Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-05-01
The Storu Telter.
4 HAIRBREADTH ESCAPE.
AS TOLD BY AN OLD RANCHMAN.

|AS TOLD BY AN OLD RANCHMAN
About 25 years ago took possession
of ranch in the western part of New
Mexico, on the Rio del Norte, goot
five miles north of Santa Fe. I found
that the pasture land there only wait
ed to be used to yield handsome
profit.
brought my young wife along with
me, together with our three children
besides ranch hands, breeding stock
and what else possessed, and arrang
ed things as we'll as circumstances
allowed.
The ranch was in an excellent'con
dition, its previous owner not having
spared the dollars. The ranch house
and outbuildings were clean and well
arranged, the former being uncom
monty large and very comfortable. A
long time ago it served as a sort o.
outpost, which the Spanish built
against the Indians. Constructed
from bottom to top of stone only, and
provided with numerous loopholes, il
looked more like a little fort. Many
years back, however, the Indians
carried the place by storm, and scalp
ed every one they found in it. After
wards the premises lay number OF
years in ruins.
Only when the country became a
part of the United States did my pre-.
decessor take possession of the ranch,
restore the house, besides everything
belonging to it, and handed it over to
me later, as said, in quite faultless
condition.
I had lived there contented and
favored with good fortune for about
10 years, when the affair took place
which I shall endeavor to relate to
you.
Up to that time I had never been
molested by the Indians. Indeed,
I had not even caught sight of the
redskins, who belong to the Apache
tribe. They we're at that time already
banished to the Indian reservation,
where Uncle Sans soldiers kept an
eye on them; and if, in spite of that,
they broke loose from there once in
while, and overran the neighboring
territory, plundering and numbering,
the troops always drove them back
with bloody heads, so that they never
came in my vicinity. The ranch lay
too near Santa Fe and the more thick
ly settled districts. I was already
living in the conviction that would
never meet the devils.
One afternoon I rode toward a dis
tant part of my pasture land. The
road led for long stretch along the
river. Before I had got half way, l
met one of my men, an old and faith
full cowboy by the name of Jack.
"Hello, boss !" said the old man,
when he approached near enough.
"I've just seen a sort ofsmoke rise up
yonder, such as I don't like to set eyes
on. By heaven! I'd like to bet that,
up there, where the road forks, is the
smoke of Indians"
"The smoke of Indians9" I replied,
incredulously, although I admit l
opened my eyes somewhat wider as l
said it. "No, Jack, no redskin has ever
shown. his face here since I took pos
session."
"That may be, boss" he rejoined ;
"but that's no ground for believing
that the Paches (Apaches) will never
stray over this way"
"It was probably trapper's fire,
Jack" made answer, determined not
to let myself be so easily frightened: ]:
"At all events, whatever it may be, l
shall let the men drive the cattle
home"
So rode on, satisfied that the old
cowboy had been deceived, although l
knew he had always lived on the
border, and was thoroughly familiar
with the customs Of the redskins.
For that very reason a rather
unpleasant feeling crept over me,
and I urged my horse on faster, in
order to send my men quickly home,
for then we were strong enough to
cope with band of Apaches, who
wanted, perhaps, to take US anawares.
I now left the river bank, and
rode into quite a broad valley,
surrounded by steep walls of rock,
and in which on both sides of the road,
low oaks, mixed with pines and
juniper bushes, confined the view.
About in the middle of this valley
came upon one of my cowboys
lying on the ground dead and scalped.
Stopping my horse, I gazed at the
poor fellow and felt nervously excited,
Notwithstanding the stiffness and
peace that reigned everywhere around
me. Not a living soul was to be
seen. I was still revolving rapidly
in my mind whether should ride
on and warn my men, when an
arrow flew close to my face, and
remained sticking in tree a few
feet distant.
Now there was no longer any
doubt that Indians lay concealed
here. 1t was decidedly too late to
warn my men and hurry them home,
for the Apaches held possession OF
the valley. I thought of my wife
and children, who were at home