There were many reasons why the Arnolds were not fearing an attack at
the time, the principal one being that the Indians had recently been
defeated at Date Creek. With that affair they seemed to have
withdrawn, and no signs of them had been seen since.
Near the close of the afternoon of the fourth day of Henry's visit a
party of forty-one Apaches had suddenly appeared, and had spent an
hour or more reconnoitring the valley and its approaches. Apparently
becoming satisfied that they would not be interrupted in their attack
by outside parties, they began active operations by collecting the
Arnold cattle and horses, and placing them in charge of two of their
number near the spring.
Next they fired one of the out-buildings, and under cover of the smoke
gained entrance to a second, which stood less than a hundred feet from
the north side of the house. Knocking the mud and chips from between
the logs here and there, they were enabled to open fire upon the
settlers at short range.
With the first appearance of the Indians, Mr.
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