The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1897-05-21
FOR HIS FRIENDS SAKE.

II was in 1880, during my first over
and journey to California, that we ar
rived. shortly after shutdown one even
Ing, at the mouth Of Crooked Pass. a |
dark, tortuous ravine leading through
the Gila Range.
As II was then too late to make the
passage before dark, our guide, Dave
Ingram. ordered us to encamp on the
bank of little stream, an affluent. ]
believe, of San Carlos river.
At that time the cruel, bloodthirsty
Apaches roamed everywhere over the
great plains and mountains Of Arizona
then part of New Mexico) numbering
md robbing such helpless parties OF
emigrants as they could take unawares
or overwhelm by superior numbers.
Though, owing to incessan, vigilance.
we had not yet lost single one Of our
80 men, several Of us had received ugly
arrow-wounds in some Of the numerous
scrimmages in which we had been.
from time to time, engaged; SO now.
being in a specially dangerous locality.
we adopted every precaution that the
veteran guides experience could sug-
gest to guard against surprise. The
eight covered wagons were corraled so
as to form hollow square into which
our little army Of horses and mules
might be inclosed after being tethered
ont to feed for few hours. arms and
ammunition were carefully inspected,
and the order duly arranged in which
the eight sentry squads. or four men
each. should keep one-hour watches
throughout the coming night.
Nearly all wild Indians Of the Great
Plains. If they attack an encamped
party at all. generally do so just at
daybre in the morning; but we knew
the Apaches sometimes broke through
this rule. When scalps and plumber
were in prospect, these ruthless saw
ages would frequently, in those days,
steal upon silent camp at any hour OF
the night, and II it's occupants were
sleeping at the moment, few OF them. In
deed ever awakened this side of eternity
Hence, our astute leader left nothing
to chance. but always renewed the
ouadruple guard at such short intervals
that no man need become drowsy on his
post.
Besides our force of grown men.
there were two boys In the party-stur-
dy. fearless young fellows of Is. who
felt much aggrieved at never having
been allowed to take part in the fight
ing. These youths. Walter Goodson and
Hugh Austin by name. though not at
all related, were bosom friends, and
each was always seeking some way OF
showing his affection for the other.
Theirs was friendship SO unselfish, so
touchingly beautiful. that their re-
spective brothers. who were OF the
party, often spoke of them as David
| and Jonathan" And now had come
the time when both were to prove them
J selves no less brave than those Biblical
| heroes.
Our stock was, that evening, permit
ted to Craze on the short, rich buffalo
| grass until ten o'clock; then Walter
| Goodson went out with his elder broth
err, both being unarmed. to bring the
animals into the corral, all the rest of
the party, except the sentries, having
lain down to sleep
AS was afterwards known, Walter,
being the more active Of the two, ran
on to the end of the line to draw the
lariat pins of those horses which were
nearest to the mouth Of the pass. John,
the brother, having completed his part
of the work, by forming the beasts he
was to secure into string ready to drive
to camp, waited some time for the boy
to come along with his drove, but could
hear no sound Indicating its approach
and the night was so dark that he could
see nothing at distance Of ten yards
Impatient at the unaccountable delay,
he at last called out: Come, Walt,
hurry upi You're too slow for any.
thing"
There was no answer, and now he an.
grily shouted: Better quit fooling,
boy. and bring the stock along quick
It's time we were in bed. I've got to
stand guard from two to three, and
want some sleep"
Not word in reply. and, save the
querulous yelping of a prowling coyote
no sound broke in upon the solemn still
ness of the night. Greatly wondering
though not yet seriously alarmed, Good.
son now CROPPED his way to the farther
band Of cattle, which should have con-
tanned six horses and the same mum
Der of mules. Passing from one AMI
NAL to another, and counting rs he
went, he found but nine beasts in all
Three of the horses were gone, and nc
sign OF his young brother could be
seen or heard! Then the fearful truth
dawncd upon him. As surely as If he
had seen the deed. he felt convinced
that the horses and boy had been made
away with by Indians, though how II
had been SO silently done he could not
imagine. especially as the outernos'
sentry patrolling the line of stoch
should have passed along its whole
length at least four times in the hour
Thinking Of this, Goodson concluded
that the abduction had taken place
since he and Walter left the camp. fol
when they went out to fetch the cattle
in the sentry was withdrawn from thai
beat.
The unhappy man dared not strik'
: a light. for this would have exposed
him to the deadly aim OF possibly Turk
ing foes. He did, however. severa
times venture to calls walt! Walt
Waltz" rapidly shifting his position
after each cry, but there came no an