The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-15

eral miles above, where IL is confined BY
the mountains into a narrow canyon. h
was shot In the thigh and almost bled tc
death before he had finished the remaining
seven or eight miles to the next white
mans ranch. He was not so disconcerted
at the surprise but that he caught sight
OF the puff of smoke from his assassin's
gun. and even said, and we must believe
him in view of What followed, that he
recognized the MANTLE same man who
had refused to turn over the hide for his
inspection He saved. his life by crowdins
one of his buckskin. gloves into the wound
and holding 1t there with his thumb while
he rode his pony at the top of its speed.
MADE ONLY ONE INQUIRY.
Cooks wound was not long in healing,
nor did he keep US long in suspense as TO
what he was going to do with a certain
party after it did heal. 1 only asked him
once. l found it best not to ask him the
same question more than o~nce-why. if he
knew who it was who shot him, he did not
have him arrested and brought TO trial.
1 only asked once. but / was present on sew
eral occasions when the question was asked
him by other persons, and the answer was
always the same-'He didn't take the law
TO me. aad 1 won't take it to him. He
eOA1s as "a a. 4 a ~ u
learn, who did shoot him, except by his ac-
tons.
As soon as he was able to ride he, with
a trusted friend, set out one night. Travelled
forty miles down to this Mexican settle
ment, singled out a certain house. near
which they lay in wait till daylight, when
their man stepped out to gather a few chips
TO start the fire. They fired one volley at
him, but the man gained the door before
they were able to repeat. They ran as
fast as they could to the door, fearing that
their man was only winged and that they
themselves would be fired upon from shell
ter. But In finishing their job they pushed
In the door only to be confronted by the
mans wife. There's no use shooting him
any more-he's dead" was all she said.
Although 1 lived right in this Mexican
settlement. / seldom herd of affairs Of this
kind till several days after they had hap
pened. l was very busy with a. first years
experience at farming, and only left my
W place when 1t became necessary to
make some flying business trip to town,
1 was an excellent neighbor in one re-
spect-I didn't bother my n~eighbors. Ny
only companion On the little farm was a
waif who had cultivated the place the
year before under the former owner, and
whom, when I discovered what a jewel he
was. was glad to have continue with me.
He was one of a large family that had
seen its best days In a Kansas dugout-
the kind of squatter family that can live
with a team of mules, a couple of milk
cows, a dog and a prospect of a crop. This
fellow was good natured and true to the
point of simplemindedness. He had worked
all his life from daylight till dark, and yet
had seen a good deal of fun. He would
pillow all day and then. with two or three
Of his sisters, would walk five miles to a
small settlement when some country dance
was on. He did the social for me, and
as he was frequently thrown with the
Mexicans when they banded together
to repair irrigating bitches, i would
gradually hear all of Importance
that was going on among them. 1
did not know enough Of the lam
guage to carry on a conversation, and I
did not meet them at all in a social way.
I once went to the little mill presided over
by an ancient Mexican woman and which
seemed more like a child's toy than a sure
enough grist mill. A number of times 1
called on a family that owned a coal claim
in the edge of the mountains and would
get two or three of the members to accom>
pany me to the mine and quarry a load of
coal for me while I waited.
A CHANGE OF TEMPERATURE.
One of my coal trips happened the MORN
ing after Cook had got even with the Mex
lean who had shot him. 1 hadn't heard any
thing about it, but I noticed a lack of cor
diality when 1 tried to be pleasant with my
scant stock Of talk. The three boys who
finally agreed to me looked
rather glum, and, after they had saddied
their ponies. hung Winchesters to their
saddle-horns and strapped their six-shooters
about them. The whole community went
armed until Cooks friends prevailed on him
to leave the country. He did not leave.
however, until he had killed three more
Mexicans and they had killed the friend
who had helped him get even. 1t isn't an
easy matter to gain the reputation Of being
bullet-proof. Cook gained 1t in this little
community by one hard knock and several
experiences when sheer luck befriended him.
The Mexican who first tried to kill him
was reckoned the best shot on the creek,
and during the few weeks he lived after
his failure he never could make 1t quite
clear to his friends why it was. The man
who can shoot a deer. or even a grizzly, in
just the right place cannot be certain OF
where ne Is gong 10 illt a mdu uHtiA Hc
has tried it a number Of times. 1t was
never known among the Mexicans that Cook
was hit at all, and when, on the second
attempt at his life, he and his friend were
ambushed by five or six of their best shots
and he escaped, while his friend. whom
the Mexicans were not especially after, was
riddled with bullets, it was impossible to
convince them that Cook did not bear a
charmed life. His name became a house.
hold bugbear. and the Mexican women could
always make their children come to terms
by a threat of calling in Mr.. Cook. What
made his second escape really remarkable
was that while riding along side by side
with his friend he was on the side nearest
the ambush, and the bullets that killed his
friend must have all fairly grazed
him on their way. The best side
of Cooks character was shown
on this occasion. His horse was shot
from under him, and as he, for shelter from
the direct fire. dropped into the bed of
the dry creek along which they were rid
ing. he saw his comrade. who still retained
his seat on his horse. dash up to a small
deserted hut a few yards ahead. and there,
falling rather than dismounting. make his
way inside. The Mexicans shot from be-
hind a little patch Of SCRUB oak brush a
little ways UP the side of the canyon. The
place was selected hurriedly and without
any view to it's defensive advantages. but
merely as a blind behind which they would