Part 41 (1/2)

”If he wasn't caught and shot down, Joe”

”That is true,” and now Joe gave a long sigh thatin our favor now, this daylight But if no relief reaches us by sundown----” The captain did not finish, but shook his head

A uards called down that he could see solass was brought into play, and by this a party of seventy-five reddirectly for the fort Behind the red men came a dozen or fifteen whites

Hardly had this discovery been made when another body of Indians and whites were seenupon the fort from the south

”We are to suffer a double attack noas Captain Moore's coh it in safety!”

CHAPTER xxxII

RELIEF AT LAST--CONCLUSION

The attack did not co the nerves of the boys were strained to the utmost The seriousness of the situation was depicted upon the faces of all the soldiers, who felt that the co contest must decide whether or not the fort was to stand

The firing began on the part of the Indians and desperadoes, who advanced upon the stronghold from four points of the compass at once

The ene their force, and Indians and whites came on in a wide open skirmish line

The soldiers within the stockade fired upon the advancing foe as best they could Yet by the time red men and desperadoes ithin reach of the stockade only three of the foe had fallen

As before, some of the Indians carried a board with strips nailed across it for steps, and the desperadoes had a similar contrivance The two boards were placed at opposite ends of the stockade, and, while so on with a tree trunk, which they used as a battering-raate

The noise was now terrific, as rifle and cannon shot sounded out, roans and shrieks of the wounded and dying

As for Joe and Darry, the first shock over, each felt as if he was in a dreaaze could not be true They shot off their rifles mechanically, yet when it was all over Joe re back into the ditch, and Darry could tell of a desperado who had dropped his gun because of a shot through the shoulder

”Fight to the last, ed his pistol at the leader of the desperadoes Gilroy had hit hi officer's aim was still ain

In thea terrific hand-to-hand encounter with White Ox Each had fired a shot at the other, and now they closed in, the Indian chief with his hunting-knife and the old scout with his clubbed rifle

The struggle was as short as it was thrilling Benson ed Then White Ox plunged his knife toward the old scout's heart, but a quick turn -shi+rt

Down ca White Ox on the neck, forced his, but the old scout leaped over his head Then down caroan which was his last

Fully sixty Indians and a score of desperadoes were noithin the stockade, and it looked as if all was lost to our friends A part of the regulars were fighting at the entrance to the stable, but the athered around Captain Moore at the entrance to the officers'

quarters Behind these were the ladies of the fort and the officers ere sick

”Perhaps we had better surrender,” said Colonel Fairfield, when told by his wife of the condition of affairs ”If we don't----” He could not finish

”Kill the white soldiers!” was the cry from the Indians ”White Ox has fallen! They hting as never before Beside him stood old Benson, and not far aere Joe and Darry Each of the nuulars were better off A low Still the horrible din continued, and the dust and s