Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-08-21
SAVED FROM INDIANS

Three trappers on their return from
Santa Fe had camped for tho night on a
plateau overlooking q deep canyon. Ono
of them, Mort Renfew, sat up and glanced
at his sleeping companions.
Its strange' he unused. II seem to
see the face of that girl prisoner and can't
get 1t out of my mind. And to think
she's at this very moment not moro than
five miles away, destined to be tho mis-
tress Of chief or perhaps sacrificed in
some Of their horrid rites! And yet these
men arc right. TO undertake anything for
her-too Wild too wild!'
''I'll go" he muttered at last, Ego alone
to the Navajo camp, if die for it! Some
thing seems to urge me, and I'll obey. If
it be only morbid fancy, alone shall
suffer for it. And, suppose do die, who's
there to mourn for me except these two
rough though noble hearted men? Be
sides, If anything can be done, one would
be more apt to succeed than three"
Then, mounting, he rode into the water
and directed his course down stream.
An hour longer and he found himself
at the edge of a narrow valley, whose OPP
posite side was ovcrshadowed by rocky
cliffs 1000 feet high.
Securing his horse he began to steal
forward ON foot, first seeing that his knife
and revolvers were in their accustomed
places
1t was full half hour before he gained
the coveted position. Looking down, his
eyes met scene which thrilled him with
excitement.
Thirty yards distant appeared q low,
%oI
cealed from his view by groups of cactus.
Around 1t the Navajo warriors lay rolled
In their blankets, apparently buried in
slumber.
There was no way of approaching the
tent except through tho groups Of sleep
ing warriors.
The latter evidently had sunk to slum-
Der without posting sentinels feeling per
fectly secure in this isolated spot.
With the softness and agility of a cat,
he left his position and began worming
himself through the coarse grass toward
the tent
But he had not advanced five yards
when q dark figure arose near it, and
glancing for moment over the slumber-
ing warriors darted within.
In the momentary pause made the trap
per saw 1t was an Indian girl.
What meant her stealthy movements
Did she design to help the prisoner to
escapeP
Ten minutes passed, seeming an hour to
tho excited trapper. Then he saw tho
Indian girl cautiously emerge from the
rude tent and glance anxiously around.
Evidently satisfied that none of tho
ho1 CHI ty1rn
to some one behind, who began at once to
follow her, both crawling on hands and
knees toward the base of tho low cliffs.
At last they passed him, and having
gained the cliffs darted noisolcssly up
among the dwarfed shrubbery covering its
sides.
The moment they disappeared their 81
lent watcher crcpt hurriedly after them. ;.
The Indian girl had disguised tho pris-
oner whom she was assisting to escape.
Nevertheless tho trapper had penetrated 1t
sufficiently to know that the prisoner was
white.
1T is shell Merciful heaven, almost
know it!' he muttered in his excitement.
THAT something which urged me upon
this adventure-'twas a presentiment!
Not three minutes elapsed before he
caught sight of the fugitives as they dis
appeared through cleft in the rocks
which opened into tho northern passage
from the valley.
But scene met his view which held
him motionless with wonder and new
fears.
A powerfully built Indian warrior stood
beside horse about 20 feet distant, on
tho opposite side of the passage.
The young trapper had just time to
take in the scene when the warrior ad
vanced, meeting the Indian girl and her
recoiling charge
"You have done well, Menoken," said
the warrior softly in good Spanish. s'You
see I am ready. Do you think your war
riors suspect that the Apache chief, War
Tongue, hos followed them for three
davs9"