that it would be so easy for him to run directly to his
death.”
“So it would, and for that matter, it would be powerful easy for any of
us to do the same; but he’s about to the top of the gulch,” added the
captain, turning away to watch his progress.
Such was the case, and every voice was now hushed, and every eye was
fixed upon Rodman, as he slackened his gait, and, stooping down, made
his way as stealthily to the top of the declivity as the most veteran
scout could have done.
When he should reach there and look around, all knew that he would give
a signal which, indeed, would be that of life or death to them.
They marked him as he crept on his hands and knees to the very top, and
then, removing his cap, peered over. Then he rose partly to his feet
and turned his head in different directions, and just as the trembling
whites were beginning to take heart again, he suddenly wheeled about,
and came running down the gulch like a madman, waving his hand and
shouting something to his friends which was incomprehensible from his
very excitement.
“Back to the wagon, every one of you!” commanded Captain Shields,
turning to the women. “Don’t wait a second! That means that the
Comanches are coming! To your stations, boys, and let us die like men!”