The Holly chieftain., 1917-03-16
FIRST EPISODE
The Lair Of the Wolf.

he rode into Discovery and showed
his horse In the shed back Of the
AlvnrndO Hotel. declared that james
Horton was one OF the bravest men
thaf ever hit the trail between Al
buquerque and El Pnso. His entry
had been unheralded and unexpected:
where he came from nobody knew.
The Alvarado. In those days. was
run by JACK McGuirk, a rustler, who
had slipped into the west from the
east aud never talked about his past.
One thing was certain. Jnck Nc
Guirk was about the most generous
institution that had ever struck the
alfalfa country.
McGuirk took a fancy to Horton the
moment the big, .stalwart fellow
crossed the threshold and slOuched up
to the bar. Before the dusty stranger
had gulped down his oyergrOwn pOr-
tion Of whisky McGuirk had learned
enough about him to satisfy a con-
siderable part of his curiosity. In
those days. man who could hit the
trail between Las Vegas and Discov-
cry and live to relute his experience
considered himself more than f0rtu-
nate. for prowling bands of Apaches
lurked beyond the old Santa Fe ter
minai to stenl and kill. Horton hnd
reached the border. but a fresh gave
near Glorieta. wherein his wife rested.
and which he had dug with his own
hnnds. nfter the Apnches had fed.
reminded him Of the cost. And.
prairie schooner. which was follow
ing him into Discovery. carried tot
of three. who had been snatched from
the sneaking. hlood-thIrsty tribe. when
Horton sent some of them to the dust
with his rifle. She reminded him TINT
the two OF them were NIL that wIs
left Of family. denrer to him thnn
the belt which encircled his waist.
filed with eastern gold.
Az McGuirk guzed into the burned
and sorrow-palned cOuntennnce of the
big fellow before him. and listened to
his story. his sympathy went out to
him. A weak man weeps at time
like this. but the strong lnnn hnr.le.is
with pain. As. Horton pushed buck
HIN ~ SOuHuctO. WHICH TtStttl on
bushy locks. as black us Mexicnn's
heart. tetinnt look swept across
his face: his eyes became ms fiery as
heated steel and his greut jaws
clicked together like u wise. empha-
sizing the determination In his heart.
"'rhey'll pny for this. pnrdner; by
God they'll pny!" And his bronzed
hand went to his belt. which held an
ugly six-shooter.
"We'll help yer c'llect tibet bill."
added McGuirk us he brought his
clumsy fist down on the bar.
They did pny. When the govern
ment sent Mccullough and his men to
destroy the murderous and thieving
bands, which for years had been loot
ing and killing In the vicinity Of Las
Vegas, Albuquerque and Discovery.
James Horton was one Of the first to
join the fighters. When he met an
Apache he fought like mailman
In due course of time the govern
ment rewarded him by giving him a
commission as captain, and later he
was promoted to colonel. He led
his men with the same fearlessness
which characterized his father when
he headed the Indian troops at Pigeon
Gap. and 1t wasn't long before he
had driven the Apaches back from
the New Mexican trails. The day he
retired he walked into McGuirk's. and.
throwing his. sword on the bar, re-
marked to the proprietor: There
Jack. I'm through with 1t now, for
they've paid me in full. Hang It above
your bar as a reminder to the Apache
that he must behave"
He told the truth. Although there
were thousands of settlers who had
never been able to exact their debts
from the blood-thirsty tribes. the
Colonel had collected, and, as he took
OFF his mud and dust-covered uniform
and laid 1t carefully away in the big
chest in the attic he felt convinced
that the bones of the Apaches, which
were scattered across the big area
from Las Vegas to Discovery, were
physical notes that had long been
overdue; that the brutal death Of one
Of the fairest-fiowers Of the Southland
had been avenged.
The land he owned. which consisted
Of several thousand acres; the great
herds Of cattle that roamed over his
vast estate had been taken from the
Apaches, while the big mansion which
was known ms one Of the finest across
the border, had been constructed, un.