The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-12-09

started to pull their weapons. but Dietr'cn
had the drop on them, with my pistol TO
back him, and they gave up Sne u antion
to picking up their leader. As soon as
they could bring him to they carried him
out to his horse, struggling ana sWearn5
and American oaths. The next morning as
we were about to start on our way the par
tender came to us and said:
keep your eye peeled to-day as you go
through the foothills. Three Of the fellows
that were with Porfrio last night were mere
them WAS Jiminez, a bad Mexican. AS soon
as the bar opened they drank three ROUNDS
of whisky and chimiya. and they ro"A
rode down the street the way they CAME.
but after they got round the hill out OF
sight they headed for Coyote canon. Nat
Hill, the prospector, who just came In from
the mountains met them. After what hap
pened last night, / shouldn't be surprised
if they were going to lay for you there.
when we drove away toward the noun
tains that morning Dietrich's pistol lay on
the seat beside him., and mine vas In my
hip pocket. We took the direct trail which
leads through Coyote canon. a narrow.
crooked rift in a low mountain range, with
steep, rock sides, grown up with scrub oak
thickets and pinon- This canon pears an
and white robbers that have been laid there
many times, with the accompaniment of
end upon a plain ten or twelve miles wide,
SO that any outfit approaching it can be
sized up by a party lying in wait and at
tackled or let alone, according to its
strength. Dietrich drove the team among
the foothills to the very mouth of the
canon, as IL he was going to enter it. Then,
Just before coming to where the walls close
in. he turned the horses sharply to the
south and. leaving the trail. followed the
hollows between the foothills for half a
mile or so. until he came to another trail
that wound through the range to the south
ward.
TRYING TO FLANK'M.
We'll fank'm.' he said. if anybody's
laying for us over in the Coyote canon.
This trails a rough one. and ii carries us
three miles out of our course, but it's bet
ter to follow it than to take chances of
getting riddled with bullets and buckshot
by a lot of greasers in the chapparal.'
1.-The road was more than rough, it was
almost impossible in places, and more than
once we had to jump to the ground and
push against the 10 wer side of the wagon
to keep it on its four wheels. But we kept
the horses going right along all the time.
and at last came to where we could look
ahead upon the open country on the other
side of the range. A spur of the mountains
on the right, a craggy wooded eminence,
must still be passed to reach the plain.
"'Once past that b.uff we're all right
said Dietrich. But l guess I'll take a look
at what's behind 1t. You wait here with
lit LCdfl v III anu. lItD. uIltto0
you hear from me, keep straight on down
the trail, and don [ stop until you're out Of
rifle shot from the mountains and he
dropped into the brush on the upper side of
the trail and worked his way, revolver in
hand. up the declivity, keeping we'll under
shelter OF rocks and trees. He soon dis
appeared, and after the five minutes were
up | drove on.
IL had Travelled perhaps a hundred yards
when, as ! rounded a bend i'm the trail, there
came the scream and wind of a mimic bullet.
which. judging by my sensations, could
inch. The report of a heavy rifle. and a puff
of smoke that rose from a patch OF chap
paraI on the crest of the eminence showed
where the shot had come from. a mo-
ment more three sharp cracks, coming like
'one, two. three sounded from the heights
report, a Mexican leaped up from the
chapparal and fell ~headiong down the
precipice. crashing upon the stony trail.
where he lay fiat and still. Above me, on
the side hill: was Dietrich holding his
smoking revolver with both hands. just as
he had fired ii. He glanced at me as IL to
assure me that / was all right, and with
out a word plunged again into the thickets.
and in a minute more his revolver spoke
twice again From the wagon | could see
grass hollow that divided IL from the main
range led down to the plain on tina side.
Across this opening. in a great hurry,
limped a Mexican, one hand pressed against
his thigh. and mounting with difficulty a
horse which had been standing in the con-
cea,ment of a pinon c.ump. he dashed down
toward the plain just as Dietrich appeared
at the head of the hollow to fire A parting
shot after him. Dietrich motioned me 10
drive on, but the horses couldn't be got to
came down into the road to my assistance.