Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-04-12
AN ARIZONA EPISODE.
BY COSMOS MINDELEFF.

was S1tt1LS III uly teu1 oue d4eel-
noon in November absorbed in some
mathematical calculations connected
with my work, when I heard tre-
meRdous splashing in the river a few
hundred yards below, followed by
shots aud yells and the sound of gal
1oping horses. A moment later four
men rode into camp like a whirlwind.
Loud cries of "Where is he?" ''Don't
let him set awayr' "Who's got the
rope?" gave me an inkling of what
they were after. They wanted me.
%Ihe camp was large one, and gen
orally there were eight or ten white
men and forty or fifty Indians about;
but this happened to be holiday, and
all the men had gone away except my
8 Gent mate, Barton, and myself. We
were building some large irrigating
bitches, and I had come out to take
charge Of the work only short time
before. I had found it necessary to
discharge number of the men and
replace them by others. Only the
day before had had trouble with or Q
of the men, Leonard by name. He
went little too far. and l kno thed
him down. As he arose he picked up
heavy club and came at me with it,
bat throwing mp my left hand to guard
my head caught the blow on it and
knocked him down again with my
right. That settled the matter, I sup
posed, for the fellow went off to his
tent, swearing roundly and calling
for q gun with which to clean out the
camp.
Bnt Wien I heard the splashing at
the ford remembered the incident of
the day before, and on the instant it
flashed into my mind that I hal no
Z weapon OF any kind anil that 1 might
need one. Islipped out quickly, and
running down to tent near the end
ofthe line i seized revolver and
belt of cartridges which I knew. were
there and was back when the men rode
up,
I remained in my tent while the
men dismounted and tied their horses
together. Leonard appeared to be the
leaderof the gang, for I heard him
say:
sLook here, boys, Tn the captain
of this outfit, and you've got to do
Just what I tell you. Well do all
that VIC came down here to do before
I've feaye; you must leave it to ME. = 2
"All right" responded another.
We're here for fun
ssWe'll have our fun all right" re-
piled Leonard. "Come into my tent
and talk it over You, Miller, stay
here with the horses and watch that
tent there so he can't get away"
Leaving one of their number out
side with the horses under the big
tree, the men went into the tent next
to mine. They hadall been drinking.
and as I was. separated from them
only by two thin canvas walls and
twenty feet OF space, their converse
tion was easily audible.
The conversation L heard was anus
ing, even under the circumstances.
Leonard was laying out the program
to be followed and telling his COM
EUulOuS WlltL WI gulCSo Suoo
was, the burden of his accusations
being that T wore white shirts in
camp and was "a long-legged cuss
from the east
The man left on guard outside I
knew; he was one of our own men.
While the talking was going on in the
next tent he came in to see me and to
explain that he had been forced to
come down with the others against
his will. He added that if wished
to get away he would make no effort
to stop me.
Ny plan was to run out just as the
rifle was fired and bringing down the
man who had it, for I could hardly
miss. him at twenty feet distance, get
in one more shot rs the others crowded
to the door and were well punched to-
gether and then break for the big tree,
from behind which as shelter I would
stand rs good chance as two men III
the open.
Filling my coat pocket with loose
cartridges aud taking my revolver In
my right hand, I was on the point Of
stepping outside and opening the pro-
ceedings whom I heard one of the men
say:
Chats 70 fun. Let's make him
put up his fists before We hang him;
or, if he won't do that, we'll make
him wade the river"
"That's great" replied another.
eve might as well have some fun out
of him first. Come on.
Remembering the old western
maxim, 'Never show gun until You
use it, tucked my revolver into my
vest 50 thai it was out of sight, but
with the butt not more than two inches
from my hand as held ypipe to my
mouth. I turned to Barton, who was
trembling, and cautioning him to con-
troll himself I lighted my pipe and re-
sumsd my stool near the front of the
tent. A moment later the canvas door
was thrust aside and maa entered,
followed by two others.
Ire first conner was little fellow,
slender and not much over five feet in
height, bnt he Lad wicked look in
his eyes and the face of a professional
desperate. / learned atterward that
he was considered the 'tbad man" of
the neighborhood. Behind him was
big man in flannel shirt and no
coat, with a AS Colt tucked into the
waistbaud of his trousers. He was a
saloon keeper in small town near by
and had provided tue courage" for
the expedition. Back of him came
Leonard, his face inHamed with drink.
remained seated, WIKI e Barton backed
eff to the rear of the tent
The little fellow looked at me, and
I looked at him. Neither spoke for a
minute or more Finally the suspense
became too great; he shifted from one
foot 10 the other and presented such a
,,;ot,ra of unaaSineSs that I laughed