The National tribune., 1893-02-23
Just the thing for her, and she decided that


wont to visit, and be amid the scenes the men,
| DRY of which had been SO much to her. She
| would prove to herself two things, II her own
mind could prove them: That she was right,
and that she didn't care As to the first, that
was almost settled-she knew she was right'
as women will, but-she was not quite sure
| And as for the second, she would 60 back to
those bleak hills and sandy plains, ana the
cacti and soapweed and scrub-oaks, and con-
| vince herself that she didn't care single bit
Why, she could see them all now and their
| memory didn't affect her one mite except-e1-
| cept that there was always that MT feaie
mixed up with them in some way or other.
| Then there was Dick-dear old Dick! DICK
had always been so good to her, and sympathized
with her, and everything. He didn't know
about the quarrel and she wouldn't tell him
she was sure, so he probably wouldn't be able TO
console her or sympathize with her much on
| that point. But it was such comfort TO Dc
with Dick And, besides. he knew
But there! There's kind of use trying
to fathom a woman's reasoning-especlaily an
unmarried woman's sd we won't attempt IL
Miss Hudson left for Arizona, instead OF an
swering Dicks letter.
1t was a bright afternoon about the first OF
May that the Professor, after an unsatisfactory
visit of three weeks in California, found him.
self riding along the road leading from the
stage road out of T to the "Circle Ellen ."
rancD. 1fS was jogging 'u'hn
ing-probably INDUCING in the rather dismal
reflections peculiar to young men who are
unable to get over the ache tiff" OF the
final" kind leaves-when he was startled
into wakefulness by a sudden "zip!" uncom-
fortably close to his ear. Then there was
another sound-nearer this tme-the report
of rife, from point above and IN front; ana
q little puff of dust rose from the trail short
distance before him, accompanied with the
| "ping!" of a DETECTED rihe-bulet. In an
instant the Professor had his sx-shooter drawn
and was ready for action. but 1T was OF no use.
From the slope above, two Indians raced down
upon him from the rear came another; and
yet two more rose from the earth somewhere,
and confronted him on the trail.
Had the Professor believed that the new
corners were in earnest he would have shown
fight; but it was altogether preposterous to
think of; that such thing could be- at TINS
day. They were, the Professor quickly decided,
merely small "larking party, and would DO
no harm if practically received. So when one
of those in front of him came forward. smiling
with that peculiar undu!ating gesture that
signifies desire for friendly parley, he at
once responded in kind. and concluded that
all was wel-and it Was not, until he was
suddenly seized disarmed and tied to his sad
die, hand and foot, that he realized his mistake
in not going down the slope to the right and
making running fight for it, down the floor
of the canyon and out into the broad valley.
But it was too late now, ana he had. periorce,
TO make the best of a decidedly uncomfortable
position. He found himself AS his captors
hurried him along with them, trying to re-
member, despite his predicament, just how
long it had been since the last Indian outbreak
how many people they had killed. aud the
methods which had been employed also,
how many Independent forays (such as he sns-
pected the one his captors seemed to be indulg-
- - LzA Id tn1r4 ala md m a
relative loss of life had been. He was pleased
to find that the mortality among his fellow
Americans resultant from his recent freaks had
been comparatively slight, and brief consid-
Grafton of existing conditions proved to him
satisfactorily that it was quite impossible for
general outbreak, like the one of seven years or
SO previous. to take place at the present time,
SO he must be quito right in believing that the
party he had encountered was merely one OF
the little bands of will-o. the wisps" off the
reservation to-day, enjoying themselves by
raising cain, and back again tomorrow, hum
bly, drawing rations.
Whilst the Professor had been rejecting the
little cavalcade had been making good time.
His captors (who, by the way, paid no atten-
ton to him, except to scOwl at him OCCASION
ally, and to keep his horse surrounded and on
the move) were evidently in a hurry to get
away from the main roads and back into the
hills, aud they lost no time in getting into and
across the valley.
Beyond the valley, the road turned abruptly
to the right. To the left was an old cathedral
leading west into the more heavily -timbered
country, and up this trail the Indians led him.
few miles west was the creek flowing down
the little canyon where the Professor on that
memorable day in August the year before had
met his fate.
As they passed along up the trail, the Profess
sor was thinking OF this very occurrence, and
what had come of it. They were to have been
married in June, and now
They had both been good deal too proud
the Professor too proud to explain, and Estele
too proud to ask or receive any explanation
that was all. The Professor wondered il it
would not have been better had he tried to vim
dictate himself, and decided that it would. He
sighed. 1t was all over now, and he didn't care
what became of him. He had slight fear that
his present predicament would result seriously.
He felt that in any event il was material
There was sudden confused sound of fire.
arms, and fierce yelling. More shots. and then
blow and fall, and tho Professor knew no
more.
When he came to himself he was lying in
bed in Dick Hudaon's room at the &C"
ranch. He know 1t was Dicks room soon as
he opened his eyes, for there was that grizzly
bears head on the wall. and Dicks arsenal"
below it. The Professor wondered how he
had happened. Oh, yes; that adventure yester
day. He must have been hurt he thought
He tried to turn over and raise himself in the
bed, but found himself strangely weak, and
was obliged to fall back on the pillows again.
There was a soft rustic of skirts and some
one came and leaned over him. The Professor
had closed his Dyes, but he opened them and
saw who it was.
"Estelle!" There was not trace of sur.
prise in his tone.
"Ob, Phil"
About i've minutes later, Miss Estelle Hud-
son, with happy tears in her eyes, rose to ar.
range her disordered hair. Nov, dear, you
mustn't talk. You have been very i'll. and -
She leaned over and kissed him again, in the
| excess of her joy that he had come back from
| the Valley of the Shadow. Then she sat down
| and held his hand, and told him how il had
| all happened. Dick and some of his men had
been following the trail of struggling band
| Of Apaches, who had run off some of their
horses, and coming suddenly out of a ravine
| onto the old cattle trail, had stumbled onto
| the Professor and his captors, and had at once
opened fro. When the fight was over there
| were two good " Indians, and very sadly in
| jured Professor who had received scalp
wound from bullet fired at close range by one
of his captors las the powder marks Indicated !,
| and whose horse was shot and fell on him.
One of the cowboys was hurt also, but not
seriously. The Professor bad been brought to
| the &C" at the point of death, and had lain
delirious with brain fever for long, long days,
| pursed by one of the dearest women in the
| world.
| The Professor Law with his ewes deyournp