The times., 1898-11-27

across IN. omen space between the wagons
and the bushes and paid no heed 10 the
entreaties OF his companions 10 return
Carefully and with the feeling that ne
,yas treadine on the domain where death
staIked. he made his way toward 'he
burning cabins. The wild rose pushes
grew in great profusion, and were Ne.S
tall. As he crowled along on his hahus
and knees the wounds made by the cac-
tus plants drew blood. but caused no pan
II seemed strange to him tina; such
u.tle wound could cause mans blood TO
Now With his mind occupied by one great
central thought a thousand little fancie7'
some OF which were even amusing IN
truded themselves to relieve tension
that seemed to great 10 be borne
While he vet fancied himself quarter
Of a mile distant from the house ne sud
denly poked his head through an opening
in the bushes, and saw dark forms htuhs
about. He was less than 200 yards away
from the burning cabins. Fifty yarHs
away some Indians were guarding the
horses of the others The brutes seemed
frightened at the fearful work their mas
ters were performing. Sitting on blood
ed horse that could not possibly have
been mistaken for Il cayuse of the plains
was the chief who directed the move
ments of those who had dismounted Al
most instinctively the freighter gradually
brought the muzZle of his weapon around
to bear on the savage chief. To some men
their is a fascination about killing such
a foe. Some sights are so awful tnat
the brain departs from routine methods,
and 1t almost seems pleasure TO give
ones life for the satisfaction OF killing.
The freighter's arm was steady and his
aim was sure. With him there was no
possibility OF missing. To press the trig-
ger was to end the wretchs evil life. He
thought OF the CONSERVATION of the saw
ages when they saw their leader fall.
Quietly he figured out the probable num-
Der of Indians ne could kill before they
killed him. His mind was no longer in a
normal condition. Since he had first
learned of the presence of the Indians
he had believed there was no chance of
escape. He had accustomed himself to
the thought OF dying, and he now thought
of himself as the man who had killed
Geronimo rather than as being yet alive
and capable of suffering. He had been
spared the sight of the butchery. but he
fancied he saw some of the bodies move
after the Indians had thrown them into
the fire.
Geronimo was sitting on his horse look
ing al the sight. The light from the burn
ing cabins showed every lineament OF
his features as plainly as daylight The
freighter lay very still and quiet, but kept
looking al Geronimo across the sights of
rifle barrel The Indians were stripping
the body Of a cowboy of its clothing
when an Indian mounted on horse reek-
ing with foam abruptly refined his horse
in front of Geronimo and said something
to him. The renegade chief waved his
hand. There was a general shout. In a
trice the Indians were on their horses and
riding away. The freighter lying in the
bushes still sighted his gun at the chief
and watched him until he was out OF
sight. Then he felt angry with himself
that he had allowed the chance of killing
Geronimo TO pass by. but when he thought
of the little Ohio girl in the camp which
the Indians were riding almost directly
away from. he was thankful that he had
been able TO hold himself in check at the
only moment of his life in which he knew
there was such thing as an irresistible
Impulse to kill.
The night herder returned with the
horses before the freighters left the burn
ed cabins. He said he had not been
asleep, and had seen no Indians Before
the freighters were fairly on their way
the next morning trooper, whose COM
manding officer had deserted them with
fieldglass, rode up and asked which way
the Indians had gone. Uncle Sans cav
airy was in pursuit, hut II was a futile
chase that time. The messenger whom the
freighter had seen ride up to Geronimo
had warned his chief in time, and the red
skins escaped to the mountain Businesses
The bride soon recovered her spirits
but her husband was never popular in the
graders camp. so they went back Eas,
| Il few weeks afterward. Respect for the
majesty of the law often deters men from
doing what they believe TO be their NOR
al duty. Geronimo is a great deal safer
at Omaha than he would be in some parts
| of the West.