The Republican., 1890-06-07

of their ponies feet came very plain
ly to my ears. When they had pass.
ed on, l led my horse toward the
timber, and reached it without hear
ing anything further from the In
dians. We pushed through the tim
her to the river. and here were both
grass and Water. I had q cold bite
in my hsversack, and after disposing
of it stretched ou: and went to
sleep, hoping / had given the red
men the slip. opened my eyes the
next morning in establishment. Seat
ed in circle about me were the five
Comanches. while their ponies were
feeding with my horse. There was
fire. and the Indians had evidently
eaten breakfast. They were smok.
ing ~ 1 awoke. and there was grin
on each face ~ it was turned toward
me. 1 lay on my back, with my
hands clasped under my head, and
such WaS my AsfOnE-hnient THAT I
could not move. Fortunately for
me the fellows took this for nerve.
looked from man to man, and finally
said. in Comanche
ut IL easy enough for a squaw to
track a horse after sunrise, and even
a boy could make prisoner of sleep.
ing nan."
"Ugh! Ugh!'' grunted two or
three of them.
"When your people at home heaf
of your brave deed they will sing
songs in your praise !" I continued,
speaking in tones of contempt. "Here
have the claws of grizzly pear
which I shot few months ago. Take
them. and you Can secure further
praise by claiming to have killed the
beast yourselves"
From the instant / realized my
situation knew that | WAS in for II.
COOlness and nerve are what count
in such emergencies to throw the In .
dian off his balance. l sat up. rub
bed my eyes, reathed for my haVer:
sack and got some meat and bread ,
and as l toasted the meat ut the fire,
l said. addressing myself to the lead
er of the band:
Had known you were Conan.
ches l should not have run away. |
thought you were Chickasaws on
stolen horses. shall be ready to go
aI soon AS | haye eaten. / want to
see the Comanche country-the great
plains - the Canadian River - the
mountains full of caves and water.
falIs-your Chief. Thunder Cloud ~
He asked me II / belonged to the
party ahead. and told him no. He
asked me how 1 dared to start alone
for the Comanche country, and l told
him that had trapped the mountain
lion and cut out and eaten his liver
while still alive, and therefore feared
nothing living. / could see that
they were greatly puzzled. and that
they had no idea of Offering the vic.
lence, and l increased their wonder
by saying. as l finished my break.
fast:
Come! 1t Is time to 60. We
have long ride ana 1 am anxious
to see your country"
II whistled up my horse; and had
him nearly ready before they moved:
They had taken my rifle aud revol-
yer, and did not seem to have no.
tired the fact. but strapped my blan:
ket to the saddle. lighted my pipe.
and waited for them. They came
together out of earshot and had Il
confab. but apparently did not arrive
at any satisfactory conclusion When
we were ready to go. said:
1.-Two of you ff1ust ride ahead and
three behinds Itis ain honor due tf1e;
and you canhUt show me tLo tt1uch
respect"
They looked at me in wonder and
amazemeht. and continued:
"And If we should encounter any
white men, avoid them. as / do not
wish to he SEEM"
This last observation drove the
peg. When we set out two rode iii
front and three behind. and no In.
dians were ever more puzzled. In
later years I met one Of them. and he
told me that their plan was to tor:
ture me rs soon US | awTke. Even
the one who was to have the honor
OF scaIDing me had been dpsignsted.
and the plumber had been appottion-
ed. And after they had concI dded
to take me prisoner to a village one
hundred miles away they meant Ia
tie me to my horse. Trey were bea,
oiit of this by MY queer teTrarks, in
tended just for that pdrpti~e.
We moved to the West athut Ave
miles; then held to the North Until
noon. After noon we turned to The