New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-14
THE RUNNERS.
A STORY OF THE CAMP.

A STORY OF THE CAMP.
From The Land OF Sunshine
It is a true story for know the officer who told
II to me for true
A company Of Indian scouts employed by the
United States Army was stationed at Camp Tonic
with tho troops. We were crowded. and the scouts
camped under the great sycamores that lined the
banks Of the desert stream. They were an In
dolent lot-nomad barbarians. who could work
magnincently at a pinch. but took their leisure
seriously. Among them a few were noted for an
foremost OF them ali was a TALL 1.-The sinewy young
fellow named Pablo: He was famous runner,
and much In demand for carrying important dis
Among the white soldiers at the post was one
q iong.distance runner Between him and PABLO ,5o
fictitious rivalry had been created by the Idle
else to DO and the men taunted one and the other
with inferiority. Robertson used to grow angry
simply held his speech and refused 10 enter into
any argument, Struggling his shoulders and walk
But the men, for want of better occupation. kept
up their banter, and at last race was arranged l
to Fort Grant 1S miles distant. Pablo was to
son was to make the same Journey and try to beat
his time The winner was to have handsome
purse and the championship:
:, II was In summer, and the desert nights were
light and warm. Pablo set out at shutdown. We
swinging stride and peered after him till the 1.-the
figure was swallowed up by the distance and the
jerked meat and a few biscuits The trip across
the desert was not without danger At one stretch
1t was thirty-fye miles from water to water.
For the next five days there little talk in the
post OF anything but the race. and there were few
mad once made the round trip in four days and
four, nights. but the horse had died soon after
reaching the post.
Pablos sweetheart, a comely maid who
came can once week to wash for the ana,
a ssy wife, said Pablo would be back o" the NTH
And so he was. Toward evening, when every
he in sigh: The far-ofr speck grew. and
presently Pabo-gaunt-f faced and with an unac-
and made for the commanders house
Two minutes later he and Robertson EMERGED
on a run and Pablo turned across the mesa to the
reservation. two miles away. Bonita would have
Robertson had disappeared in the dusk The
few noticed the dark form that came racing In and
belabored the post-surgeons door. A few minutes
But next morning the story all over the fort
During Pablo's absence Robertson, had visited the
fairer prey FOR soldier Of tie United States thar
one Of the Indian. wards? When Pablo. secure IAN, and
had entered the hut. it was to ind Bonita a wreck
The old mother told him the awful story and he
Fully half the garrison attended the funeral
But Pablo was not there. When we asked the
other inui a whe o., "e ""'' ~ wy
Five days-and we began to expect Robertson;
on the sixth detachment started IN search Oh
His tracks plain on the desert sands. and and
them them step for step we we f TTde
Next morning We were in the land Of thirst;
was something fearful. Our horses Jagged "a, and
groaned and we rode in silence with cracked lips,
cradle noticed thai the moccasln tracks sgd
denly quilted Robertsons trail But mile further n
tokens Of a savage struggle. The sands were
ramPd and of at one side we sr6 found ,bo the o d
the moccasin tracks went forward ..,
on through the cactms-sentineed waste we urged
the footprints sank deep in the sand, as II their
maker bore heavy burden.
brink OF little basin Mezqu'es sprawed about
and the giant zahuaro lifted rs vast candlest lex
slope-their first trace of animation in the whole
day There was why grass ass n"f 10 ne pure
spring. bubbng from under an outcrop LEDGE had
ma a pack OF wolves could not have turned our
famished horses from the water eut nor man a
that thirsty sarn 81 %h amed
eyes to a gigantic zahuaro few rods below the
spring po,ortsor 1ts ankles
and wrists were dashed to the thorny pillar OF me
zahuaro. The head Topped forward upon tors the
thea saeSea be mouth The had
der the flesh The hands and back were black with
sunbaked blood. Clearly Robertson had tried 10
get a drink And his captor had diverted the rlvu.
let so that IT chuckled and sparkled at the very
rev we OF buried ure in the little oasis and
raar ,ha water Perhaps the spell OF the desert
was on US. but It would not have entered any
Nc head there to take the corpse far from that
s nnnirn iii And not a word spoken
You have heard Of Renegade Pablo" Of course
"a -, the trail Of blood he left across the Terri
.nry His raid began Just after the unfinished foot
race by which Uncle Sam lost an ordinary soldier
nd an uncommonly good Apache scout