Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-26
CHAPTER w.
Night Signals From the Agency.

Touching that matter of the relief and
rescue of Lieut. Fane's command, there
was much misunderstanding at the time
and much mssta tement afterward, in
which, finally established by patient
ard impartial investigation, "Ould Spigots
had led off with magnificent, though as he
would have it. unconscious mendacity.
Lafferty had succeeded, after much peril,
some suffering and more delay, in reaching
the fort in the dead of night-the second
night after his morning start in the star
light From the sentry at the stables he
learned that Capt. Turner, with two sub
alterns and all the available cavalry at
the post, had been sent forth by the major
commanding to gather in coax and bring
back the refugees from the reservation,
for whom. indeed, the major was respon-
slple, and of whom an astute agent de-
clared, They are simply frightened away
by the threats and bullying of the soldiers
of the guard" And "Spigots' professed
to believe him.
Turner had been gone forty-eght hours
when Lamerty arrived. Turner had theo-
RES or his own as to whether the rene
gades were drawn or driven. but he wisely
suppressed them until beyond probability
or recall to the post. Then he took his
officers and certain sergeants into his con-
hdence. He also took another trail. South
west from the San Carlos had the Indians
lifted to Tonic Pass, where they concen-
trated along the road to Danger Canon.
Southwestward from the post, and until
well beyond Sombrero Peak Turner ODE
dlentiy followed his instructions-and the
same road Then, halting for a few hours
to rest and bait his men and horses he
babe one of the most trustworthy nom
commissioned officers to take the binocu-
lar and keep sharp lookout for signal
hres anywhere about the peak, now several
miles TO the right rear; also for answering
signals from the opposite and more distant
range to the west. This done, Turner COM
posed himself to sleep. Three hours later
ne was I'D and listening wi all
gravity TO Sergeant Hickeys report and
hickey was a regimental celebrity
Iwo nres at the peak, sorr, and two
way up yonder in the Sierra
Sure, sergeant?' asked Turner I'VE
may have to swear to it,"
sure sorr; swear to it on stack of
Blbles-if the captain says so"
Sure he muttered to himself and to
others of his coterie, a moment later with
his tongue in his cheek and a wink in his
eye Sure as l know Corp-ril Gribble was
slnt 10 start EN- at the peak leastwise-
the Sierra" ''' o'''
Sierra be ID, Hickey" laughed Ser
geant Wells. Did you see e'er blaze
norIh"est OF Somprero-where the ould
man pointed?" And Wells was beginning
10 see why Gribble with three followers.
had been sent off to the right front ten
hours earlier, when the Peak doomed due
west.
Why wouldn't l, Wells. wild Collins an
ms hand glass glintin' into the big end of
the binocular?' and there was shout
from his listeners.
Now, Turner's orders read: "FolIow tho
trail of the Indians reported to have taken
the road through Tonic Pass unless there
should be indications that they have cross
ed the Salado and are making for the Mat
ltzal But Turner's long experience in
Apache land had taught him that to follow
on tnat tran meant simply to keep an over
whelming band of warriors-actuated by
some sudden and vehement impulse-be-
hir,l nr1I 10
sent forth under Fame. Turner knew that
Fame would probably seek to return by the
Pass, that he would therefore stand every
chance of being held up somewhere between
the Coyotero-where he had been warned
not to stOp-and the crest of the Sierra
The Indians had abundant force, not only
to surround Fame, but to render that Pass
impassabie to Turner, even though Turner
had eighty men. There was Just one way,
in his judgment, to reach his lieutenant
and then, from the west to turn on the
renegades and drive, not coax them back
mat way was to quit the road-in fine to
disregard the majors injunction to keep his
command ever as a screen between the
hostiles in the Sierra and the little garri-
son at the post. The old trail to the Tonic
Creek and Wild Rye country led northwest
from the nearby crossing of the Salado
Now, If only indications" of some Kind
could be discovered warranting the theory
that the bulk of the Indians had turned
that way, after reaching the Sierra, there
to rest and reconnoiter. Therefore the dou-
bled fires at the Peak. Therefore Sergeant
Hickey'S report that answering signals had
been discovered up the range and that he
had not seen one to the south and south
west.
why would l." grinned Hickey, later
wild Collins caubeen between the Sierra
an the spyglass?"
BY dawn, therefore, the second full day
out. Turner, with four score seasoned
troopers had, all unoppOsed, pierced the
range ten miles north of Tonic Pass. had
reached the Coyotero slope, and then turn
ing sharp to the southwark, made his way
toward the scene of Fane's desperate fight
for life, and got there, indeed, not one mo-
nent too soon.
With what followed afeld this story has
little TO do. Leaving a surgeon, a small
guard and abundant supplies with the res
cued- and giving himself barely time for
words, either of congratulation or COM
mfSeration, the captain pushed on after the
Apaches. most of them only too glad by
this time to bark back to shelter and
something to eat. Dr. Evans gathered up
the wounded officers and troopers, had
them borne down to the tanks for tenn
porary relief. and by nghtfull saw them
all in a bivouac a mile farther on, where
springfield brook came rushing down the
rocks, and there had they to remain and
rest in the pure mountain air until filters
could be made and pack mules spared and
sent back from Turner's command.
Meanwhile there was tribulation at the
throes OF blue funk. On the one hand he
feared an Indian assault on the post; on
the other a general raking over from the
department and division commanders. The
worst outbreak of years had occurred right
here within his martial baliwick, and he
had done nothing to prevent 1t.
True, he had had scant word of warning.
The first news of trouble came through
stampeded prospectors. 1t was their
count of the devltry beyond Danger canon
that, mentally discounted about 80 per
cent. induced him to order out half troop,
and later to cut that down TO a lieutenant
and twenty men. 1t was not until two
days after Fane's departure that vigorous
cross-questoning of the agent developed
the fact that perhaps dozen young braves
had been gone week. overstaying their
hunting pass.
1t was not until Fame had been gone five
days that official confirmation was given
to rumors of hubbub at the agency. 1t
was not until the sixth day that Spgots
was appealed to by the agent to recover his
lost children, who to the number of two
hundred more, admitted, had
fled to the westward mountains lin terror
of the soldier guard" The agent did
not even then confide to the major COM
manding that runners had come with news
of a fight with Fanes party and the cap
ture of big chief Soalay. Turner and