The daily Alaskan., 1915-08-06
AHunter 'sBluf
 By M QUAD Copyright, 1915, by the Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
By M QUAD

| ty of sporting hunters numbering thir- ty entered the elbow of Texas between New Mexico and the Indian territory. While the Comanche Indians were bitterly hostile at that time they had been sadly reduced by smallpox and driven to the north, and old frontiers men stated their belief that the party would not even see one.
 had been invited to make one of the party, but was detained for a cou- ple of days. I then mounted my horse and picked up the trail and followed after, having no fear that 1 should run any danger in thus riding.
 It had come noon of the second day, and I had met with no adventure. l had baited and watered my horse and was ready to move on, when l heard Il 'Yi, VI, VI" on my right, and l turn ed around to see five COmanches com. ing out of the timber on their ponies. They were just half a mile away and had evidently discovered me.
 When a man rides for his life the greatest fear Is in overdoing the mat ter. I had been five years on the plains and had q pretty fair stock of nerve, and l rode to favor my horse.
 As the sun began to sink in the west they sought to shorten the dis tance between us and bring mo into rifle shot, but word to the mustang Checkmated this.
 Had I been able to keep the trail aft CT 3 o'clock I should have counted on finding the party by sundOwn, as we were getting over the ground at n rap id pace, but at about that hour l came to a rough, stony district, where the passage of the horses had left no trail, and l went ahead at random, planning to keep my distance from the river. It was to be a starlight night, and as soon as dusk came urged my beast to q faster pace and bore more to the left When I believed l had gained quarter of a mile swerved sharply to the right, rode for forty rods and then diSmOunted and gave Custer the word to lie down. We were both flat on the earth when the party of pursuers swept by, and the thud, thud, thud of their ponies feet came very plainly to my ears.
 had q cold bite in my haversack, and after diSposing of it stretched out and went to sleep, hoping I had given the red men the slip. I opened my eyes the next morning in astOnish- ment. Seated in a circle about me were the i've Comanches, while their ponies were feeding with my horse. ] lay on my back with my hands clasp ed under my head, and such was my astonlshment that I could not move. Fortunately for me they took this for nerve. I looked from man to man. and finally said in Comanche:
 Had l known you were COmanches I should not have run away. thought you were Chickasaws on stolen horses I shall be ready to go as soon as l have eaten. want to see the Co., manche countrywide vast plains-the Canadian riyer-the mountains full of caves and watCrfalls-your chief, Thunder Cloud"
 One of them asked me if l belonged to the party ahead, and l told him no He asked me how l dared start out alone for the Comancne country, and l told him that I had trapped the noun tain lion and cut out and eaten his liver while still alive, and therefore feared nothing living. could see that they were badly puzzled, and l in creased their wonder by saying, as l finished my breakfast:
 Come It is time to go. We have a long ride, and l am anxious to see your country"
 When we set out, two in front and three behind, and no Indians were ever more puzzled. Tn later years met one of them and he told me that their plan was to torture me as soon as l awoke. They were beat out of this by my queer remarks, intended just for that purpose. Several times during the day l expressed my impatience at our slow pace and asked them to get on faster. and when We went ints camp suw that I had them off their guard. After eating I sat apart from them to smoke and mediate and to give them an opportunity to compare notes. Just when the five got their heads together to discuss something they did not wish me to hear arose and stepped back ward out of the light of the fire, and l