San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-09-05
copyright. 1897. by the Author.l
CHAPTER |.

CHAPTER L.
WY be should have chosen such
spot for his dwelling no one could i'm.
agine TIE Valley Of Death, (" the old
Spanish settlers had called it, and it de-
served IFS title, for "a more utterly hope
less, deSo'atc, barren region was not to
be found il Ill Arizona. Within . min
utes' ride from the fort there were half
a dozen excellent 'sections" supplied
with atu2lance of rich bottom grass,
wood and water, any one of which he
might hare had for the taking, to say
nothing Of cOntiruity TO the post-no
small r'1t'-r in country whore anv
day in the year one might be called upon
to defend ores life and property against
the very worst savages on the globe.
But Omer ignored all such considera.
tons A deputation, of which i was
one, went out from the fort one day to
warn him against the folly of his course
He received US with grave courtesy, lis
tened to what we had to urge, but polite
ly declined our advice The spot he had
chosen suited his purpose, he said, and
he saw no reason to change.
We argued with him, representing
his exposed situation, the absolute Ger
tainty, sooner or later. of visit from
the marauding Apaches, which of course
meant robbery, arson and murder and
the impossibility of timely aid from the
fort, but argument. warning and re-
munstrance were vain. He was infiexi-
BILE, and we retired in a dudgeon, for he
very frankly intimated that he was not
at all grateful for our interference and
preferred to be left strictly to himself
He had selected dwelling place which
he believed neither whites nor Indians
would dispute with him, aud all that he
asked was to be let alone. So he told us
in plain terms.
He hsd Lailt himself a hat OF spl,
cypress logs chinked with clay and
matched with the broad, tough leaves
Of the sand palm, whose thick, oily
fronds shed water like glass. The hut
jacale, the Mexicans call twas diyid.
ed into two apartments, the larger occn-
pied by his mustang and the smaller
by himself and his setter dog. Other
companions he had none.
Icaught a glimpse of some books in
rack against the wall. There were al
inkstand, pens and paper upon his pine
table, under which were carelessly hud-
died q winchester repeater, an ammu-
milton belt, hunting knife and huge
revolver. He wore cheap flannel shirt,
rough trousers thrust into common,
awkward boots heavily spurred and a
cheap SLOUGH felt hat, but detected q
suit of fine black cloth hanging in
corner of the room, and there were
other evidences of past refinement about
the place, more or less hidden, but still
evident to an observant eye.
"Confound the fellowr growlcd
Lieutenant Reed as we rode homeward
discounted and irritated. she will lose
his scalp one of these days. Serve bin
right, too, the obstinate beggar! Bet
there is something about the man like
in spite of his airs I'd give month I
pay to know his past history. "
perhaps it's the old sordid story, y
suggested. "A scrape of some kind
Short in his accounts, a sud1en exit
and all the rest of it. "
"No," replied Reed positively, II an
sure it's not that. He is no common
rascal. I'd stake my commission oil
that.
agreed with him, and our rebuff
only stimulated my curiosity the more
and made me the more determined tc
penetrate the mystery surrounding thu
strange man living alone out there il
the "Valley of Death" A week later
rode to Omer's jacale by myself. HI