The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1891-07-04
SAVED BY STRATEGY,

rancho"
Yes. sener."
Very we'll. 1 shall expect to start
ct sunrise tomorrow"
Il will be ready, senor."
Can you furnish two good horsesP"
asked.
YES"
Then you may come at the appoint
cd time"
With a low bow the Mexican guide
turned and strolled down the street.
I was seated on the piazza of a large
two-story frame house which possessed
the distinction of being the only hotel
lin Nuts station, a little town situated
on the Santa Fe railroad, in southern
New Mexico. twenty-five miles from
the Mexican line.
I had just arrived from Los Vergos,
and was on my way to Mason's ranch,
which lies forty miles to the northwest
of that place.
The guide whose services I had en-
gagged was a young Mexican not over
16 years of age. He was slender in
build. with hair of a jet black and skin
of a deep copper color.
He might easily have passed for a
full blooded Indian, so dark was his
complexion, yet there was an indica-
ton of intelligence in his face and
something of shrewdness in his deep
black eyes.
Thong h only u youth he had been
recommended to me as a thoroughly
competent person to guide me any
where in the territory.
1t was just sunrise the next morning
when my youthful guide, Manuel Gar.
cia, made his appearance at the hotel
with two horses bridled and saddled,
ready for our journey.
and two pistols. while l had only one
lpistol-a small 80. which l always car.
ried with me in my travels.
However. seeing that Manuel had
thought it necessary to be we'll armed,
/ procured a rifle and 100 rounds of
cartridges before leaving the station.
Thus equipped we set out on our
journey, taking a course to the north
west, in the direction of the San Fran
cisco range of mountains.
The plain over which we were trav-
cling soon began to give place to a
more billy and broken country, with
here and there a narrow canyon that
wound its way through ranges of low
hills.
1t was in the afternoon. We had
travelled twenty-five miles at least. and
were making our way across a strip OF
barren plain, when suddenly Manuel
refined in his horse and dismounted.
Bending down he examined the
ground closely for some time, then he
cast a hasty glance about us.
LOS Apache" he said, making a
gesture to the west with his hands.
DO you think there are Apaches in
this vicinityp" I asked in alarm.
He nodded his head and pointed to
the ground.
glanced downward aud could plain
ly see the marks of unshod hoofs in the
sandy soil.
Perhaps We had better turn back"
/ suggested. II am not anxious to
encounter a band of hostile savages."
But Manuel assured me that such a
course of action was not to. be thought
Of. There might be no danger after
all. but if there were it could not be
avested by returning. 1t was just as
probable that we might encounter the
Apaches by doing so as by continuing
or our course. So. after a few mo-
ments spent in considering the matter,
we resumed our journey.
We rode on three or four miles far
ther, when. in crossing a little hill. we
came suddenly. in sight of a squad OF
perhaps twenty Indians advancing
from the north. and not more than a
mile away.
Turning our horses quickly about.
and keeping under the brow of the
hill. we galloped to the south. hoping
to avoid an encounter with them.
There was a chance that our pres
ence had not been discovered by the
Indians, and il was our aim to put as
much distance as possible between US
before venturing across the open plain
that lay to the south.
A few minutes gallop brought us to
. stretch of sandy plain; but scarcely
had we reached this when, glancing