Connecticut western news., 1889-05-15
THE RANCHMAN'S WIFE
BY FRANK Fl. CONVERSE.

ssWhatl Another story about the wild and wooly West2 should think you boys would get tired of hearing of Indians and all that sort ofthing. We'll, let me think a minute.
 Your Aunt Bess isn't anywhere round, is she2 Moi For she isn't over fond of Indians or Indian stories-and with good reason.
 It was way back in the seventies. fitted out at Fort Caspar, in New Mexi- co, and started off alone, fur trapping up among the foot hills.
 They told me was crazy to venture so far, as the Indians were thicker than flies all through the section of country where was going; but I was used to taking chances in those days, and game was wonderfully plenty round tho Gila ranges. So I started off.
 We'll, Preached the southern foot hills all right, without seeing sign of a red skin. But for all that, I didn't get careless. used bow and arrows, with which l was quite expert in those days, to kill what game wanted, rather than run any risk of attracting the mo- tice of any prowling Apache by rifle shot. l was very lucky with my trap ping, and in about three weeks had a mule load ef pelts, with which I started back toward the fort.
 The second day of my journey brought me to the bottom lands in the finest sec tion of grazing country I ever saw. A branch of the Gila river wound along for miles like a blue ribbon, through buffalo grass half way to the horses knees, while on every side there was willow and cottonwood enough to sup. ply fuel for the biggest kind of 8 settle ment.
 rode slowly along, with my pack mule plodding few paces behind, think ing, as we'll remember, that I should like nothing better than to have nice little ranch of my own in those parts, and settle down there.
 All at once from behind thero came [ yell-or, rather, chorus of them such as man, no matter how much courage he may have, doesn't care tc hear more than once in lifetime.
 Unslinging my rife and turning 1T my saddle at ono and the same timc, saw score or more of mounted Indians coming up at full speed, whooping an6 yelling like so many fiends.
 Of course there was but the one thinf to do. My horse was tolerably fast an6 in good condition. It was late in thu afternoon, and if I could keep vel ahead of my pursuers, might hope tt escape them under cover of the night.
 Leaving the pack mule and peltries to their fate, gave old Reno his head and then began race for life or death For an hour seemed to gain little by little. Then poor Reno began to flag while the Indian ponies, lashed to thei highest speed, drew nearer and nearer. swung half round and dropped bi, "buck" with my Winchester at hun drcd yards as neatly as you please, bu So to spcak-this was only a drop il the bucket. On came the rest witt fiercer cries and more hideous yells, ac companied by fusillade from their car pines, as we'll as by some half dozen ar rows, one of which went fairly througl my right forearm just below the elbow The pain was such for the moment tha my fingers relaxed their grasp, and m rife fell to the ground, leaving me, ex cept for a hunting knife, practically un armed, as, unfortunately, on the day be fore had broken the main spring of m revolver.
 'I'll die hard if die must," nut tered, getting hold of my knife with m left hand, for my right had all at ono become almost useless-some nervc o cord having been severed by the shar point of the arrow, as supposed at tn time.
 All at once my fagging horse rounde big clump of cottonwood. I saw neat cabin, with one or two outbuild ings, not furlong away. But at tha self same moment old Reno's forefoo went down in gopher hole, and I wen flying over his head, very much after tn manner of a diver, only that my arm were outstrctchcd us divers neve ought to be.
 Luckily, l struck on my righ shoulder; so, though badly bruised an shaken, was on my feet like cat in second. And the instinct of self presel vation, as matter of course, led me t run at full speed toward the cabir though could see no s'gn of life abo, ! the prcmises. Hut, run e fast as mlshA tho ra'