The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1906-11-15
When the Bees SWarmed

Copyright 1906. by C, H. sutcllffe.l
Fourteen times the paymaster and
his safe and escort passed over his
route and returned smiling. When
they started out for the fifteenth trip
mexican Charlie" had his plans all
laid. He was Mexican half breed,
and when you have such a man look
out for deviltry. He was a hanger on
around the stage stations for hun
dred miles up and down the line. He
was a gambler, a horse thief and sus-
pected of murder, and he had the nee
essary qualifications to make him n
leader of other bad men. He was
two months making his plans, and
they were laid for the complete wipe
out of the entire party, lie didn't pro
pose to leave singh man alive to
Identify him afterward.
When the roundup was completed
the outlaw gang numbered an even
twenty men, and all were armed with
Winchesters and revolvers. The route
was gone over and the spot finally
settled on for the attack was midway
between Forts Davis and Concho.
There the rude mountain road wound
upward for half mile, TO pitch sud
denly into ravine with walls fifty
feet high and its length half mile or
more.
To collect nineteen outlaws together,
hide them away for n week, hold
them steady and fit out part of the
number with horses and arms was no
slight undertaking, but the half breed
successfully accomplished it, and that
without arouslng suspicion. On the
first day of certain July the outlaw
band was posted In the ravine, and the
major left Fort Davis at an hour to
bring him to the spot at about noon.
Whites and Indians We're at peace
and the country quiet, and the pay
master and his escort had not the
slightest hint Of the reception the out
laws had In store for them.
II may have been known 10 the
mountain Indians that the caves and
crevces In the walls of the ravine
were inhabited by wild bees. but 1t
certainly was not TO the whites. They
had bred and swarmed there for
years On this July day there was an
angry buzzlng high above the heads of
the outlaws, but they gave II no atten-
ton The rocks We're warming up and
the bees getting ready TO swarm.
Scouts had been sent forth 10 find
other creyices and report, and thou
sands upon thousands of the hot head
ed insects were ready to swarm out
and follow their leaders TO new homes.
Stretched on the shelves or posted
behind powders. the outlaws were
waiting for their prey. They got the
signal that the escort was Coming
across The fiat; then that It was foillng
up the long hill; then. after "a mo-
ments wait, that II was about to enter
the ravine. The half breed had told
his men over and over 10 fire to kill.
10 wipe out every soldier at the first
volley, but he told them again. There
were twenty bullets for eleven men
and every outlaw having rest for his
rifle and target not twenty feet
away.
OF sudden one Of the bee scouts
settled down on the bare hand OF one
OF the outlaws He sought TO flick II
of, and the insect stung him and few
away. II would seem as II II few up
to the others and warned them Of the
trespassers and melted them TO battle.
Within a minute perfect cloud OF
them descended. They were angry
and excited and looking for a fight
The outlaws could make no defense
against such an enemy, In thirty sec
onds they were almost literally cover.