, 1890-05-22

years ago, When tne lnJuhs was
tryin' to burn our cabin, and my
good mother--leastwlse l never
seen her-died two hours after ]
CAME to tho world. DO you think
that's for nuthin'? Do you think n
good woman gives up her life for a
boy who grows to be n man, and
give UP whites to the Injuns? No,
stree. ! hates 'em, and / wish
could kill every one of 'em, for the
whole lot of 'em, ten million times
over, Is not so good as my mother
can feel 1em If they IL
nigh, and have had one of
'em for every hair that was
In her head--leastwise, If she was
like other women. Travel with me,
pard, and there Is no danger TO no
body. I'se "A friend TO every man as
had white mother, and an enemy
to all 1njuns. Good night to your
awoke first In the morning,
made fire, and was getting the
coffee ready when the stranger got
up. He was tall and slender, with
IA round, good-natured face, black
eyes, hair aud mustache, and APP
peared several years younger than
the age he gave the previous night:
His countenance was frank and
open, and his actions simple and
modest. He gave the name Of
Dick Harbert; was going to Santa
Fc-a very dangerous trip at that
tine-and was glad to have COM
pany. So, after our breakfast, we
saddled up and started Off together.
learned little of my strangely
met companion during our ride that
day. He was a good rider, excel
lently mounted and well armed, and
the only physical popularity i noted
was that he was decidedly lefthand-
ed. His right hand aud arm may
as well have been of wood for the
uses he made Of them, yet they
were apparently sound and unin-
jured. became more aud more
mystitied with the man. tle rode
along, so far as | could see. without
giving the slightest attention to his
surroundings, hut his peculiar conf
deuce was expressed and illustrated
whenever he detected me Inspecting
the country with especial care, by
some remark, rs: "rhere's no In
juns here; never you mind, partner,
III tell you when they Is around y
We had good hard wagon road
for the greater part of the days
travel, and, US water was plentiful,
made good time. We entered
Peoples Valley toward evening,
and intended to make the old
station; u few miles further UP, for
the night. Harbert was riding
slightly ahead of me, when | no.
ticed him drop q switch which he
carried In his right hand, and ex-
tend that arm In front of him. A
moment or two afterward he turned
to me and said, with a smile which
thought unsuited to the situation,
"There's Inluns about here"
could not see tht slightest thing
to Justify the assertion, and We rode
on for about fifteen minutes before
Hurbert drew up his horse and
said:
"Yes, they IL to the north OF us,
and not NOR n half mile ahead ofus.
They think they'll s'prise us, but
they won't do nuthin' of the kind.
How's your guns, partner"
took Il good look at my weapons,
while Harbert examined his pistols,
handling them with his left hand /,
but did not take his rifle out of the
holster. My curiosity had by thi
time overcome all other considena-
tons, and | could not refrain from
asking my companion how he knew
that Indians were In that vicinity.
"Know? Why, I allus knows.
Didn't ! tell you before? feel 'em.
Listen.n
With this, he held bis right hand
close to my ear. and my ustonish-
ment was complete. His fingers,
which were slightly trembling, as |
first supposed through fear or ex-
element, gave forth IA very faint,
yet distinct metallic sound, more
closely approaching that made by a
tuning fork than any l had before
or have since heard.
"It's my alarm clock; II allus goes
that way when Injuns is nigh, ~
said he, in answer to my counte-
nance. "NOw, IL you Ii ready,
we'll go on. "We'll cut from tho
road to the right, aid give the
Apsches long shot. You use the
rifle and I'll make my pistol count
at short range, II need be; leastwise
1 won't waste no ammunition, you
can bet
We started down the gentle slope
ut u long, swinging gallop, and sur,
enough when We had covered about
half u mile, ] saw an Apache rails,
his head from behind a rock OH the
hillside to our left. AS | drew uJ
my Winchester 10 shoot, a volleS
from four or We rifles was fired al
us, but the range was too long, and
we suffered no injury. | returned
the fire, and, although there WIS NJ
perarrangcd plan of action, botl
Harbert and myself wheeled oul
horses and started toward the In
dians.
They broke from their shelter ant
scattered, all endeavoring, however
to pass beyond the ridge Of the hill
of the side OF which they h,id made
their ambush. followed severa
up the hill In the direction from
which we came, firing eight or tel
shots, and having the satisfaction
OF seeing ono of the murderou,
iiends fall to the ground.
As / had not heard shot from
Harbert. ] turned around to see whaI
had become Of him, and thus wit
messed one of the most extraordi
nary and inexplicable occurrence,
In my life. Harbert was pursuing
in IA diagonal direction from me
three Indians, who were endeavor
ing To cross the ridge at the lowe
point than those whom / attacked
but, while within close range, did no
attempt to shoot. Just Ut this mo
ment u buck, who was nearest I,
him, pulled up his weapan, but tn,
pistol In the left hand of my com
panion cracked, aud the Indian fol