The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-08-09

was some three hours late the next morning and didn't reach the gap un- til after eleven. It was an hour later before I was ready to leave, and on account of it being so late, had not known that some of the men were anxious for their money, I would have stayed over day. Then, too, had heard same rumors of an Indian raid and, if possible, wanted to get back to the ranch before they got this far south. It is needless to say that succeeded only by very close mars gin.
 'Severa things hindered our rapid progress, and six o'clock last evening found us only fifteen miles from the Gap, and twenty-five from the ranch. I hadn't seen a sign of redslzin at that time and was beginning to feel easier on that point.
 We hadn't gone two miles more when poor Bess stumbled, and 1 heard something break as she went down on her knees never again to get up. leg was broken, and I emptied two barrels of my gun into her forehead to put her out of her misery. l tell you, boys, nothing ever hurt me as much as that did. Bess and had been com panions for years. She had carried mo through many tight place, and had more than once saved my life by out running the blood-thirsty Apaches, or a herd of stampeding steers. It sounds sort of weak like to say it, suppose, but there in the gathering twilight, with no friends nearer than the Gap or the camp here, and with probably 8 ! dozen or more foes following my trail, I sat down beside the dead body of Tess and shed the first tears I had known since 1 was boy.
 But crying over dead horseflesh wouldn't get me out of the hole 1 was in. All these little occurrences had taken time, and it was quite dark before l again thought of starting for camp. There was nothing to do but | foot it. and the sooner l started, the sooner I would get through.
 'I hadn't been trampiny fifteen minutes, when struck an Indian trail running east. You can probably inn agine better than can tell you, how | lSiS' AlOLiC anu dlOONt i"SlASJ | from the nearest friends and hostlle Apaches no telling how near. You would suppose would naturally work away from the Indians instead of to- ward them, but didn't. Some uncon- trollable impulse made me follow them. The trail was fresh, and knew not how soon I might strike their camp and fall into their hands yet l couldn't turn back.
 II had travelled about three or four miles when found that machine. The Apache's gun and knife had done its work, for beside the machine lay the scalpless corpse of cyclist. Probably tourist seeking both health and pleasure by trip through the west on | his wheel. There were evidently two of them, for short distance away was another wheel track running east and west, but didn't follow it. The minute that I found the dead traveller the spell that had drawn me toward him scene d broken, and l wanted to travel in the opposite direction as fast as could.
 ''The bicycle offered the opportunity for more rapid travelling if could ride it, and I believed could. It took me some time to get the hang of the thing, but after many falls and more bruises and scratches succeeded.
 Tt isn't necessa " to tell all of the little incidents of last nights ride. When morning came, and could tell where was, found that, with all my travelling, I was still some eight miles from the ranch. l also found that the Apaches had struck the trail of the wheel, and having followed one the day before, were not as much mystifed by it as could. have wished. | "l was, should judge, about three or four miles ahead of them, but I knew that unless I could strike smoother travelling, they could easily close the distance between us before l could cover the eight Iniles. A mile more and the trail got harder and smoother; then I increased my pace. The Indians seemed to increase theirs also, but could see that the little dis tance between us was not lessening so rapidly.
 | ''Oh, what race that was! And, strange to say, enjoyed it. Every muscle was strained to the utmost. Not pound of strength that l could command but what was thrown into | the pedals of the machine. Memories of happy days long past were revived, and 1 could feel the old blood coursing through my veins, the first time for many years. For the time seemed to forget that my pursuers were Indians seeking my scalp; it seemed more like hot spurt with the boys 1t home, with myself as pacemaker Not till I heard the clash of sabers and the shouts of the men in B tloop--God bless them-did seem to fully realize what the stakes in that race had been. You know the rest better than I do.
 "Now, boys, let us drink to the health of that other cyclist whose trail I struck. I trust that he may have escaped as easily as l did, and may kind Providence overlook any little irregularities in the life of the one whose body lies molding under the rays of an Arizona sun this morn- ing
 hRovs I'm 0oinp to leave VOL I'm