Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-10-07
NO. 23s.

10 me SO wrong to turn my back on him,
that resolved to unite our fate. ] rose
cautiously, and, holding my watch up to
the moon, found that 12 O'Clock had Just
passed, then taking from my pocket five
dollar gold piece, laid it upon the stand
by my bed, and in my stocking feet, with
my clothes in my hands, started noiselessly
for the corral. A fierce bull dog, who had
shown no disposition to make friends with
me. bounded from the open door of the
proprietor to my side. Instead Of tearing
me, as had expected, he licked my hands
and fawned about my feet.
opening 1t at once, remembering the rusty
hinges, so l hung my clothes upon an up
per bar OF the fence, and cautiously lifting
the latch, began to push bach the gate
inch by inch, an operation which required
me eight or ten minutes then walked up
to kaweah and patted him. His manger
was empty he had picked up the last ker-
nal OF barley. The creatures manner was
full of curiosity, as If he had never been
approached in the night before. Sup
pressing his ordinary whinnying, he pre-
served a motionless, statue-like silence.
l was in terror lest by neigh, or some
nervous movement, he should awaken the
sleeping proprietor and expose my plan.
The corral and the open square were
half covered with loose stones, and when
| thought of the clatter of Kaweah's shoes
l experienced feeling of trouble, and
again meditated running off on foot, until
the idea struck me of muffiing the iron
feet. Ordinarily Kaweah would not allow
me to lift his fore-feet at all. The two
blacksmiths who had shod him had done
so at the peril of their lives. and whenever
had attempted to pick up his hind feet he
had warned me away by dangerous
stamps; so approached him very timidly.
and was surprised to find that he allowed
me to lift all four of his feet without the
slightest objection. As stopped down he
nosed me over and nibbled playfully at my
hat. In constant dread lest he should
make some noise, hurried to muffle his
fore feet with my trousers and shirt, and
then, with rather more care, to tie upon his
hind feet my coat and drawers.
Knowing nothing of the country ahead
of me, and fearing that might again have
to run for It, determined at al cost to
water him. Cropping about the corral and
barn, and at last finding bucket, and de-
scending through the darkness to the
stream, l brought him full draught,
which he swallowed eagerly, when tied
my shoes to the saddle pommel and led the
horse slowly out of the corral gate, hold
ing him firmly by the bit, and feeling his
nervous breath upon my hand.
When we had walked perhaps quar-
ter of a mile stopped and listened All
was quiet, the landscape lying bright and
distinct in full moonlight. unbound the
wrappings, shook from them as much
dust as possible, dressed myself, and then
mounting started northward on the Mari
posa trail with cooked pistol.
In the soft dust we travelled noislessly
for mile or so, passing from open country
into groves of oak and thickets of charpar-
raj.
Without warning / suddenly came upon
smoldering fire close by the trail, and in
the shadow deserted two sleeping forms,
one stretched on his back snoring heavily,
the other lying on his face, pillowing his
head upon folded arms
l held my pistol aimed at one of the
wretches, and rode by without wakening
them, guiding Kaweah in the thickest
dust
1t keyed me up to the highest pitch. 1
turned around in the saddle, leaving Ka-
weah to follow the trail and kept my eyes
riveted on the sleeping forms until they
were lost in the distance, and then felt
safe.
We galloped over many miles of trail,
enjoying snnrise, and came at last to
Mariposa, where l deposited my gold, and
then went to bed and made up my lost
sleep.-Clarence King, IN atlantic Month
ly for October.