The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-03-31
Wr<fsea fev TAs Areansaw TfNarstsr. A PAIR OF INTERCHANGE
 ABLE EYES.
A Fragmen, of Frontier Fietis
BY THOMAS coLoUIrr.

Dan to be one of the whitest men that ever lived. He was clever, we'll edu- cated and handsome and apparently a sort of dandified hunter and trapper who had in the east known better days.
 I came to know afterward, however, that he was highly successful and thorough going road agent, with the great "Coy ote"-an Apache chiefupon whose swarthy face it was said no other white man had ever looked and lived-for partner.
 These two bad men compelled many an adventurous gold seeker in the days of old to pay heavy toll for crossing the divide, and dotted the plains about many a water hole with dead mems bones.
 Dan always treated me square, however, and 1t was none of my busi- ness how he treated other people.
 He was the best shot in all that country, where every one shot we'll, and he could see an object farther away than any person ever knew.
 One laughable peculiarity in his craftsmanship was that at long range he always shot Indians in the legs. l was often very sorry that he had not taken long range shots at certain friends of mine who had at unfortun- ate times crossed his path, and who now slept with their fathers.
 Dan once invited me to accompany him on & voyage up the river, and A C n. vrra haJ eta rta1 iufor,,nJ mn that we were on a visit to the celebrated Fl Coyote. l said nothing but heart- fly wished myself at home.
 We were met at the waters edge by the Coyote in person and warmly welcomed to his tent. Diego and the Apache chieftain were soon smoking, conversing meanwhile in the language of the latter, of which knew only enough to gather that they were de- ciding the fate of an important cap tive held by the chief.
 On the following morning bcauti- ful white girl was brought from the Coyotes tent and with many grunts of satisfaction presented by that mighty man to Diego Dan.
 Even Dams cold steel blue eyes seemed to soften and glow while rest ing on her, but know better now.
 "Your father was my best friend, Bonita," said Diego, in Spanish, "and I will recover for you the wealth that, as you know, he left, unknown to all but you and me, buried beside the river"
 saw at once the young girls peril and determined to save her.
 I knew 1t was no friendship for the poor girl or her dead father that prompted these words. It was only through Bonita that the buried treas ure could be recovered. The money once safely in his possession the girl would be turned over to the tender mercies of the wicked Coyote.
 was young and handsome then it was long, long time ago, and l have changed a great deal-and, in some way, Bonita and I soon came to understand and draw very near 10 each other.
 Then told her of the trap that Dan and his Indian par rtner had pre- pared for her. We determined to es- cape.
 A few nights later crept up be- hind a sentinel and, with the fiat side of my tomahawk, knocked him silent. When we reached the river quickly cut all the boats loose, except one into which we stepped and pushed of down stream.
 She managed the oars equally as l xxalI | a,,1 ltA4lA h the waters fairly bubble as we glided rapidly down the current.
 The night grew intensely dark ; thunder and vivid lightning indicated the approach of storm. It came soon-one of those terrible rain storms known in Arizona in midsummer and the wind tossed our boat from wave to wave like dry leaf.
 passed my arm around Bonita and pressed her close to my side; she was very calm and did not shrink from me.
 We had known each other only a short time, it is true; but, under the circumstances, is it at all strange that we loved each other? was quite hero in her eyes-and in my own.
 She was, of course, very grateful to me, and that dark night l knew she loved me as flash of lightning re- vealed her face, confiding smile on her lips, as her head rested on my breast kissed her then, for the first time, and she only nestled closer to me.
 Then 8 violent blast of wind struck our frail craft, and in an instant we were in the water.
 struggled in vain to retain Bonita in my arms; the strong waves wrested her from me and l felt my self sinking-dowD, down, for a long, long time, it seemed, and then rested