The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-03-31

NV no q a thunk tnat trlnln squirt ud
led up to deer. N thar may be
sumthin' heap bigger'n one deer q
waitin' fur me. y
There was something "a heap bigger
a waitin'." Crack, crack, crack, came
the sharp report of several rifles of
bullets about him. so close that one
passed through his hat; and there arose
a hideous yelling outcry, which made
his flesh creep and for moment weak
ened him so much that he nearly
tumbled from fright.
The symptoms OF returning courage
and presence of mind manifested
themselves first in Joe's legs and with
no loss of time he ran away as fast as
he could making down the valley to-
ward the foothills. A shot or two
more whistled by his ears as some In
ans a half-dozen or so in number
leaped up and started after him as
fast as deer.
If Joe had kept straight ON down
the valley the Indians would soon
have overtaken and killed him. Fortu-
nately, he had good start OF them
and was luckier still in knowledge OF
a narrow path-stumbled upon during
u previous hunting expedition-which
followed the DO tom of a fissure leading
up the lace of q cliff on the side OF the
ridge that separated this mountain
park from the canyon. The opening
to this assure was hidden by wild
vines; a turn in the winding valley
served to hide his movement from his
pursuers-and as they dashed round
the rocky promontory and kept on
down this valley Joe was crawling
sidewise up the narrow cleft, which
took him. after much difficult squeez-
ing and climbing. to q rocky nook near
the summit of the ridge. so out OF
view of any one a few feet away.
Joe was in no hurry to quit his
place of refuge. but after a time,
when all was quiet, he crept out from
his shelter to look about and see il
the coast was clear. No Indians were
in sight, and he crawled to the sum-
nit of the ridge and over the other
side until he reached a point which
commanded a.view of the canyon and
the Great Cinch mine. There, in full
possession Of his camp, were seven
painted Apaches. the same ones un-
doubtedly that had Jumped" him so
recently.
Joe who had hoped that his un-
pleasant visitors had gone away for
good, was far from pleased to see the
enemy established in his camp. Peer
ing between the side of the boulder
and Spanish bayonet plant which
effectually screened him. the Missouri
boy watched the performance of the
red men, who were making themselves
wholly at home. They had killed his
burro. and the choice parts of his
carcass stuck on sticks, were roasting
about fire made of poles torn from
the sides of the shack. They had up
set and overhauled the valise and
pretty much everything else in camp
IN search of ammunition, 'whisk, y
tobacco and less valued articles OF
plumber: The dynamite they perhaps
deemed bad medicine, =" for it Law in
the box on the fiat rock where Joe
had left it when the squirrel had lured
him from the camp.
What specially grieved Joes heart
was their killing of his burro the
only possession he had in the world
except the tattered clothes he wore.
Now, that after all the fuss he found
himself alive, the boys courage came
back sufficiently for him to get very
angry over his loss. AS relief tc
his feelings he cooked the rifle and
sighted it at different members of the
group. thinking, as he dallied with
the trigger, what pleasure it would
give him to send d bullet among them
as a sauce to their meal. For youth
OF joe's capacity for doing the wrong
thing, this fooling with the trigger
was most unwise. as was shown pres.
emily when he pulled trife too hard
the hammer fell, and the heavy army
piece pointing into the midst of the
Indian group went off with louder
bang and more emphatic rebound
so it seemed to Joe-than ever before.
The vicious kicking of the CUR
| ebSo e'hIioO LID olOutOSls Ullt uOlSC dill {
smoke Of its explosion, and the feel.
| ing Of establishment at its unexpected
performance. occupied Joe's thought:
for an instant. Before he had time te
be frightened at what he had done hi
was Jared and shaken as if the
mountains were rocking. and wa:
stunned by deafening roar that rem
the air. Loose rocks went rolling
down the slopes. trees were rushing
to the earth. and Joe Saw. as in ;
fantastic dream, the top of gian
pine that had overhung the mine
high aloft and still going as if i
never would stop. Everything in thu
canyon seemed to be in the air. fyins
away from the spot where the cam,
had been. After the dust had some
what settled. Joe, looking down upo1
the site of the shack, could see Their,
only great hole in the ground, Will,
a heap Of earth had taken the plac,
OF the great Cinch tunnel. The sho
fired by mistake had missed every In
dian and pumped straight into TIL
box OF dynamite. . - - ~
At the time when Joe's shot wa
fired Peg Leg Crawford, riding
burro and driving his pack anlInal
before him on his way back to tn
| l.. =