Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-02-07

four pebbles against an imaginary OPP
ponent for fabulous sums, or dozed with
his hand on his horses picket rope.
About 2 o'clock jeff discovered some
pinion trees on top of the canyon walls,
and tying ID "Bonapart' to a mesquite,
proceeded to investigate the condition of
the nuts, 1t was hard climb, but after
he had reached the top and found the
pinions would be sticky for month to
come, he lay down to gaze on the long,
level stretch of plain below,
APACUEs on THE TRAIL.
Perhaps he lay thus fifteen or twenty
minutes, when he saw something that
brought him to his feet, wide awake.
Off to the southwest, about two miles
away from the mouth of Cajou, came
five mounted Apaches, riding slowly
toward him. With beating heart Jeff
watched them until the point hid them
from view, saw them come in sight
again at the broad mouth of the canyon,
watched them as they stopped and ex-
amined his horses tracks, and noted two
dismount and start up the rocky point
afoot and the others start across to take
station at the mouth and turn the horses
when they came down away from the
ranch. Then he started down the bluff,
slipping, sliding, jumping and clinging,
until he reached the meadow below,
bruised and painting, but resolute. To
escape without his ponies was not to be
thought Of. The Apaches stationed be-
low will finish the stampede that the
two creeping up will attempt. But they
shouldn't have his beauties, his pets,
every one of whom seemed doubly dear
just then.
Had he not broken many of them, and
did he not know the faults and virtues Of
every woolly scamp among them, and
was there one in the lot that should be
ridden, beaten, starved or saddle CALLED
by those red devils? mol No! Better
death twice over than that they be thus
abused. With quivering lip and sobbing
breath he draws old "Bony" close to the
wall and with trembling hand loosens
the cinchas, throws the saddle into a rift
of the canyon wall, and stripping off all
clothing save drawers, shirt and stock
ings, hurls them after the saddle. Slip
ping the bride on "Bony" and throwing
a double blanket over his sharp back, he
slides six or eight cartridges from his
belt, catches up the revolver and stands
waiting. Presently Broncho Duke raises
his head from the grass and sniffs the air
suspiciously then with a wild snort and
a nervous stamp of his forefoot he is off
down the canyon with the band close fol-
lowing.
TEE RACE FOR TIE RANCH.
Right behind them are jeff and Bony-
part, the old war horse, with nose high
in the air, chaGng under the close rein.
Has he not won many a close race, and
why should his young rider strip and ride
with only blanket unless he meant to
show these young upstart colts that old
Bony was chief still So they race down
the canyon, splashing through the seep-
age pools, rafting over the pebbly drifts,
swishing through the sage and mesquite
bottoms. and whirl from the canyons
mouth like bounding powders. A start
ling yell from the waiting Apaches, and
jeff tightens his grip and digs his bare
heels in Bony's hanks as the watchers
sweep out toward the band. The horses
snort and shy, but the old racer is stretch
ing his long legs on the opposite side and
Jeffs pistol is hurting a stream of fire
that holds them steady. They race thus
perhaps seventy yards, but old Bony
crowds them so close that, bewildering
and confused, they break and sweep be-
tween the bowling, astonished Indians
and take a bee line for the ranch.
AS the victorious horse and rider whirl
past they receive fight of arrows, JEFF
stopping two and the horse catching one,
which he notices by squeal and kick
as he thunders on after his mates. How
old Bony did enjoy that race with free
rein and the long, level plains before
them! How he showed those conceited
young horses how horses ran in his day!
From one side of the band to the other
he "weaved,' with ears laid fiat and
eyes fairly bulging in his excitement.
AS to those Apaches ever overtaking
them. he snorted at the idea.
So they raced, and the sorely wounded
rider. sick unto death. gamely clung to