Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-06-14
CHAPTER II.

During the following year escort duty
took Lieutenant Raymer twice to AL
buquerque, and while there he had the
good fortune 70 form the acquaintance
uf Senior Valencia and was several
times invited to dine at his house. Cen
tiemen only appeared at the table, thus
CO..: firlning all his friend Reed had said
of this feature of New Mexican domestic
life.
Raymer embraced every opportunity
to learn something of Dona Teresa, but
with small success On his second visit
he determined upon desperate meas
ure. He called at the Valencia residence
and asked to see the ladies. He was
grlciously received by la sonora and
few elderly maiden relatives but to his
request that he might pay his respects
to the daughter of the house the mother
politely replied that it would be impos-
sible, giving several excellent reasons
for Ia senorita's absence. She told him
that she knew to whose brave assistance
Teresa owed her rescue from the ruffian
in Santa Fe and returned her grateful
thanks for the same. She also expressed
much regret that Don Ignacio Ortega,
her daughters afianced husband, on
account of illness was unable to punish
the man as he deserved, and she added
that it would be an unceasing regret on
his part that he was unable to do what
every impulse of his brave and generous
nature impelled him to do.
The lieutenant returned to Santa Fe
feeling that an attempt to break through
the social barriers that inclosed Teresa
would be futile, and to make her ac-
quaintance according to society methods
was beyond hope. There seemed but one
resource one repugnant to his honest
and manly characterize attempt clan
destine acquaintance. This thought he
dismissed at once, not only because 1t
was inconsistent with his own nature,
but because he believed from what he
had learned of her that the Mexican girl
would not encourage him in such a
course.
He had learned one thing during his
last visit, which seemed TO make any
further attempts to form her acquaint-
ance hopeless as we'll as useless. Orte-
gas parents had made overtures looking
toward immediate marriage, and Te-
resa's mother was in favor of the propo-
sition. Her father, however, preferred
the union should not take place before
she was 81 years old.
Some months later Raymer received
orders to march his company to Los
Wales Grandes, something over 100
miles west of Santa Fe, to relieve u
company of volunteers that for year
past had been guarding trail leading
from the Rio Grande to the Navajo
country. The lieutenant was the only
officer on duty with his company, which,
reduced by various casualties, numbered
but 45 men. With these he performed
the five days march to his new station.
The valley in which he found the
volunteer encampment was IA miles
long by s wide, surrounded on all
sides by rugged and forest clad noun
tains A stream Of crystal water flowing
from group of springs near the north
ern end wound tortuously and without
break or ripple to the southern extrem-
ity, where it plunged through narrow
and precipitous canyon, impossible to
man or beast, and found it's way to the
Jemez river. Westward second can
yon, known as La Puerta, led for six
miles between nearly perpendicular
walls to another valley lying parallel
with the first.
The first valley, rising saucerlike
from the center to the fringe of pines at
the foot of the mountain slopes, was
covered with waving grass. Not tree
nor shrub arose from the undulating
surface A pine covered point extended
from the western range into the valley
near the center like bold headland into
the sea.
There was no wagon road into the
basin, except the one by which the SOL
diers entered, but there were half
dozen mountain trails from the direc-
tion Of the Rio Grande, all uniting with
the one which passed to the west
through La Puerta. There was also
bride path leading southwark to the In
dian pueblo of Jenlez. % miles distant.
Near the center of the valley, little
south of the wooded point, q roll in the
surface swelled into a horseshoe shaped
ridge 10 feet high, inclosing a level
space of nearly two acres. The opening
of the horseshoe was to the east, and
before it, from heel to heel, flowed the
ream. Across the loop and well back
,linst the ridge stood row of l6 cab
ins, with company kitchen and store
house at the north end and officers
quarters at the south end Up the ridge,
behind the line of cabins, was the guard
house, before which walked the only
sentinel posted in the valley. A stable
stood little more retired to the north.
The lieutenant's cabin contained one
room, having two windows looking out
upon the parade and door opening
upon the southern side. The huge pine
logs of which it was constructed were
laid horizontally and hewed smooth OH
the inner side. The floor was of earth,
raised above the surface of the ground
several inches, made level and carpeted
with the skins of the gray wolf, coyote