The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-06-16

foot hills. and a, noon. when we halted to rake a cup of coffee, we found our selves in altogether a different country from the level plains behind us
 - Hills and valleys, with gentle. unda- lating pla.eaus intervening. greeted the eye in pleasant succession: while trees. shrubs and an endless variety of running plants abounded on all sides.
 The day had been extremely warm the sun pouring down with relentless fury. and the parched. dry earth refec,- ing back the heat in manner truly ex. asperating to man and beast. Hot. dusty and exhausted, l sough, GU, . shady spot. placed my head on the saddle bags and dropped of into sound sies,a.
 a It was late in the afternoon when opened my eyes, stretched. y2~ned and struggled to my feet with the intention oi continuing my journey. Ny horse. saddled and hitched to ] tree. was the first object tha, met my eyes. but not a sign of the cavaiIymen could l discover in any direction.
 .' 4 bi. of paper attached 10 the saddle attracted my attention. and sligh, teel- ing of apprehension crep, through my heart as detached It.
 :" l. had been hastily scribbled. the purport. summed up in nutshell. was that my escort had deserted me for the mines. The temptation had been too great for them 10 resist. and. begging my pardon for the act, they had signed their names 70 the document.
 There was. with large amour, oi money n my possession. in a country en- ,iFely unknown to me. entirely al loss which way ,o turn. Nou can well imagine the frame of mind was in as swung myself into the saddle.
 .' For one thing felt grateful The, could have easily murdered me as l lay asleep. and with the money in their pos session obli,era,ed all trace of the deed and who Tn those turbulent and ex- cited times would have troubled their heads over the disappearance of an in- signinean, army paymasier.
 a could have returned 10 the ranch O: the Spaniard. bu, disliked the idea oi eoniessing the fac, Ina, had been de serted by my soldiers. decided ;o push on. follow the tirst trail or mountain path l might happen 10 strike. and ;rus: 10 ] stroke of good fortune in meeting some mountaineer who would either guide ol direct me to my destination.
 Clipping spurs to my noble black started or galiop. FIding s;faish ahead. never drawing rem for an hour The aspee; of the country every mo men; grew wider and mere desol a,e wi,t not l trace of civilization on hillside q valley
 An occasional herd of wild ca0l, scampered from my pathway. and once was nearly thrown headlong from the sad bic by the sudden s@crsing of Prince. ] sharp snort. q ;ramping oi bushes. and . large grizzly iro;ted out from the under brush where the brute had been lGfkin : With ears pointed. and nos;rils dlsiended my s,eed required no urging ,o fly iron the presence of the voraeious brute Deeper and deeper plunged into th' unknown country. while the sun rapicll sliding down the western slope admon ished me tha; bu, limited space of day iigh, remained.
 The prospec. of camping out. with grizzlies lurking in the reighborhood fo, companions. was anything but consola ton for man already halt worn aei b, worry and excitement; and to add. Il possible. to my discomt,rre. unmis,aka. bic evidence of a coming storm was ap. parent. Clouds. dark and threatening were rapidly mounting toward the zenith with an occasional vivid flash of lgh, ming followed by the deep muiter 0 thunder.
 "Cursing my unlueky fate. drew rem wiping the dust and precipitation from m, forehead. As did so my eyes wer, gladdened by sight of a sligh, nj: q smoke. curling aad twisting as |, ros. about the tree tops. Spurnng forward the welcome, savory odor of venisol greeted my nos,ri!s- The next ins,an, stood in the presence of moun,aineer. uapper of true type. busily engaged II cooking his evening meal at bazln; hre. l received cordial welcome. and after picketing Prince. joined my com panion with an appetite in TO ways af fee,ed by the predicament was in.
 e offered the old trapper round s1n to pilot me to camp: bu, the old fellow was bound to the digyin's.' and too muci tune would be lost, he sad, by iezyin, the trail. However, we compromised ,h, matter by his starting me in the righ direction. adding the pleasing infornia ton that five miles further on would TUT across herdsman's ranch. where l woulc find shelter from the storm and bed :ol the night.
 ~'keep in the reg'lar trail. stranger an don, go m any side canons. fo there's lots O Greasers abou, n they I gobb.e yer up if ye doesn't look sharp cause ye go, a mighty fine horse anc saddle there
 ' Thanking him for his advice. agair struck out on my lonesome loarney following closely the numerous dis,.n gushing marks the moun;a;neer hac mentioned.
 '' The darkness increased rapidly. anc urging my s;eed 10 a galiop hurried or Tn hope to gam the shelter of the nerds. mans hu. before ,he full force of ihs storm should swoop doxn upon gae.
 Already a few preliminary pa.ser,ns drops admonished me ,ha, had bu, ll;