Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-05-15

the causes OF our dlSquletude. They
were riding along at the same slow trot
as when first seen, and were now within
100 yards of the trail leading down to
the basin, which it was evidently thei1
intention to enter.
''Ten dollars to one they see our trail
before they get to it, said Winston, his
frontier recklessness prompting him
to gamble even on such desperate
chances as those of the present mo-
ment.
when the leading warrior, squirting his
pony suddenly forward, bent low in tho
saddle and scrutinized the ground be-
fore him He was Immediately Joined
by his comrades, and we had the felic-
ity of seeing ourselves tracked by a
band of human bloodhounds, whose
keen eyes never falter on a trail, and
who seldom fail to run their prey to
earth.
I'D have won my bet, anyhow" said
Winston, commencing to slip cartridges
into the magazine of his Winchester.
All doubt as to the warlike mission OF
our visitors was removed as they de
scended into the basin and followed our
trail toward the spring, at long, swing
ing slope The absence of women, chill
dren and dogs, their painted faces and
the fighting trim" of their scanty ha-
biliments, proclaiming them war party
of Apaches, while the confidence with
which they advanced unquestionably
indicated that they had already gath
cred from the trail an approximate idea
OF our numbers and character.
Arrived at the spring, several of them
knelt and quenched their thirst, the
others scanning the summit of the
crater in a questioning way that clearly
showed their knowledge of our where
abouts.
They seemed to consult together for
a few minutes, and one of them finally
stepped out OF the group and advanced
to the foot of our stronghold, holding
his hands above his head with the palms
to the front, as sign of his amicable in
tentions.
..Buenas dias, amigos!" he hailed in
Spanish, with which language the south
western Indians are generally con-
verSant.
"They know we're here, an we might
as well talk to EN- said Human.
No one objecting, he rose to his feet
and answered the salutation of the
dusky herald in the tongue in which it
was given.
.Buenas dias! Que quiere usted?''
(Good-morning! What do you want? p
1 understood Spanish sufficiently well
to enable me to follow the conversation
that ensued, and 1 knew enough of In
dian diplomacy not to be particularly
surprised by the herald's propositions
on behalf of his very hospitable COM
patriots. These involved nothing less
than the turning over of our horses and
arms, and the giving up of our persons
20 as bloodthirsty a band of cutthroats
as ever harried the defenseless citizens
of the border. The Indian prefers arti-
fee to fighting in his efforts to discom-
fort his enemy, and this band was only
following the instincts of their craft.
IF my friends will only come down. 81
ne said, ''they shall be entertained like
chiefs. The hearts of the Apaches are
full of love for our white friends, and
we would like to take them by the
hand"
Yes, and you'd like to take US by the
hair, too. which you've forgotten to
mention said Human, with a snort
of disgust.
Now, Senior Apache, you travel back
to your compatriots, and tell them that
we're a kind of a solitary outfit that
ing, nor have we any desire to be
treated as big chiefs. Vamos!"
Our inhospitable reception of the mes
senger was the signal for hostilities to
commence. No sooner had he COM
n.unicated the result of his mission to
the band, than three of them drove the
ponies up the trail to the mesa, where
they could Craze secure from our fire !;
the others taking shelter among the
rocks that lined the sides of the BASIN
We could easily have killed some of the
ponies, but we had no desire to injure
duInb brutes; and, besides, we preferred
to have the first overt act come from the
enemy.
We had not long to wait. Harris in
cautiously exposed hIs head for a mo-
ment; keen eyes were searching the
crest of the mound; the crack of dozen
rInes awoke the echoes of the basin, and
he lodged back with a bullet hole
through his hat that evidenced the skill
of an Apache marksman.
How about your superstition -
gTowled Human, as he commenced to
arrange Jumps of lava into a sort of