Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-01-19

to me, sticking in his flank, and the
noble brute had actually been bleed
ING to death as he carried his master,
with unfaltering spirit, over leagues of
the weary prairie. For the moment
I almost forgot my imminent peril, In
grief for the loss of my brave com
panion but little time was left for
regrets, fer already the ground shook
beneath the thunder Of hurrying horse.
hoofs, as. with yells and outcries of
barbarous triumph, the Indians came
racing up behind.
Thirty yards before me lay the
river, but it was too deep and rapid
for man readily to swim or wade,
and, though was weary and worn,
yet / could not bear to abandon life
while chance remained. My pistol
was in my belt, but my carbine was
strapped to the saddle of the dead
horse, and so were the bags which
held the money of Curtis Brothers,
and these | snatched up, though |
had scanty prospects OF saving either
property or life, so near were the ruth
less foes. They were but six lances
length away from me as | plunged
into the brushwood, intending to take
shelter among the tall reeds of the
bank, in the faint hope that the
clamors of the Apaches might bring
out the troops from the fort. TO my
great joy, however, on reaching the
river bank | beheld, moored to the
stem of mimoSa tree, a canoe, con-
tanning fishing tackle. and probably
belonging to the garrison A; and leap
ing into it, | seized the paddles and
pushed off into the middle Of the
steam, Just as four or five of the
Indians, who had dismounted, came
bursting through the bushes, knife
and tomahawk in hand.
The river ran swiftly, and | was In
expert in the management of a canoe
but the Indians, fortunately, hesltated
to take the river, no doubt on account
of the vicinity of the fort, and al
though they pursued me with fierce
shouts and volleys of arrows, only one
of the latter hit me, inhicting slight
wound on my left wrist; while the
welcome sound of a cheer and the dis
charge of rifle from the further bank
told that the Indian war-whoop had
attracted the notice of the soldiers, OF
whose weapons the Apaches stood in
wholesome awe. | was soon among
friendly faces, although, so exhausted
was with fatigue and emotion, that
| tainted before reaching Fort Web
ster.
My story, thus hastily narrated, is
nearly at an end. The kindness OF
the commanding officer at the fort er.
abled me to push on, so soon as rest
ard refreshment had somewhat re-
stored my vigor; and | reached Girls,
tobal without further hinderance or
peril, and was in time to save the
credit of the firm whose representa-
tive was, and to allay the suspicious
of the half wild Mexican and Texan
cattle farmers, who were already be-
ginning to chate and murmur at the
DELAY. The oxen and other live stock
some weeks later. were sent, along
with a wagon train that travelled un
der strong escort of the United
States cavalry, to Tucson; and |
should have availed myself of the op-
portunity to return, had not an attack
of fever, brought on by anxiety and
oy r.exertlon, Frustrated me for 4
t.ne, although youth and Il robust
constitution enabled me to shake it
off.
| was still very pale and weak, and
was sitting listlessly among the mag
nolia bushes and coffee shrubs in the
garden of the little inn, when saw Ro-
samond and Mrs. Gray, whose kindness
to me during my illness had been un-
remitting, approaching me with joyful
looks.
"Can you hear good news, Harry {"
asked the latter, smiling; and indeed
the tiding' were very good ones. My
quaint, worthy old employers, had
been better than their word, having
not merely taken me into partnership,
in recompense for what | had done on
their behalf, but also appointed me
their resident agent at Cristobal, far
healthier and more pleasant place than
Tucson, with share in the profits OF
the firm that was only too liberal. |
have every prospect of competence
and ultimate wealth, while my engage