The herald., 1894-12-25
TNHE BUSTED CANTEEN.
A Plain Tale of the Plains.l

and all .he other games OF chance were
going on, quietly yet, because it was
early. Whisky and mescal had the
sway mostly at that time, mellowing
the soldiers and making them reckless
for the nights carouse. Tawdry fe-
males OF several coors were whooping
up things and helping the warriors to
think they owned the earth.
''In the afternoon, when the games
opened up for good, star Ted in to play
cautiouely. My gains were considera-
BILE. Toward evening l laid out mon Go
game myself, and by midnight | owned
over q Thousand dollars in green backs.
Then closed up, not 80 much because
l had enough, but because | had seen
some faces around me that looked omin-
GUS. 1t may have been greed or jeal-
ousy, or something else, that made
some of these dusky warriors look un-
pleasant to me, but always know when
it is time to quit, and when did quit it
was with the desire to Immediately wish
goodby to Fort Huachaca aud the Hog
Ranch.
''As soon as got outside of the place
where | hal dealt, l sneaked away in
the dark to place which l had oo'.
served in the day as being inhabited by
Mexicsns; made hurried trade for
likely cayuse with saddle and bride
and a canteen, and was off for whas |
believed to be Huachuca siding. Instead
OF that, however. missed my road and
two days atterward | lauded at small
place called OchoaviIle. on the San
Pedro river. Here I got my bearings
for Nogales, where finally landed, hav-
ing crossed the Patagonia mountains
over very narrow trail.
II intended to 60 to Guaymaa on my
way to Mazatlan. but while on the train
l became acquainted with two Mexican
gentlemen who belonged at place in
the interior OF Sonora, not far away
from the gold mines OF Mulatos. They
intended to get off at a station below
Hermosillo and invited me to accom-
pany them. There was nothing to pre-.
vent me from doing this and | accepted
their offer. At Ortiz we bought horses,
our wincheeters and ammunition hav-
ing been previously purchased at Her
mosillo. With couple OF pack mule
and two mozos we started on our events
ful journey the next day. l cannot 90
into the details OF our trip because that
would make the story toe long.
AFTER we became we'll engaged in the
Sierra Madre mountains, one morning
we we're siding down rocky arroyo,
very trying one because of its steepness
1t was also filed with big bouldsrs as
we'll as unexpected holes. which in the
rainy season must have afforded splen-
did pools. The horses stumbled aud
reared and msbehaved grievously, but
at last we came to q place where the
arroyo widsned considerably and then
made q turn.
"a number OF zopilotes or turkey buz-
yards lowering in nook OF the arroyo
attracted my attention as we rounded
the turn. called out to my companS
ions that would see what they were
doing. and rode to the point. And what
do you suppose / SAW 4 horse with its
neck broken, and near il man, evi
IDENTITY an American, with bis legs dou bled
under him, bruised and bloody. and
looking az one already dead, although
hurried investigation showed me that
there yet were aigns OF life in the terri.
bly, battered body.
Hastily mixing some mescal and water
in my pannikin, managed to pour it
down the poor fellow's throat. BY that
dismounted to render whatever service
opened Ills eyes and feebly tried to vrasp
my hand, but failed. He opened his
lipH several times to speak and at last
gaspeIS Thanks. strangers. thanks;
my time Is up. Look for the busted
canteen; if you find that you will be-
His head fell back and he was dead.
I'VE found the place where horse and
rider had fallen over the steep bluff into
fha ahoua 70 ,xv
gate. There was nothing in sight but
q little mesa and rolling hills connected
by hogbacks. and mile further was a
big mountain, covered with oak and
pine. After bury ing the dead man, we
went on our way, discussing his lset
words and theorizing on his presence in
these desert regions, and then we gave
it up and went on to the Rancho de Los
Reyes. where we had agreed to camp
that n light.
'At Mulatos we dismissed our mazos,
one of the Mexican gentlemen went his
way and and Don Gasparo Monteverde
proce eded to his fathers |rauch-an i'm
mense place of some 10000 acres of
woodland. where l received q royal wei.
come. Don Gaspardo had q lovely sis.
ter, ,Sefiorita Mercedes, one of those dark
eyed. raven-haired girls, olive tinted,
but not so dark but that q rosy flush
could be detected on her cheeks, with
teeth that you don't see in the United
States. fell in love with her at first
sight, and in q month l knew that my
Affection was returned.
"Of course. had to do something to
make living. had nearly $1,000 in
my pouch, but l felt that l was in the
uOOd road fO maka n fortuDa pou al.
though for the life OF me did not know
how was going to do it. aud if I irit.
tered away the money l had, would
again be in the situation that was in
at Benson when l met you. And an
other thing; wanted Mercedes for my
own. But this was impossible unless I
could support her we'll. Her father. all
though he had a large tract OF land.
was impoverished, and hoped for his
daughter. a rich alliance with a wealthy
young Mexican of Sahuaripa. Besides,
l could not reconcile to the idea OF
burying myself in the Sierra Madre, and
keeping Mercedes bnried there too, for
over, in the event of our marriage.
"What did do then? What didn't l
do? l prospected in every direction,
months at the time; found little pock-
sts mere and there; engineered a few
sales OF mining property; acted az ex.
pert for TWO or three London companies,
and four months ago I was just as far
away from fortune ss I had ever been.
Not without money. understand me. /
bad accumulated $4,000 in American
ooin-no Accent 'dobs dollars for me-
and had lived like fighting cock. And
Mercedes and loved each other as much