Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-22
FOR LIFE OR DEATH.
From Chambers JouTnG ]


maTk ye, Briiisher, It's no town bred green-
horn who says 10, but old Joe Barton, tina:
as fought Injuns and hunted butler on tn
Plains afOre You left your mothers side,
calculate. faint TO he done"
But colonel - 1 put in, smiling, yet
mot quite so much at my ease as L desired IN
appear, for this tough old frontiersm an, who
remembered The foundation OF the settle
meut, was no light authority as 20 the prac
Icabillty of such an enterprise as that which
had, perhaps rashly, Undertaken.
"A clear throwing away OF life, that's all -
gTuffiy IejOined the veteran, as he stopped TO
pat the hound that jumped up, wnim Oering.
10 receive his masters caress. He that
rides the line TO the headwaters OF the ella
low has only to thank his own folly If his
prairie. But there; I'm wasting words. A
Wilful lad, like half broke mustang. amt
easy TO hold back. Anyway, Master Harry
Lyndham, i wish you well out of the ugly
scrape you have got into"
Colonel Burton was by no means toe only
friend who strOve To dissuade me non my
made up, and Ii only remained to complete
the preparations for my hurried and perilOus
journey. This was how matters stood with
me. i, Harry Lyndham. one OF the many
yOung Englishmen whom the hopes of grow
ing rich had drawn To the Far West of
America, was then a resident of Tucson City,
and clerk in the employment OF Curtis
Brothers. The hr m consisted OF two old and
somewhat eccentric men old bachelor
brOIhers-self educated, as well as, in the
commercial sense OF the word, self male, and
whose names were known and respected
h. through all that wild region that COMPRISES
Arizona, Montana, and the northern coun-
ties of Texas.
Oddly enough, II was because / was an OK
ford man that my then employers had given
me the preference over score of candidates,
for, In truth, there was nothing that o John
and James Curtis so much priced as the
learning which they had never had leisure or
opportunity TO acquire; nor had they had Oc
CASTOR 20 repent of their choice, since 1 had
served them ZealOusly enough, during the
past year, To have gained high place In
their esteem; while liked them well, since
their hearts were as warm as their manners
were guai {, Nine ere no sedentary duties,
and L was more often in the saddle than at
. desk: for MeSSrs. Curtis were spectators
and general jObbers, dealing in maize and
wine and hides, in tobacco, quicksilver, gun
powder, and notions" and, above all, in
cattle, the great staple OF the Far Southwest.
IL was rot for hire alone that toiled as
did, earning in TucsOn-where immigrants
from the Old Country are seldom held of
much account when compared with the bus
ting, pushing Nankee-Jhe reputation of a
mOcel clerk, as clerks are understood in that
out of the-w8y nook of earth. Ny great
stimulus was that was in love with pretty,
charming ROsamODd Gray, the daughter OF
old Mr.. Gray, the banker at CristObal, a
town lying 10 the eastward of the Mimbres,
and famous as a market for the agricultural
produce OF the vast districts bordering on
Mexico In one sense 1 was happy, for my
love was returned; but in another had met
with what was almost Tepulse since MIR.
and Mrs. Gray, although entertaining no
personal objection 10 me as a son-in-laW 3,
were unwilling TO bestOW their daughter on
any but a wealthy sutton.
'Get rich. Mr.. Lyndham," the banker had
said gOOt-naturediy, land / see no reason
Why ROsamOnd and You should not be happy
according to your own fancy. But neither
her mother nor / can sanction an uncondi-
tiCDal engagement"
vas In hopes that might take Mr.. Gray's
advice, and by growing rich, OF at least by
acquiring a competence, win ROsamonds
hand. the prize That valued above all
earthly considerations; and such is the
in orcor
regions, fortunes are sometimes amasSed,
that i was not without warrant FOR aspira-
tiOns which in Europe would perhaps have
And now to explain the present position OF
the firm, and the reasons for my underta kin
journey fraught, according TO the rugged
OLD militia colonels dictunl, with almost
certain disaster. Curtis Brothers. who, by a
long course OF judiciOus operations, had
raised themselves nom poverty to sffiueuce,
had AT that time on hand speculation OF
unusual importance. They had made, chiefly
in Texas, very large purchases of horned cat
lie, sheep, and swine, destined TO feed the
swarming population of the sterile mining
districts, where provisions, and meat in spe-
cial, commanded high prices. The invest
ment seemed the more likely 10 be prof.
n since the twin plaques of New Mexico,
drought and locusts. had Occasioned a nota-
bic mortality among the cattle of Arizona
and the adjoining territories, and great pc
euniary returns were anticipated.
All these calculations seemed likely to be
upset by the sudden outbreak OF that smoul-
uGTluR lnCld0 Wnlc0 never quite comes
10 an end in that dangerous region. The
Apaches, the irreclaiRable foes OF all viii te
men were on the war path, lea ued, as was
reported, with sundry other tribes, the KiO-
was, the NavajOes, and the dreaded Conan
cheS; and already hideOUs tales OF Indian
cruelty and massacre reached rs from many
lonely homestead within reach OF the
Epoiler. The troops had been hastily with j.
drawn; the caravans about 10 traverse the
prairie had halted for lack of an escort; ami
II was thought rash 10 venture more than a
few miles beyond the cultivated country.
Yet the day was at hand when the great
herds OF oxen and dTOveS OF swine, already
purchased, would be waiting at CTistobal
FOR the completion of the bargain, and my
employer were wei aware that unless the
cattle could be paid for in hard dollars, a
fatal blow would be dealt 10 the credit of the
firm. MessTs. Curtis had strained every
nerve to collect the ready money necessary,
and the funds were forthcoming, but tue
entire scheme babe fair 70 bs frustrated by
the abrupt closing Of the route, consequent
on the war. No man, or party of armed
men, could have been brioed 10 attempt the
conveyance OF the cash across the plains
now haunted by the savage enemy, when
astonished my employees by volunteering
10 be the messenger.
"You sha.l not have TO repent i, Harry,
my boz" said the elder Of the two brothers,
as ne wrung my hand in his OWE horny one
you've stood manfUlly by us at this pinch,
and we'd DC mean enough for niggers %
trample on IL we didn't snow gratitude a
little more substantially than by a few fair
words We never yet did raise a clerk to be
partner, but -. There. there, Lyndham,
u old not intend 20 egg you on by an offer,
as II you needed that" hastily added sthe
honest old fellow, fearing. as he saw the
color rise 20 my face, that l had taken UNI
bragg al his rough speech. Come safe back
10 US, lad, and AT VIII De right"
MI james Curtis spoke words to much
= the same effect, al the same time bidding
me be careful, and Indeed IL was curious "a
watch the struggle In my employers minds
between their natural esgerness TO ESCAPE a
financial wreck that almost amounted 70
ruin, and the kindly apprehension lest
should lose my life in their service.
As for myself, / knew well enough how
great was the risk / ran, and for how mo-
= mentous a stake / was about to play, and
had not the goal before my mental vision
been the bright prospect OF calling RosamOud
my wife, even the prospective partnership
would hardly have tempted me ID set OF az
Grand so periloCs. AS ~ was, was resolved
and as got ready for the start, tried quiet
ly TO weigh the chances for and against my
safety reaching CristobaL / la1 a fail
knowledge OF tae country, which had trav-
eISed on four or dve occasions, aud was no
novice In camping out or in the familiar
incidents OF prairie travel / could ride well
too, and was better mounted than most OF
The residents in that district, where horse
flesh Is cheap and plentiful, having in my
possession splendid chestnut thoroug bred