Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-11-20

ID being more tiresome to keep my
legs furled under him so they would
not drag the ground, than to walk,
l concluded to pack my outfit on
his back, and myself go afoot. driving
him. | was starting to lead him away,
when Francisco put his hand on my
arm.
I'm ~momentito, senor," he said,
and gently drew me back into the
house. "You are armed, / see," he
now went on, lowering his voice to a
whisper. and pointing to my revol-
vers. make sure that your pistols
are in good order, and do not sleep
too soundly on the way"
"Indeea!" l said in surprise. "And
why?"
"Because-" He hesitated, glanc-
ing anxiously at his wife. "Do not be-
tray, me, senior, my life would be
the forfeit-because your coming is
expected at the mine"
| stared at him incredulously; that
could not be possible, l thought. But
how else could Francisco know that
my mission was supposed to be kept
a secret until my arrival? And then
like q flash it came to me that one
of the directors must be working in
collision with the mines superintend-
ent to rob the company, and depreci-
ate it's stock, and so had telegraphed
notice of my coming.
My thoughts were interrupted by
Francisco whispering: $50 now, or
you will bring EVIL upon me and
mine; l have told you enough. Va
con Dos" He pushed me out and
closed the door. That an effort would
be made to murder me on the way to
the mine, l did not doubt, but that
was a game at which two could play,
and l was quite handy with a gun.
l got started about noon, and was
Is miles on my way when the sun
set and | stopped to camp. Unpack.
ing Ell Sabio, | hobbled him, and
turned him loose to Craze; then
cooked and ate my own supper, by
which time it had grown dark. Five
years prospecting in the Apache
country had taught me to be foxy
when in the enemy's territory, and Sc
| now caught El Sabio and packed
him again, and moved on two OF
three miles to some rocky hills
where | turned out from the trail
a hundred yards or so, and went tc
bed. I was asleep by the time ]
touched the blankets; the next thing
| knew, / was walked by something
pushing my head about, and with one
hand instinctiyely reaching for a gun
my eyes flew open to find daylight
coming, and Ell Sabio standing at my
side, showing at my head with his
nose. Getting lonesome, he had walked
me for company. Throwing back my
blankets, and getting up, / caught
sight of something moving on the
crest of a hill a short distance away
but it was gone on the instant, anG
III the dim light l could not decide
surely that it WAS a man. Neverthe
less, | would take NJ chances, an(
re-packing Ell Sabio, I got back to
the trail and started again.
Getting into the mountains thai
morning, l found it hard going. Ant
[ found also that Francisco had moi
exaggerated Ell Sabio's good quail
ties; wise and brave, and sure of foot
unquestionably he was. With neve
n misstep, he led the way along the
toughest of trails, skirting the brinl
of frightful canons, where l shiveret
to follow, and up and down the steer
places, without ever firing. And he
proved himself to be very friendly
and socially inclined, now that WE
were better acquainted; in fact, hi
seemed to have no doubt that he
was a full member of the family
Whenever | stopped to cook a meal hi
would hobble around, watching for {
chance to put his nose into ~cotfee-po1
or frying pan, waiting as patiently
as he could for his share, which con
sisted of a spoonful of salt. For DIES
sert he preferred more salt, but my
boots, or hat, or any other article
of clothing that was salty from per
spiration, would satisfy him-he at,
away half the brim of my hat, be
fore / discovered that he had such {
chronic craving for salty things.
l had seen nothing more that wa.
suspiciously human, but did not le'
that cause me to relax my watch
fulness; and, when night came, | re
peated my rus of getting away from
my camping place, and hiding in the
rocks. And FL Sabio again played thu
alarm-clock on me, but this time
calling me at 3 a. IN. l was very
sleepy, and started to hit him will
a stone, to teach him not to come Sc
early, when it occurred to me tina
| would be wise to start while it wa
still dark. l felt sure that some o:
the greasers had followed me from
Santa Cruz, expecting to sneak VI
and knife me while / slept; but they
might have rifles, and a greaser oc
casionally hits what he shoots at
even a moving figure. AS it was,
saw nothing of them, and the day
passed uneventfully. The next nigh
found me at the crest of the range
where the trail ran across a kve
spot perhaps two miles; on all sides
however, the peaks lowered hundreds
of feet above, and again waiting un
til darkness covered my movements
/ turned out to the foot of one OF
these to sleep. The elevation made
the air piercingly cold, and SO
went to bed with my clothes IN.
One sleeps soundly after a day!
tramp in the mountains, and, beside!
that, ! had been awake since three
that morning; so / was like a deat
man ten minutes after | hit thu
ground. The next minute it seemed
to me, though it may have been hours
later, l was aroused by a violen'
shaking; and getting my eyes open