, 1896-04-27

he eat up by this time
1.-The bears track kept on with Sin.
lagos. and at the next valley. a green,
moist spot. a pew track appeared above
the bear's-the big. round footprints of
an immense mountain lion which had
crossed the marshy place in lone
bounds. Things certainly. looked bad
for Sintago, but Antonio said:
They have big fight. those fellows
bout Sintago. Both went to eat him
same time-one git licked-mebbe they
fight before they ketch him
THE tracks kept on together for a
half mile or so. and then, where the
path followed a shelf rock round the
side of a precipice, we came to the
place where the mountain lion had
overtaken the grizzly. There had been
a fight and no mistake. There were
blood and hair and other marks of a
fierce struggle, showing that business
had been prompt after they got to-
gether. But neither bear nor lion was
to be seen. and we could find no tracks
of either leading from the place al
though we searched for them forward
and back along the trail. Antonio
went to the edge of the precipice, which
fell sheer for full 200 feet. He steadied
himself by a scrub oak tree that grew
out from the brink and looked down.
"'There they be. both those fellows
he said. They tumble off, and both
get killed.
Antonio stepped back to give me a
chance to see, and with him holding
NE fast by my belt l clutched the tree
trunk and looked down the dizzy depth.
At the foot of the cliff both animals
were lying still; the bear a shapeless
heap, the lion stretched on his side, and
both dead. Sintago was safe from
hem. but where was he? for we had
not once come in sight of him. We
were hungry, for it was now afternoon,
bread and bacon we had brought from
the station on starting out in the morn
ing. We had to stop an hour to let the
horses rest and feed, and then we tool
the trail again, for the specimens must
be recovered. and we must follow
wherever Sintago chose to lead. l
| thought of the wagons numbering along
to ward Silver City and the transfers
comfortable dinner, and it did not help
my feelings to think of what the mine
| owners would say when the wagons
| came in without me or the specimens.
But soon there was something
closer at hand to think of. l had fallen
a little behind Antonio. and when l
came up with him he was looking very
serious. He pointed to the path. and
there across it was the trail of is or 20
ponies that had passed within an houf
going to the south. The depth of the
hoof-prints and the way they had ira,
veled in single file showed that they
had carried Indian riders.
LOS ipaches.' said Antonio, look
ing fealfully around. and both of US
were upon us. But they were not in
sight, and they had been going in a
hurry. for not II Of them had turned
to follow Sintago's tracks. which had
must have been fresh when they pass
ed. We went on, keeping a sharp look
out. for when the Apaches are out
there is no safe place for any white
nan about the Burro mountains. We
hurried on, but still could get no sight
of Sintago. 1t was plain that he knew
where he was going, though we didn't.
It might be to Silver City, or some
Mexican plazeta: it might be to an In
dian camp or robbers den in the noun
tains. At last. as the sun was going
down behind the peaks. we saw from
| the top of a rise the burro far ahead,
Just entering a narrow canyon. We
| set spurs to our horses, took the trait
down the long steep canyon on the run.
and came out upon the plain with the
ulOuutdIuS ali peuilu us. Aheau, uiS-
appearing like a shadow in the twi-
light, was Sintago. still carrying his
pack and heading straight for Silver
| City, whose lights were cleaning Ave
| or six miles away.
"Glad enough we were to see those
lights, and our horses at sight Of them
o%uickened their mace. We soon over
took Sintago moving smartly along at
a half trot. looking one the worse for
wear, though he had been carrying his
pack for SO hours through a mountain
country. We kept him ahead of US.
and, in another hour, we all halted In
front of the Legal Tender corral in Sill
yer City with the wagons not due until
the next day at noon.
I'VE put our animals in the corraland
went to the hotel. taking the sacks Of
specimens with u.s. That evening I met
the mine owners and the syndicate
man at Porter & Crawford's store, with
the specimen ores to exhibit, a day
ahead of time, and the deal was made
then and there. Then I went to the
hotel and to bed, for I was very tired.
At 8 o'clock in the morning I was
awakened by the landlord bringing
news.
".A courier has just come In over the
stage trail,' he said, and he says the
Apechaa iumned your Wagon outfit in