The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-04-05
CHAPTER XIII.


That there was prospect OF heavy
rains to come upon us that day woulu
be more evident TO one who knew the
country well than TO a tenderfoot. on
to the south the mirage phantoms
danced and floated as lightly as they |
had done at any time before during the
day, and from the clear sky the sun
sbone in the southwest as brightly as he
had beamed throughout the morning IL
was in the north and northwest that .he
sky BODIED rainclouds, whlch
might linger in the mountains TO dls-
charge their contents among the peaks
or might drive forth above the pialn 10
fall in heavy showers of rain, character
istic of this region AT this time OF the
wear after weeks of clear weather, the
rainy season might be supposed to have
ended, but it often happens III New
Mexico and Arizona that such days OF
BRIGHTNESS prove only the prelude 10
terrific rainstorm which gives the
grand finale to the rainy season III true
melodramatic fashion, with the accom-
naniments of wind, hail, lightning,
The transforms of this arid region
come from off the mountains, as III the
coast regions they come from OIL the sea-
So the increasing haZiness about the
Peloncillos and the Burro range, though
| far away, indicated possible trouble later
| for MS out upon the plain. The pleasant
southern breeze that had blown through
out the morning had fallen, ana there
were boding stiffness and mysterious
electrical quality i'll the half sultry al
that oppressed the spirits and hlled th'
minds of all our party with vague un
easiness. Sowe travelled silently FORWARD
over the trail, and when one OF GU
nunber smoke what he had to say wa
said briefly and in monosyllables. Wlth
out the appearance OF great watchlui
ness our eyes closely scanned the coun
trv far and near, from the distant noun
tains from which Apache smoke splre
rose fitfully here and there to the roch
and eminences and hollows, the yucca'
coctuses and mesquite clumps closer
hand Whenever our party drew near
point where the trail descended an a
royo, as the dry water courses OF IL
countrv are called, or turned the base
, n foothill. Felix or l rode forward III az
vance of the carriage to explore u
9 grouud ahead and see that 1T sheltere
no Indian ambuscade. Not less "
watched well to the rear lest Apache
|, Wing unseen as we passed, should da'
!. upon us from behind, their chosen met
! cd of attacking travelling outfit
O One thing which surprised us w
that we had seen nothing OF the "
7 nrosnectors. They had started from Z
4 station much earlier than we, and
knew how astonishingly far the loh
4 swinging pace Of men like these, acc'
, toned to cover long distances on io'
W will carry them in the day S round: o'
" II seemed that we ought by this time
"a have sighted them somewhere III
distance before us. That they were
~, ahead of us we could tell by their tra'
Vi and the hoof prints of their horses uT
M the trail. The buzzards that we mad Sc
fe gathering in the air were now clrcli
an above point we were approaching IN
on at hand. 1t was evident that they w
be only waiting for some one 10 60 d"
- aud leave them clear field before
go fling down upon prey that they
discovered.
All here were signs that night
Il. count for the presence of the buzzai
- Tho tracks of the prospectors and I'll
,re horses were lost in confusion OF u
"a nrints of horses and mules wnlcn
,as GENTLY had crossed the trail. II
-, farther along a dead burro, when
To RECOGNIZED as one of those driven by
,bt nrospectors, lay dead, shot with pui
,olt beside the trail. Cautiously we went
Do scrutinizing every object to lett
~ r;obt that might conceal an enemy.
tho quarter of mile farther along aga
al a rocky slope grown mp with SCRUB
,,or our mules suddenly SHE'D away TO
to RIGHT. swerving so much that 1t
ley with difficulty that Manuel held u
her to the road.
.La We were not kept waiting Ions
CO. learn the cause of the mules ala
,os Ont of the bushes rose a man, who wa
, ~ his hat as a signal for US 10 s'op
ent then came down to meet us, carr.
49,, his rifle. muzzle forward, on ms 81
, in der in token of his friendly inten'i
'bor Behind him second man appea
Ia male and disheveled, his arm suppo
bod by a sling made from cotton hano
I'd, r chief. He slowly followed the
down toward the trail. They were
4 to two prospectors.
as We paused at their approach ana
'ted a nod of recognition waited 10
.in's what they had to say.
htlv docs any one Of you happen TO