The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1904-08-05

pchcu tuut as lie CldiuDeTeu 10 Ills IeeI,
he held his rifle in his left hand and
his rope in his right. and still grasped
them as he dashed forward.
Twenty steps further and he found
he had rushed into quicksand. AT
the same moment he caught sight of
the three Apache hOrsemen, who seem.
ed to have sprung from the ground.
They had halted several rods distant
and made no attempt to get beyond
range. They must have known of the
quicksand, and, skirting it, laid their
plans to entrap him, and did it to per.
lection.
In his rage, Juan paid no attention
at first to his sinking feet, but brought
his Winchester to level and aimed
at one Of the bucks. All three threw
themselves on the other side of their
ponies, but, meaning to fire through the
bodies of their beasts, Juan pulled the
trigger.
To his inexpressible chagrin, the
weapon could not be discharged. In
his fall he had injured the lock be.
yond repair for the time.
Flinging aside the useless gun, he
reached down for his revolver. when he
recalled it was in the holster of his
saddle. He was without any weapon
at all, unless his knife should be con-
sidered such.
The bucks had certainly risked a
great deal in their effort to entrap the
cowman, but they had succeeded to
perfection. He was caught inextri-
cably in quicksand and had not a
single firearm with which to defend
himself.
The Apaches comprehended his
frightful predicament and boiled over
with delight.
One Of them could speak tolerable
English and begun haunting the poor
fellow.
Extending his hand, he said,
'Howdy?" and urged him to come for
ward and shake his palm. He accused
him of being under the influence of
firewater, so that he could not walk,
and at sight of the furious but vain
struggles of the helpless victim, the
three broke into uproarious laughter.
Surely they had not had one-half as
much fun since they were born.
Now nothing would have been easier
than for any one or all three of the
bucks, from their coign Of vantage,
to shoot the ranchman, but that would
have ended his suffering and termi-
mated their enjoyment.
1t would be hard to picture the hor-
rible peril in which Juan Ricardo was
caught. None knew better than he the
nature # the treacherous soil beneath
him.
AS soon as he was freed of the pres
ence of the Apaches, Juan began strug-
Cling with the energy of desperation.
He knew it was useless to shout, for
his voice could not penetrate half way
to their dwelling, or to where some of
his friends might be looking after the
cattle. He had neither gun nor pistol
to attract attention by firing in the
air.
The afternoon was wearing away.
Not living person was in sight, and
Juan reflected that it was not likely
his friends would discover his fate for
several days, and then they would
learn it only by seeing the carcass of
his horse, showing where he had shot
over his head and plunged into the
Guicksand.
He was saddened at sight Of his
faithful beast, who had given up his
life in the performance Of duty, just
as he himself was about to do. He
looked 1.-THE saddle, the cinch. the box
stirrup lying loosely against his side,
the bride and the horn Of the saddle,
around which he was accustomed to
coil his lasso, and as his eyes fell upon
it the ranchman was trilled from
head to foot by thought which came
like an inspiration.
The next moment he had coiled the
rope and began swinging the end round
his head, in the fashion that no man
could do as we'll as he. He was at
much disadvantage, for his body was
held firmly, but his arms were free,
and he was as cool and self-possessed
as when about to throw running bull
or engage in one of the friendly con-
tests with some Of his friends.
With the matchless skill he had so
often displayed he shot the loop for.
ward, and the next second it settled
around the horn or hook in the saddle,
just as he knew it would do, and he
drew it taut.
Communication was thus established
with terra firma, but the danger was
that in endeavoring to pull himself out
of the quicksand he would pull the
body of the horse into it, without help
ing himself.
He worked with infinite caution. He
moved the heavy form of the pony sew.
eral times, and more than once thought
he was going to spoil everything; but
as a small piece Of wood will support
man in the water, the resistance he
was able to offer prevented his sinking
deeper, and by and by he was able