The National tribune., 1903-07-02

thunderstorm and rain increased from min
ute to minute that business at Wallen
seemed to become more and more urgent.
Six miles north of Wallen there stood
and stands to-day q saw it two weeks
ago. a solitary cottonwood tree. Here the
road to Crittenden turns off to the left, and
after traversing the valley ascends the foot
hills which form large plateau or mesa.
Just as we were reaching the top, While
the rain was now pouring down in tor
rents, q terrific streak of lightning fol-
lowed by a deafening thunder clap, passed
almost, as it seemed to US, directly before
our faces. Our animals stool still, trem-
bling in every limb, and my mule could
not be induced to take another step for
ward.
This brought the climax of that ur-
gent business at Walen. Barnes declared
positively that he must be there without
| fail or suffer heavy pecuniary loss; he pro-
posed we should turn back. But to this
would not listen for a moment. l had GER
tainly no claim on him or his companion
ship, unless it were that of fellow feeling
towards a man in great mental distress
and bodily danger. Anyhow, l remember
distinctly that l used no inducements
whatever to make him stay by me, how
ever much / desired it, but only requested
him to exchange animals with me, seeing
that the mule appeared very willing to go
back, but not forward, and that i. had at
least "a miles before me before reaching
Camp Crittenden, while a little over an
hour would take him home. He consented
to my proposition, and after giving me
some directions about my route and re-
marking that l would probably be guided
OH the morrow by some crows and carrion
brZZards in my search for my dead friend.
| we parted. Cheerful parting words these
werei
LOST IN THE TEMPEST.
The tempest now was at its hight. The
horse, however, had become calm, and
| trudged along at an easy trot for about
half a mile, when his movements became
wavering and hesita ting All at once he
came to dead stop. He had evil
IDENTIFY lost the road, which, leading here
over very hard gravelly ground, was not
distinctly marked, not being Travelled over
with frequency; besides, the heavy rain
had surely obliterated all tracks and traces
of travel.
l dismounted and knelt down, lighting
with difficulty the few dry matches l car
ried in a tin match box. While doing this
had thrown the bride rein over my left
elbow. All at once another fearful thunder
bolt struck in my immediate vicinity. The
horse made tremendous jump, broke
loose and started on run somewhere; /
lost sight of him almost Immediately in
the inky darkness. His sudden jerk had
caused me to drop the matchbox. Of
course, the most sensible thing that l
could have done under the circumstances
would have been to sit down right there
and wait for daylight, or at least for the
clearing up of the sky. But l did not do
this sensible thing; l was too restless to
sit or stand still! l commenced to grope
about in the dark, and walking slowly on,
taking care to maintain the direction of
the Santa Rita Mountains, whose lofty
peaks l could plainly see at short in
tervals, standing out boldly in the light
ning-illuminated sky. l knew that Fort
Crittenden was situated at or near the
foot of these peaks.
After awhile the thunderstorm began to
abate. the torrents of rain diminished into
a light, steady drizzle, the streaks of light
ming became fewer and fewer, and at last
ceased altogether; by this l lost the only
guide for my bearings, for around me was
the blackest darkness and the deepest sill
ence. But bark! here comes sound
waited over the mesa by rising wind
coming through the Huachuca Pass. A
howl, then another, then several more and
directly an internal concert breaks loose,
emanating from the throats of at least a
hundred bowling, hungry coyotes, striking
upon my nerves, already overwrought to q
high degree of tension. Had they scented
or perhaps already found and devoured my
wandering horse? Would they dare to at
tack me, encouraged by numbers and the
all-pervading darkness? AS / carried
good new Colts revolver, carefully loaded
before starting, Il had but little fear of
their attack, knowing their cOwardly ma
ture; but. still. made for every object whose
density of darker darkness in the obscurity
indicated a solid body. be it a tree, or
rock or a bush, in order to keep, at all
events, my back covered. The howling
seemed to increase every minute, and l
am afraid to tell the number at which I
estimated these packs of prairie wolves.
While / thus wandered stepping slow
ly with extended arms l came suddenly
to steep descent, lost my footing and
partly rolled and partly slid down a steep
incline to the great detriment of the rear
part of my trousers. The declivity l ira
versed in this manner, fortunately not
steep enough to cause direct fall, must
have been fully 100 yards. l landed safely
at the bottom of gulch, out of which
crawled with ease. Upon reaching level