Smyrna times., 1900-12-12
TOLD IN HIS DREAMS.
PECULIAR VISION OF A RANCHER ON
A NEW MEXICO PRAIRIE.

His Partner Appeared to Him Dur
ing Sleep and Informed Him of the
Fearful Fate That He Had Met at
the Hands of the Indians.
mo, can't say go much on super
stition and that sort of thing, but I'd
like some of these wise chaps to ex-
plain little incident that happened to
me down in the PecOs valley, in New
Mexico, few years ago.
GrizZled Bob Morrow, veteran cow
boy, ranchman. globe trotter and phi |
losopher, took another pull at his cigar |
as he sat comfortably in his seat in the |
hotel lobby. A thoughtful look came |
over his face. and his companions at
the table awaited in silence his further
utterances. After a pause Bob con-
tinued:
1--WE were sign riding, Lee Wells
and l. Know what sign riding is?
An imaginary line is drawn on the
prairie. Two men, one stationed at
each end, ride toward each other at
given hour. Any cattle that have
crossed that line are rounded up and
driven back. The idea is to keep the
cattle together as much as possible
during the winter.
"Our line was about ten miles long.
Lee and | used to meet half way every
day, and if no cattle had crossed we'd
sit down and smoke and chat bit.
Sometimes we'd visit each others
'dobe and generally chum together as
far as men can when ten miles apart
We each had six horses. the pick of the
herd. and mighty proud we were, too.
of 'em.
Bout that time the Indians were
rather troublesome. They generally
went in small bands. and occasionally
the loss of a bunch of horses would be
reported by ranchmen thereabOut. Lee
and didn't fear 'em much. They car
ried only bows and arrows. and if 1t
came to a chase our horses could cas-
lily outrun theirs. The greatest danger
we had to fear was the loss of our
horses.
"Lee and | had talked frequently
about the Indians and both were of
the same mind-if attacked, kill the
horses rather than let the marauding
thieves get 'em.
81 left Lee at the half way mark, as
usual. one day, got back to my 'dobe
and after eating dinner turned in.
hadn't been asleep very long when
was awakened by a sort of feeling that
there was somebody in the room.
groped under the pillow for my gun
turning over as | did so, and there in
the doorway stood Lee Wells. The
feathered shafts of six arrows were
sticking from his breast. and his face
in the moonlight looked drawn anC
CHASTITY. There was a smile of salts
faction on his face. though, as he saiC
quietly:
"'WeI, they got me. Bob. but the!
didn't get the horses
81 was out of bed in an instant. TIT
minute my feet touched the floor Lee
vanished. The door was shut and lock
ed lust as left it when went to bed
Pondering over the realistic dream,
or whatever it was. turned in again
but it was long time before | got L
sleep again.
"a second time l was awakened b,
the same vision. There stood Lee il
the doorway. and again he pointed I
the arrow shafts and said:
They got me. Bob. but they didn
get the horses.
mo more sleep for me that night
looked around the 'dObe, thinking pei
haps Lee was playing me a trick.
went out to the corral. The horse
were all right. and there were no sign
of anybody having been around | SO
up and smoked and thought who
lot until daybreak; then | mounted an
set off for the half way mark. Le
wasn't there, and there was no sign
his coming. so l rode on to his 'dobe.
There. at the gate of the corral. We
Lees body, with six arrows in b
chest. Just as | had seen them in Il
vision. Inside the corral lay the bodl'
of his horses. all killed with bullets
at was plain to me that. seeing Il
Indians coming, Lee had deliberate
killed the horses before turning his
teht!on to the thieves. Judging fro
the hoof prints, there must have be-
about 20 Indians in the bunch.
must have damaged them some befo
he fell, judging from the cartrid
shells lying around. They took /
Winchester, of course. and looted Z
'dobe. They didn't get much for the
trouble, though.
"But what | want to know Is W
that a dream or did Lee Wells real
appear before me in some sort
formT
His hearers could not explain.-Ne
York Mail and Express.
Good For Preserves.
Tu.A z.s-a,,c, N fauainina bofaniSt bl(