The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-02-19

] I'm SO still. Ride for Dolores and seni
back for me- He threw his arms one,
around his friend in tight embrace
and with one sharp cut of the rope
started the horse off like shot.
Waking days afterward in Dolore:
from the stupor of Inconsistencies
Jack found himself tenderly cared fol
by some of the toWnspeople who knew
him., but unable even then to explain
what had occurred. Fever set in, and
for several weeks he lowered between
life and death, constantly raving in the
delirium of Tom, calling for him, be.
seeching him not to stay behind.
"The Apaches had been driven back
but were not completely subdued. But
as soon as Jack was able to tell his ter
rible story a rescuing party was or
ganized and hurried to Seven Mile
Canyon with all the speed which was
prudent. ss5,ssssstst.,S-
"At first no trace of Tom gould he
found. Then behind rock was dis
covered pile of cartridge shells, and
finally down in little gully the>skele-
ton of a man lying face downward up
on the ground, one end of a rode tied
about the neck, the other attached to a
stalk driven deep into the ground.
Alongside was n fairylike skeleton fas-
tened by a thong of rawhidc to the
same stake
''From these mute witnesses those
familiar with Apache methods were
able to imagine the awful fate which
had overtaken portion.
This is what must have happened:
Taking cover behind rock Tom had
4 held the Indians in check as long as pos
sible by pegging, away every time red
skin gave him the opportunity tostnake
! one of his dead shots. AS the ammuni-
ton ran low they gathered closer about
him.
ITO Tom-brave, heroic Tom-that
mattered little; his aim was accom-
| plished. Jack was safe on the road to
Dolores
HE must have been surprised and
| overpowered at the end, for he would
certainly have reserved a last shot for
| himself rather than brave Indian tor
ture. How they took him prisoner one
does not know but having suffered
such severe loss at the ranch and in the
canyon it is natural to suppose that the
Apaches were wild with rage. Nothing
could be too devilish torture to inflict
upon Tom.
''They tied his hands behind him, tied
his feet, and taking him down into the
sandy gully laid him on his face upon
the ground, fastened him by q rope
around his neck to tie stake.
in this part of Arizona rattlesnakes
are more than numerous-they simply
swarm. 1t was the work of a moment
to catch a big snake by means of a loop
of cord at the end of pole and to tie
him by n piece of rawhide through the
tail to the same stake which imprisoned
Tom.
''The snake, thinking itself free. tried
to crawl away, found itself held by the
IA awhide, and, savage with anger, struck
at the nearest thing, which was-poor
Toms face!
"But-mark the fiendishness of the
torture-the snake could not quite reach
Tom.
uG EOp0 WIS JGSl ouOuSu lO
prevent the reptile from touching him,
not long enough but that Tom must
feel the agonizing possibility of being
bitten.
Again and again the snake struck,
but fell short. Poor Tom! Parched with
thirst, hungry, baked by the sun, taunt-
ed by his captors, what must have been
his thoughts! Did he not feel that
friendship had cost him too dear?''
MY God! it's too awful to contem-
plate
He must have been tempted to crawl
near the snake and end it ALL
"Finally the shower counted upon by
the Apaches came. 1t refreshed both
the snake and the man, but-the effect |
of moisture upon the hempen rope was
to shrink it!
"Can you understand? Can you see
poor Tom, digging his toes into the
sand, holding back with might and |
main as the pressure of the rope slowly |
brought him nearer and nearer to his j
fate?
upon the rawhide the rain had a
different effect it stretched it-length-
ened it.
''The snake. feeling invigorated by
the rain, again tried to crawl away.
Again it was held back; again. angry
and vindietive. it struck at Tom, this
time little nearer his face-and again
closer, as Tom. despite his superhuman
effort, was being pulled toward the
stake by the shortening rope.
"At last the snake struck home
"Can you imagine the awful agony,
the lingering death. the bones-picked
by the vultures? Brave. noble Tom,
who died to save a friend-bah, how
this smoke gets into ones eyes,
1t was not the smoke that troubled
the ranchman's eyes-his cigar had long
since gone out.
In the dead silence which followed
his thoughts, to judge by his expression,
were far away.
by Jove, that was. mani, ejaculat-
ed the Idiot. Did you know Tom?-
lchv' for just then thescowboy caught
him n most beautiful kick on the shin.
~ said the ranchman. huskily, Il
was Jack."-New York Tribune.