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Show 48 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS. "On they came; but the distance was great, we had ample time to secure our animals by tying them to the hubs of the wagons, and get our guns ready for action before they were upon us. As they drew near we found there were only thirteen. They tried the old dodge of presenting the butt end of their guns, saying they wanted to 'swap.' ' You'll get no swap here but lead, you thieves,' said Old White, and immediately opened the fight by blazing away. The Indians at once fell back, firing as they did so, and for two long hours they kept up a running semi-circular fight, never still, and continually firing, always lying on the opposite side of their horses from us. , "We could do nothing but shoot at their horses, in hopes of killing them and then killing the Indians when dismounted; but they kept on the go so that it was only occasionally we could hit a pony. "After a two hours fight, with no loss on either side, Dick Robinson asked me for an old musket I had in the wagon, which my mother had taken from one of John Morgan's men while attempting to plunder the house during his raid through Ohio. " We had, during our trip over the plains, occasionally taken that old gun down and rammed a charge of pistol balls down, until we had about six inches of a load in it. I advised him not to attempt to fire it, but he said he was determined to kill that old chief. I gave it to him with the admonition to shut his eyes and say his prayers before pulling the trigger. But he fearlessly walked out towards the old scoundrel, who also advanced, each eyeing the other. " When about seventy-five yards apart, both raised their guns at the same instant-and both fell. |