Arizona republican., 1901-04-01

iHelT SuTpTiot anu c1dBTln WlcH tucy could find not the slightest trace of the enemy can better be imagined than de- scrtbed. An hour was spent in the vain search. without furnishing clue to the manner of escape. and then their grunts of chagrin changed to exclama- tiops of supersttious fear. Surely the Great Spirit had carried them off. and If so, then the Great Spirit would be angry with them, and they rushed for the trail and hastily scrambled down.
 All but Black. who did rot so much fear the unknown power as the punish ment of men. He laughed as the red skins quickly. disappeared. and took one more turn around the lofty pima cle. The view across the valley charm ed even his unpoetical nature, and he stood and drank in the wcndrous bits of natures work in pastel. The giant San Francisco was sullen this morning. and gray and gloomy. The pink mesas to the southward glared in dwarfish insolence at the great glories of plain and forest and cloud-hecked sky. Placid little pools, born of recent storm, lay glittering like diamonds In a setting of green.
 The summit of the Enchanted Moun- tain had been swept and carved and swept again by the winds and rains of centuries, and its floor was cracked and split and scanned. Every few years q huge slab had fallen and crumbled in shnpeless mass at the base. Even as Black stood with shaded eyes glancing cur upon tho wooded landscape he felt d harsh, tearing sound, and turned just in time to see an immense, rocky mass free itself from the walls friable cliff and crash with noise as of distant thunder to the incline below.
 This antic of natures did not fright en him. but he was thrilled with awe and started toward the trail. When he came near the side up which he had re- gently climbed, he stopped. trembled so he could hardly stand, and then rushed forward with the recklessness of a mad-man.
 The falling wall had taken with it the only trail to the top and he was left to perish on this inaccessible height Several seconds passed ere full re- alization of his ultimate fate permea- ted his brain then came the prostrat- ing paralysis of fear. Cold sweat trick led from every pore. His body seemed to shrink and shrivel and his should CTS dropped like an old mans. His blood seemed to be slowly congealing. His mouth might have been his | tongues grave. His hair stood out ! like a porcupine's quills. Daft fear en- thralled and bound and gagged him. The wall in falling had crushed many i of the Apaches who were stationed be- low. and the others. frightened by this, to them, ghostly handiwork. mounted ! their ponies and sped away from this enchanted region as fast as possible. They gave little thought to the fate of their late light-cOlored leader AL | though he had been as one of them for two years past, and had taught them many new tricks of fiendisness. they 1 did not regard him as a serious loss. Slowly fear uncoiled its grasp of req son, shudderingly strength crept back to palsied limbs, the shriveled heart re- luctantly renewed its wonted functions and Black inhaled a deep gasping breath He lifted his eyes. but all the beauty, the grandeur. the sublimity oi miles upon miles of matchless land- scape had shrunk to tiny patch and centered in a score of scurrying horse men.
 He shook himself, dog shion, gazed appealingly over the precipitous wal into the great, hungry mouth of space and calculated the chances of escape Then he looked after the fleeing In-
 
 in the distance. He was utterly alone The pale nun, Silence. stalked unheedeo by. Solitude crowded and jostled ant rioted in unrestrained glee; it seemed sentient, animate. inquisitive.
 He was absolutely alone, a recluse, 6 hermit yet he was not alone, for tht very air was full of spirit forms. They rode on the air waves and danced il ghoulish glee. They were hilarious with noiseless mirth, convulsed witt throes of silent laughter. And theil fingers were all pointed at him and h. appeared to be the fountain Of thei jubliation.
 And then the elixir of insanity ral like wild-fire through his sluggish bloo' and electrified him into dynamic ener gy. He ran around and around his ae rial cage like an enraged tiger. Il leaped chasms twenty feet wide. Ii tore his hair, jumped up and down Il satanic rage, sh3ok his clenched fist to ward unheeding heaven and cursed am raved in frenzied luxuriousness.
 Then followed exhaustion, and h lay prone and panted in hardene' gasps, while his bloodshot eyes rolle' in awful agony and death drew stil tighter the throttling cords.
 |, And thus the hours passed and da, succeeded day.
 And after some days passed he grey calmer, with the calmness of despair and ceased to rage and storm. He wa very weak. He would lie on his bacl for hours with eyes tightly clenche' and strive to keep his brain in som nambulistic repose. He sought the so lace of forgetfulness.
 Then he tried to pray and groVele' in the penitence of fear. He martiale' all his good deeds of the past for tn inspection of invisible heavenly mes sengers, and while paradng them bacl and forth suavely exalted their Vir tues like an auctioneer disposing Of hi wares. But all the time he was gore by the consciousness that his enort were unavailing and his accusers wer undeceived.
 Then followed horrible hours whel