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Show 82 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS. So great was the confusion incident to the fright, it is believed that one hundred Indians could have taken the city. The armory was opened and the arms distributed to the distracted men, who rushed about like peripatetic arsenals. A guard was placed around the city and regularly relieved during the night. Not being aware of this military arrangement, a pioneer woman wrapped a blanket about her, and taking a gun, laid down by the side of a high wall to await the approach of the Indians, determined to have the first shot at them. Soon she descried four men coming towards the town; her heart performed wonderful evolutions, and she prepared to fire; when she observed four more coming from the town, and it suddenly flashed across her mind that they were the night watch going on duty. Then she began to realize the unpleasantness of her situation. If she arose to run away with that great white blanket around her, they might take her for a ghost, and perhaps shoot at her. If they should discover her ambush, it would be in the morning paper, and become the town talk. Her distress of mind was almost as bad as being confronted by an Indian. In her dilemma she concluded to crawl on her hands and knees in the shadow of the fence until out of their sight, and by so doing, reached her house without being detected. Squads of armed men were sent scouting the surrounding country, but found no trace of the enemy. The attack by 1,000 strong dwindled to 0 little Indian-a beautiful red-skin diminuendo gradation. The city soon re- |