The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-20
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me to be careful and, indeed, it was curl
Gus to watch the struggle in my employers
minds between their natural eagerness to
escape financial wreck that almost
amounted to ruin, and the kindly appre-
hension 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 stake | was about to play, and
had not the goal before my mental vision
been the bright prospect Of calling Rosa
mond my wife, even the prospective part
nershp would hardly have tempted me TO
set off on an errand so perious. As it wac,
| was resolved, and as got ready for the
start, tried quietly to weigh the chances
for and against my safely reaching Crsto-
bel. had a fair knowledge of the coun-
try, which had traversed on four or five
occasions, and 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
of that district, where horse flesh is cheap
and plentiful, having Is my possession
splendid chestnut thoroughbred, originally
brought from Kentucky by some United
States officer and which was celebrated for
strength and speed. / was fond of Sun
beam, and he Of NE, for he was docile and
intelligent, as we'll as swift and strong, and
would follow me for miles as dog follows
his owner, or stand, whenI babe him, with
the reins hanging loose upon his glossy
neck.
There was scanty time for leave taking.
1t was deepin the afternoon when | started,
a dozen or more of The younger citizens
o, Tucson riding with me for the frat hslf
hour, ard giving me a hearty cheer as we
parted. More than one strong right hand
trembled little as it grasped mine in token
of adleu, and there was an unwonted mois-
ture glstening in the honest eyes of some
of the kind hearted young fellows as they
wished. "God speed and a safe return"
Well do | remember wheeling my steed on
little elevation in the rolling, flower
enameled prairie, and waving my hat In
answer to the waving of hats and handker-
chiefs from the little knot of horsemeu, not
one of whom | am sure ever expected to
see me again on this side of the grave. Then
rode on and lost sight of the friendly band
of well wishers.
Some three hours after leaving Tucson.
rained up beside the blue, bright waters
OF creek, and, Stacking my horses girths
allowed him to drink freely, myself re-
plenishing the metal canteen that was
slung at my saddle-how, for in that desert
land another opportunity of appeasing
thirst might not readily occur. And pres
emily leaving the grassy prairie we struck
into a country still more lonely and desc
late, where the only sound was the thud of
my horses hoofs on the scorched and bar
rem earth Eight or nine times there loomed
before me a rude wooden cross, on which
was coarsely painted in letters of black or
red sometimes name, more often mere in
itials, folio we'd by the simple inscription,
"Killed by the Apaches."
On the evening of the third day ! halted
in we'll watered dell near the head of a
creek, and at the distance, as | computed,
of one hundred and twenty miles from
Tucson. Eighty miles more, at most,
would carry me to Fort Webster and
once across the ella | should be safe, and
could make certain of completing my Jour
ney to Cristobel Hitherto / had met no
living soul, friendly or hostile. More than
once | had fancied that on the verge of
the dim horizon had caught glimpse of
tall spears and feathered heads; and on one
occasion l had beheld distant cloud of
dust arise from the bare brown surface of
the DESERT but this might as easily have been
occasioned by the passage of herd OF
bison or of wild horses as of the Apaches
or their allies. My spirits rose as ! pro-
ceeded on my way, and | began to feel
confident Of success.
On that night lying wrapped in my pom
cho, with my saddle for pillow, and my
weapons within reach, | dreamed that |
was home again in old England, and boy
once more, for | saw my sisters faces
round me, and those of my former friends
and playmates long dispersed, when sud
denly was aroused by the shrill, eager
neighing of my horse, tethered hard by,
and, waking with start, opened my eyes
to encounter the fierce eyes glarng upon
me from hideous, painted face, bending
over mine, and SO close as well nigh to
touch it. / telt an Indians hot breath on
my cheek, as he stopped over me, while
of his purpose there could be little doubt,
for, as | could see by the dim light of the
dying watchfre, he was freshly besmeared
with war paint, and one hand held gilt
tering knife. As | started up and grasped
the butt of the revolver lying beneath my
head, the Indians other hand clutched me
by the wrist, while again my steed neighed
shrlly, and as l propped myself on one
knee | could see that Sunbeam was plung.
ing and rearing violently, while two dark
forms were gliding about the spot where
the horse was fastened, apparently intent
on unfastening the long lariat by which he
was battered to the ground.
There are confused recollections of which
memory is never able afterwards wholly tC
unravel the tangled thread. l remember 8
brief, sharp struggle, during which twice
received slight Craze from the knife thai
the Apache carried and then my right
wrist was freed from the hand that grasp
ed it, and he sharp crack of the pistol, AZ
three shots were successfully fired, brost
| II an 81, ,ts,t, Of al
heard the dull thud of galloping hoofs up
on the prairie, and saw two mounted men
whose futtering blankets and plumed heads
proclaimed their nationality, ride off into
the darkness. At my feet lay my first as
ssilaut. His head when I lifted it, fel
back to earth, and his grim features, be
daubed with streaks of yellow, white, ant
black. were sttfening fast in death. The
two eagles feathers fastened by silvel
brooch 10 his long black hair denoted tina
he had been chief or principal warrior
while the paint and the tattooing PROVED
him TO belong to the great tribe of th'
Apaches.
Mr.. great source of anxiety now was les
the two braves who had escaped should
have comrades within reach, and at one,
decided that to press on was my wisest pol
icy. 1t was now the dark, chilly hour tina
precedes the dawn, but saddling Sunsesm
whom found fretful and agilated, atte
his recent interview with the red rosbers
: | resumed my journey. Up 10 this time
had spared my horse, but now, heavy a
was the sickly heat, and long as were th'
hours to be spent in traversing the brown
desola,e plain, without grass or water,
urged Sunbeam on, the shining peaks 0
the Mlmpres becoming more and more die
, tnctly visible as we sped upon our way
, Poor Sunbeam showed for the first tim
, signs of distress when we halted besld
a stream, the bracklsh waters o
which seemed TO burn thirsty lips tina
craved for them, but we were now, as
computed, within three hours Of tue river
= beyond which was eafeiy.
: The sterile, stony desert which spread II
! self before me when, on the next morn
,, ing, my jaded sieed and l again set fort
upon track, was almost bare of verdure