Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-05-30

and hair and other marks of q fierce
struggle. showing that business had be
gun promptly after they got together.
But neither bear nor lion was to be
seen. and we could ind no traces of
either leading from the place, although
we searched for them forward and back
along tie trail Antonio went to the
edge of the precipice- which fell sheer
for full 600 feet He steadied hin self
by a scrub oak tree that grew out from
the brink and looked down
There they be- both those fellows
he said They tumble OF. and both
get killed
Antonio stepped back to give me a
chance 70 see, and with him holding
NE fast by my belt 1 clutched the tree
trunk and looked down the dizzy depth
At the foot OF the cliff bon animals
were lying still; the bear 2 shapeIess
heap. the lioa stretched on his side and
both dead Sintago was safe from them,
but where was he? for we had not once
come in sight OF him We were hungry.
fo- IL was row afternoon, and we lad
eaten the last morseI o: bread and bacon
we had brought from the station on
starting out in the morning We had
TO stop an hour 70 let the horses rest
and feed, and then we took the trail
L.
covered ard we must follow wherever
Sintago chose TO lead 1 thought OF
the wagons numbering along toward Sill
yer City and the teamster' comfortable
dinner. and II did not help ny feelings
TO think OF what the nine owners would
say when the wagons came il without
me or the specimens
--But soon there was something closer
at hand TO think Of I had fallen 4 little
behind Antonio. and when L came up
with him ne was looking very serious
He pointed 20 the path and there across
il was the trail Of Is or 20 ponies that
had passed within an hour going TO
the south The depth OF the hoof prints
and the way they had travelled in single
file showed that they had carried Indian
riders
los Apaches,' said Antonio, look
ing fearfuIly around. and both of Us
cIutched our firearms as II the Indians
were upon US But they were not in
sight and they had been going in
hurry, for not one Of them had turned
to follow Sintago-s tracks which must
have been fresh when they passed We
went OF. keeping q sharp lockout, for
when the Apaches are out there Is 10
safe place for any white man about the
Burro mountains We hurried On but
still could see no sight OF Si1cago- II
was plain that he knew where he was
going. though we didn't II might be
TO Silver City o. some Mexican plazeta;
It might De al Indian camp or robbers
den in the mountains At last, as the
sun was going down behind the peaks.
we saw from the top OF 4 rise the burro
far ahead. Just entering q narrow can
-on- We set spurs TO our horses, took
on the run. and came out upon the plain
with the mountains all behind Us
Ahead, disappearing like a shadow in
the twilight. was Sintago, still carry
ing his pack and heading straight for
Silver City, whose lights were gleam-
ing five Or six miles away
Glad enough we were TO see those
lights and our horses At sight OF them
Quickened their pace We soon over
took Siutago moving smartly along at
half trot. looking none the worse for
wear. though he had been carrying his
pack for 80 hours through 4 mountain
country We kept Kim ahead OF Us. and
in another hour we all halted in front of
the Legal Tender corral in Silver City
with the wagons not due until the next
day at noon
I'VE put our animals in .he corral
and went to the hotel. taking tie sacks
of specimens with Us That evening
met the mine owners and the syndicate
man at Porter & CraTford's store. with
the specimen ores 20 exhibit. a day
ahead of time. and the deal was made
then aud there Then I went to the
boteI and to bed. for was very tired.
At three o'clock in the morning 1 was
awakened by the landlord. bringing
news.
"A courier had Just come over the
stage trail he said. and he says the
Apaches jumped your wagon outfit in
TETON Gulch last evening They killed
al the teamsters- ran the stock Of and
burned the wagons The sheriff Is get
ting up a party TO go out and get the
bodies at daylight, and thought you'd
Ike to go along
I went out with the party to the
scene OF the massacre There were the
nutilated bodies OF the teamsters "
ing as they had fallen. b: the chared
wheels Of the wagons should have
been lying there with them had IL not
been for Sintago's strange fancy for
q trip over the mountains. which kept
me from going along with the wagons
The one break in his good record that
caused me 50 much anxiety and trouble
had been the means of saving nv life