Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-05-03
Copyright, 1859


The Colonel had never been cruel at
heart: in fact he was generous to
the point Of extravaganza and his
charities were many and widely dis
tributed. Discovery had benefited
greatly by his generosity and he had
helped those whom he had never SEEN
But. when his old friends, Pancho
Leon and Major Richard Winston. ap-
pealed to him on one occasion. to as
sist tribe of starving Apaches. en-
camped near his hacienda, he burst
into a rage.
Let them die: the dogsI" he ex-
claimed. as he arose and paced back
and forth. They killed the best part
Of me at Glorieta fifteen years ago!"
At the time of writing Colonel Hor-
ton was one Of the wealthiest land
owners In Mexico. His most valuable
possession had been his daughter.
whom he had christened Liberty the
day after the Glorieta massacre. and
who was now seventeen.
Although she had never attended
school. Liberty had been provided
with special tutor who had given
her an excellent training. Every sum-
mer she had spent several weeks with
the family of Major Winston in AL
buquerque.
1t was while visiting the winstons
that Liberty received word of the seri-
Gus Illness of her father. The terrible
exposures he had undergone while
fighting the Apaches were now exact
ing their tolls with the aid of apoplexy
and Liberty reached home just in time
to learn of her fathers death.
Nj
rather peculiar one. 1t made Major
Richard Winston and Pancho Leon the
| trustees of his vast estate and Gre
ated them guardians of his daughter
and only child. 1t also commanded
! that Liberty must not marry before
| reaching the age of twenty-one with
out the written approval of both trus-
tees Further, it bequeathed $1,000
to the Coloners faithful servant, Pc
dro; a saddle to Manuel, son of Pancho
Leon and his favorite horse to Cap
| tain Robert Rutledge. of the Texas
| Rangers.
| 1t further declared that Liberty
must live one year at the home of
Major Winston, in Albuquerque. and
the next year with the Pancho family
at the Horton estate in Discovery.
| Desiring to fulfill her fathers
| wishes. Liberty prepared to leave for
the Winston home at Albuquerque. Old
1 Pedro. who had been her fathers faith
fuT slave for several years, and was
as devoted to her as a squaw to her
papoose. aided her in packing.
For Pancho Leon and his son Man
uel, Liberty held no high regard. and
she believed that her fathers decision
| fn 10 pan hn Of ho
of the estate held ominous forebod-
ings for her. They had been warm
friends of Juan Lopez. majordomo of
| the rancho. and there was something
in the eye of Lopez that Liberty
feared.
So. it was with no great content
ment that Liberty left her fathers
house and started for Albuquerque to
fulfill the provisions of the will. But
before she went she warned Pedro to
keep his eyes open and at the slightest
sign of trouble to warn her. And
Pedro, faithful until death, sought to
allay her suspicious and promised.
The Winston home in Albuquerque
was one of the oldest in that section
of the city known as the new town.
1t stood near the Plaza and had been
built IN the early forties by Colonel
Robert Winston. who journeyed west
from New Hampshire in prospect OF
gold. He didn't find the mellow orc
but instead became one of the biggest
cattle owners in New Mexico, and
when he died he passed on to his
son. his only heir, a large fortune
Here Major Winston. who was q
veteran of the Civil war. lived hap.
PLY with his wife and daughter
Abeyta. Abeyta was a very attrac
tive girl. about Liberty's age, and was
christened this Indian name after ar
old Navajo squaw. who had been In
the Winston household for years
Now at this time there was a grea-
deal of unrest among the Mexican.
along the border, and 1t was said tina
there was a plot being formed b,
some Of the poems to revolt against thu
government. which had at its head on,
Rodriguez Guerrero. This news was
brought to Captain Robert Rutledg,
!: of the Texas Rangers. who was in
structed by Washington to keep a clos.
watch on the border.
Rutledge was as brave a ranger q.
} ever faced a greaser and he feares
> nothing but God