The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-03-25

For two days Summers had plodded
On, pursuing his solitary way through
this silent region. He had left the
Colorado river, bound for Esoalante,
fearful Of all manner of disasters on
the road. II he succeeded in keep
ing the trail, his friends told him he
would not find the water-holes. II.
he discovered the water-holes, they
said, his horse would not pick enough
grass to keep It going. If feed was
obtained. they warned him against rat
tlesnakes, tarantulas, Gila monsters.
and the like. And if he escaped these
reptiles, hts associates cautioned him
finally, the desperadoes Of the district
would be quite certain to oyertake
him.
Had there been fewer or lesser dan
gers he would probably not have I'M
dertaken the ride But with such
formidable array against him the ven
ture became a sort Of trial Of the met
tie OF John Summers, government en-
gineer. and he determined to achieve
1t. The journey thus far had been SO
oppressively monotonous that the man
was wishing that something would
turn up soon.
Yet when, shortly, the clatter
Ing Of horses hoofs over the stones
below him in the rocky wash came to
his ears as he sat resting by a spring
In the midst Of a tapgle Of cotton
woods and willows, all his desire for
adventure forsook him. He remounted
and made up the canyon at his best
speed.
Horses suggested men and men sug-
gested outlaws In southern central
Utah at that day. And outlaws were
exactly what the engineer did not
care to encounter. For a decade the
district has passed as Robbers
Roost. and the gangs that so long
found retreat in its mazes have only
in latest years been generally routed.
John Summers pressed on for half
an hour, cogitating on the situation,
and arrived at these conclusions:
First, it would be eminently proper
that he learn who constituted the
party behind; second. should they
prove to be outlaws he would stand
small chance OF escaping by running
Coming now to a fork Of the can
yon which lent itself admirably TO his
purposes, the traveller formed a plaI
for an investigation Heled his horse out
Of the dry trail and up the other rocky
wash The footing was over hard
shiny stones. and no trace was left
Summers thought, of the course he
had taken. A little higher up, a leve
floor of the chasm was overgrowr
with a dense thicket of pinons anC
serub-cedars. Hidden away here, The
horse was tied, and the rider glideC
back toward the trail.
Not for an instant did he show him
self, but, sheltered by one rock or trel
after another, he warily wormed hi
way along. seyenty-five yards from
the main path he crawled into sultr,
rock cleft, well up from the bottom o
the channel. There, perfectly Sc
creted and making himself as comfort
abs as he might, he awaited his fol
lowers.
Before long a man appeared rounl
a tawny rock 200 yards below. Twi
Others followed, and advanced unit
they were near Summers. They wor
pistols and each carried a rife
John Summers sat and wondered
J How any one had learned that it wa
worth while to follow him was a que:
tion he could not answer
All three men progressed slowly
with great caution, pausing n,
/ quently when the trail seemed din
and not advancing until the next sig
was discovered farther on. With thre
minutes scrambling, the trio wer
! brought opposite John Summers
hiding place His carbine, lying O
the rock. commanded the foremos
as his voice rang out.
Hands upla
} The leader looked in the directio
Of the summons, fingered his gui
and ended with eleyating both arm
without unnecessary delay. The larg
man and the guide followed the e,
ample OF their captain The engil
eer's second command was delivere
almost instantaneously:
Face this way. Be careful not I
make any awkward movements; W
; don't ike EN-. Now just pitch YOU
guns up the bank toward US. L,
EN- come 20 feet at least
Three rifles were hurled up II
slope, fell. slid TO anchorage on Ii
rocks. and we're safe.
Then there happened surpri
! ing thing in the rock embrasur
!, causing bewilderment en- the face
, Of the three pursuers. A dee
, bass voice was heard to mutter
/ Pretty lot amt they?9 To which
+, pleasant tenor responded "Beauts"
It was an old trick Of Summer
/ with which he had amused parloi
! many times. He tried the tenor fu
ther It called:
/ Say, you fellows. do you think
shut. up, Jack. followed his ow
!, familiar tones.
It was apparent that the engine,