The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1901-02-07
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. l 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
tinued:
I'VE were sign riding. Lee Wells
and 1. 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 l 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 bunch Of horses would be
reported by ranchmen thereabout. Lee
and l didn't fear 'eln much. They car
ried only bows and arrows, and II 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-R 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.
CROPPED 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 and
CHASTITY. There was smile Of salts
faction on his face, though. as he said
quietly:
"'Well. they got me. Rob. but they
didn't get the horses.
81 was out of bed in an instant. The
minute my feet touched the floor Lee
vanished. The door was shut and lock
ed just as left it when | went to bed.
Pondering over the realistic dream
or whatever it was. l turned in again,
but it was long time before ! got to
sleep again.
"A second time I was awakened by
the same vision. There stood Lee in
the doorway, and again he pointed to
the arrow shafts and said:
"'They got me. Bob. but they didn't
get the horses
mo more sleep for me that night l
looked around the 'dobe. thinking per
haps Lee was playing me a trick.
went out to the corral. The horses
were all right, and there were no signs
Of anybody having been around. l sat
up and smoked and thought a whole
lot until dayhreak; then ! mounted and
set of for the half way mark. Lee
wasn't there. and there was no sign OF
his coming, so l rode on to his 'dobe.
'There, at the gate Of the corral. was
Lees body, with six arrows in his
chest, just as had seen them in the
vision. Inside the corral lay the bodies
of his horses, all killed with bullets.
"It was plain to me that. seeing the
Indians coming. Lee had deliberately
killed the horses before turning his at
tention to the thieves. Judging from
the hoof prints. there must have been
about 20 Indians in the bunch. Lee
must have damaged them some before
he fell, judging from the cartridge
shells lying around. They took his
Winchester. Of course. and looted the
'dobe. They didn't get much for their
trouble. though.
"But what want to know 10 was
that a dream or did Lee Wells really
appear before me in some sort OF
form%
His hearers could not explain.-New