The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-29
CHAPTER IL.

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To neither Felix nor me did sleep
come at once. With each there was the
foreboding that something out of the
ordinary course would happen to us that
night. and it was with an expectant
feeling. serious enough, yet with some.
what of curiosity. that we waited for
what the turn of events might bring us
That it was liable to be an ugly sort of
visitation, if it fulfilled the import of
those smoke spires on the mountains. we
both were we'll aware.
We had taken the usual precautions
that plainsmen take in a hostile Indian
country; had paused in the darkness
and listened, after turning off from the
trail, to find if we were followed and
before rolling up in our blankets had
reconnoitered the space about us for a
considerable distance on every side.
There had been revealed no sign of dan
ger. Neither of us had so much as
mentioned the topic of Indians since we
first had seen and remarked the smoke
of the Apache fires But it was "a thought
we both shared which Felix voiced
when he said:
THAT old Mexican's outfit seemed
fixed as if he intended to go into camp
on the plain tonight. | hope he's chang
ed his mind and pushed on for the stage
station. It's too bad to think of what
might happen to that girl If the Apaches
should jump his camp"
You know how it is with those old
dons born and bred in the southwest
country, | said Hostile Ind ians have
been so an everyday thing with them
that they accept the situation as mat
ter of course. IL they are attacked BIZ
Apaches they believe it is the will of
God but they make the hest fight they
can, If they get the best of the savages,
they bless their patron saints But
while they live they go about and at
tend to their business and pleasures
near and far as freely as if they had
never an Indian to trouble them. -
They live long lives, too, many Of
them, and die in their beds at last, "
commented Felix "All don't have that
fortune, however, by q long shot. |
know prominent New Mexican families
in which for generations nearly every
man has sooner or later been killed by
the Indians. Some of the MeXicans Of
the old stock are great Indian fighters
old Roman Baca Of San Mateo and Colo.
mel Miguel Chavez, for example"
Yes, such men as these remind MS
OF what their ancestors, the old con-
quistadores, must have been, who came
up into this country with their argue
I'm
three centuries ago and held their own
against the Indians Their blood tells |
i'll some of their descendants today, in
the bravery of the men as we'll as the |
beauty of the women -
'Hellol What's stampeding the
horses?''
Felix and l jumped to our feet i'm |
haste. With loud snort Bill, my rid |
ing horse, had dashed at gallon as far
as his lariat would permit and now
stood at the end of the rope with ears |
erect and head and tail in the air. l |
went to the picket pin saw that the |
end OF the rope was securely fastened |
and then walked toward the horse. The |
sharp whistling rattle of a snake that I |
almost trod on checked my steps and |
caused me to start back i'm hurry. The |
sound was twice repeated, each time |
farther away, as the unseen reptile that
had startled the horse glided off under
cover of the darkness. Bill, at my APP
proach, became quiet, went again to
feeding, and returned to my blanket.
But we were not TO fall asleep with.
out being again aroused The horses
presently pricked their ears and looked
toward the east. / turned in the direc
tion of their gaze and saw the edge of
the round, full moon rising above the
Peloncillo mountains. From the same
direction came the faint sound of swift
trampling hoofs, growing louder and
soon their noise was intermingled with
the rolling of light wheels. Felix lay
between me and the trail, rolled i'm his
blanket, the barrel of the long sharpe
rifle by his side glinting duly in the
moonbeams. He had taken off his neck
erchief and spread il beside his face on
the rubber coat on which he lay. From
beneath it peeped the butt of his No DO
revolver He, like myself, was awake
and listening.
1t is the STAGE" he said
raised my head and looked over him
toward the sound Of the trotting hoofs
now near at hand short stretch of
the trail was visible opposite our posi-
ton. and four mules drawing buck
board came into view. moving rapidly.
The driver sat on the front seat, erect
and watchful beneath his wide brim
med hat with reins and wbip in hand.