The Press., 1895-09-05


 hand. I bound up the wound. which was clean cut chipping off the end of one finger, and he buried his face in my lap and cried. Soothing and cuddling him, for somehow felt in my heart that that was what the child needed, I asked:
 How did you hurt yourself, Kid?"
 'sIwas making peg to hang my sad de on, and chopped my finger with the hatchet. @
 I said nothing, but soothed and cud- d1ed him the more, and he sobbed at my knee in sheer enjoyment of the luxury of being babied. After that think the child took occasion to hurt himself upon every possible opportunity in order that he might come to my room to be taken care of and petted an1 comforted. He left all his swagger and buster and bravado outside, and babied him to his hearts content, feeling sure that it was the first time in all his dozen years that this child's right had come to him. But he did not allow these private seasons of relaxation, which he trusted me not to betray, to interfere with his double character of knight of prowess with Madge and of Broncho Bob with the men. h. Excitement did not lack at the ranch whenever the Kid was at home. If he was sent to help with the milking, one of the COWS was sure to kick over full milk pail, knock him over with her hoof, or break loose from her restraining ropes, charge around the corral like 8 wild beast, and crash through one of the house windows or plunge in at an open door. If he was told to house the geese and chickens for the night, such 8 com motion ensued as brought the whole household to see if coyotes had broken in- to the chicken yard. At sight of him the pet angora goats fled on their swift est legs, with running leap mounted one of the corral sheds, and then sped to what they had learned was the only place of safety, the roof of tho house. And when he was not stirring up the animals he was playing jokes on the cowboys. Holy John, a middle aged, thick witted fellow, who never knew what had happened to him until the rest were roaring with laughter, was the spe- eial butt of his tricks.
 
 around the kitchen door talking quietly, for Kid was off with Madge, helping her bury a dead kitten. Holy John sat in a slouching attitude on the doorstep, his new sombrero, with a stiff, curled brim, tipped far back on his head Kid came in through the corral and stood in the kitchen for few minutes. Then he seized the molasses jug and tiptoeing very softly behind Holy John filled the brim of hiS brand new sombrero with the sticky liquid. It flowed out over his back and down into his trousers, and Holy John lifted wondering and be- wildered face to see his companions breaking into uproarious mirth. Then his long enduring patience was smoth- cred in wrath, and he laid violent hands upon Kid and spanked him before Madge's eyes.
 That was too much for knight of prowess tamey to endure, and the boy clustered around in his most vigorous impersonation of the character of Bron- cho Bob.
 "This ranch ain't big enough to hold Holy John and mo too. Him or me, one
  time, and it won't be me either, you hear me shout. I'll get him sure buf faloed, and if he don't pull his freight before he's a day older there'u be the biggest killing hero that Apache Teju ever heard of. '
 It was very quiet the next day at the ranch. MT. and Mrs. Williams and Madge had driven to Silver City, the cowboys were all out on the range, and kept in my room with some work. After time heard noise at the end of the house, just outside my room, and I went out to see what it was. Kid was there with pick and shovel, toilsomely digging a hole in the hard adobe soil
 "What are you doing, Kid?" Nothing much. Just digging a hole. y
 "Isn't that where the old Apache chief is buried?'
 He looked up with interest. ''Is this the place? Do you know right where it is?''
 "They told me it is there where you are digging Those rocks, that you can barely see, outline his grave. Are you going to dig him up?"
 "Me? What would want to dig him up for? ain't lost no Injun! I'm just digging hole-for Madge. She wants to plant tree. What did they bury him here for? Did they kill him here on the ranch?'
 "This was fort once, before there was any ranch here, and there was a war with the Apaches, and they were getting beaten, and so they sent this old chief down to the fort to make terms for them. The commander received him and put him into tent and set a guard over him. In the night the guard fell asleep, and when he walked he was frightened lest the Indian might have escaped. So he punched into the tent with his bayonet 1 to saa if he was still there and hit the