Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1890-07-04
AN ARIZONA ROMANCE.
w.M Earsrdr IL ,he b. Y.r.. p.moor

". N. Edwnrdy in the Las Vegas Democrat
Apaehs Pass i' nErrSW, rugged read
leading thrOueh the ChirisAhua Msuu-
tRins, iR ssuihern Arizona The old ever
land stigss sssd to take this route on
Ihsir way frOn.El Psso westward. The
Chirisshua Apashsr made their strong.
hold, and fer naay years The "trip through
APsehe Pass was dreaded alike BY stage
drivers and passengers. There vers ost-
ridsrs, Of course, and every stage Was sH-
cortsd by = strong guard, but il spite sf
this they were frequsntly attacked in the
dehlos si the pass, and many we're tho
hravs-msn Who lest their lives in Attenp.
tinR to 80 over this dangerous trail
Murders became 40 frequsRt that a Unit
ed States Post was established. at the sum
init Of the pass where there was an open
space large enough fer the erection Of
adobe barracks for the nen and corrAls for
the horses. ThsFs was alse an abundance
Of water, and the place was fitted IN every
way fer q military station. Jest back Of
the post ran dese ravins some hundred
yards in width and several hundred feet
deep, while on the other side Of the raviAe
rose an almost prspsndicular cliff fully
ono thousand feet high.
Several troops Of dragons we're sta
tionsd =. the post and they managed to af-
ford sems protection 10 the travellers over
aad However their position Was
dangerous one and il any soldier vsntursd
outside Of the camp alone, the chances
we're that his dead body would be found
by hls comrades next day. The cruel
ApaeheS did not like the presence Of the
sOldierS and tried to harran them in
every way There WAS no kind Of deviish
trick which they did not resort to in their
efforts to annoy them.
just ever in the Sulphur Springs Valley,
'One ten MILES FROM Apache Pass,
sturdy pioneer by the name of ESeh had
erected neat little adobe house OF three
rooms, and be with two soas aud one
daughter, bright girl, eighteen years Of
age. had started ranch. His cRtLlu we're
frequently driven eff by IndiAnI, bat they
had meyer ventursd near the ranch, for an
Indian has great fear of aa adobe house
Oh account Of the thick walls, behind
which one nan can defe1i himtslf against
a score. Old Nash had been on the froE-
tier for years and had NO personal fsATs Of
Indians or anything else, AID be brouE Eht
up his children to follow in bis festsieps
FroM bAbJho0d thSiy liVes had bcen spaHt
amid scenes Of blood, and they had bssn
Injured to hardsEipS priyahoHs snd ghAst-
" sights. Tho Indians wers eSnstaA tly
breaking cut, and Ito was At no lluns safe.
~ that every enc became Hssurtomed t.
beariuE and uslng guns. Even during the
brief intervals Of peace there were con
StaAt rsnlnders, of terrible dreds whsh !
every water hole were mounds and crossed |
to tell Of those whe had been murdered by |
ApSchSS, ard along every trail there Wsis
dead mems bones. 1t is net surprising |
then. that, ralsad among Such surroand
ings, Helen Nash should have been fear
less, during g:rl, and that she was frS-
qusntIy left slSno at iss ranch while her
father and brothers we're away on the
range. The girl WIS we'll Termed, Pret-
ty blonde, and Was favOritS &noRg the
officers OF the post in the pass, who fire.
qnently rode cut with an escort to see her.
She was always entertaining and hsr faith
er WAS hospitable, so the Eash rsneh was
known far aud wide. Helen had fallsn in
love with young officer at the post ERd
they were to have hsen narrisa at an
early date, but her sweet dreams Of life
we're destined never to be realized, for she
met with tragic fate before the eyes sl
her lover one srixht snmaer day, when
ne one dreamed that danger was near.
GA the day referred to the men ate their
breakfast aud rode Ost on the range a.
usual, leaving Helen attending to her
hOusehild duties. They did not rsturn
until aeon, when terrible sight awaited
kAeMs i NJ AsoI VI tuN hNNuN was NENhs
aad eH the aside every article had besn
smashed And the frugnAuts were scattered
about the a00rs Of the rOOmS. Every
utsnsil and piece Of Bedding or tlOtbing
had bsSH carried cd, And in fact the hOusO
had been stripped sf everything. Il WRs
plsia 10 see that ladiGRs had visited the
place aad the distracted fathSr Gsd bFOth-
ere searched ia every directions OXpSahnE
10 esuS up6S Rslsn's dead bSdy. They
fouAd no traces Of her. bat thsFS we're
signs 10 show that she hs1 heI tAAsly
uubnitted 10 her fatSf bst bad made a
sght for her lie. There we're several
pools Of blood near the doorway, and the
marks on the ground showed that at least
oHs body had fallen, and had been picked
up and removed. After consultation the
men decided that Helen had bees carried
Of, and they determined to ride in all
haste to the post in Apache Pass and neti-
y the troops 80 that they
sould 90 in pursuit Hurrisdly mounting,
they started on run for the post, and
never slaskened speed until the place VAS
reached. The news was communicated 70
D