The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1917-02-01
CHAPTER al.
The Spanish Sinks.

IN two extended groups, separated
by d narrow but well-defned break, q
magnificent rampant, named by Span
lards the Superstition mountains,
stretches beyond the horizon to the
south, along the vast depression known
ss the Spanish sinks. The break on
the eastern side of the chain comes
about twenty miles southwest of
Sleepy Cat, and is marked on the
north by the most striking, and in
some respects most majestic peak in
the range-Music mountain; the break
itself has taken the name of it's earliest
white settlers, and is called Morgan's
gap No railroad has ever yet pene-
frated this southern country, despite
the fact that rich mines have been
opened along these mountains, and are
still being opened; but it lies today in
much Of the condition of primitive saw
agery, and lawleSSness, as the word is
conyentiOnally accepted, that obtained
when the first rush was made for the
Thief River gold fields.
Business is done in this country ; but
Business must halt everywhere with
its means of communication, and in
tie Music Mountain country is still
rests on the facilities of a stage line.
The bullion wagons still travel the
difficult roads. They look for safety to
their armed hOrsemen; the four and
six-horse stages look to the armed
guard, the wayfarer must look to his
hOrse-and it should be a good one;
the mountain rancher to his rifle, the
cattle thief to the moOnless night, the
bandit to his wits, the gunman to his
holster; these include practically all
the people that travel the Spanish
sinks, except the MOrgans and the Nor
mons The MOrmOnS looked to the
N0rgans for safety; the MOrgans to
themselves.
For many year the Morgans have
been almost Overlords of the Music
Mountain country. They own, or have
laid claim to, an extended territory in
Gbe mountains, a Spanish grant. Nor
gans gap opens south of Music noun
tail. less than ten miles west of Gala
Jasas. It is q narrow valley where
valleys are more precious than water
for the mountain valley means Wa
teE-and this in a country where water
is much more precious than life. And
s0ne of the best of this land at the
tOot Of Music mountain was the ma
te1nal Inheritance Of Nan Morgan.
At Calabasas the Thief River stage
~lne maintains completely equipped
relay barns. They are over twenty
miles from Sleepy Cat, but nearly fifty
zhe other way from Thief river. And
except a few shacks, there is nothing
between Calabasas, Thief river and
the mountains except sunshine and
8lkaI. say nothing, meaning especial
" nothing in the way of human hab1-
tatiOn.
The Calabasas inn stood in one of
ale ioneliest canyons of the whole sew
enty miles between Sleepy Cat and
Thief river; it looked in it's depletion
~ be What it was, sOmber, mysterl-
Jus. sun, wind and alkali-beaten pile
around which was a ruin like those
MetentiOus deserted structures some
ulAes seen in frontier tOwns-rellcS OF
>1e Wlde-Open days, which stand after
"afd stark and sOmber, to serve as
oaS nests or blind pigs. The inn at
-"laDaSas looked it's part-a haunt OF
10suers, haven of nameless men, q
>7!uge Of rOad-agents.
me very first time De Spain made
al inspection trip over the stage line
WIN Lefever, he was conscious of the
~lNIster air of this lonely building. He
Nu Aefever had ridden down from the
Solh while their horses were being
G14i"nged, to look at the place. De
~p"ih wanted to look over everything
sONnected in any way, however remote
-, with the operation of his wagons, |
~ This joint, Lefever had told him,
"S "here the freighters and drivers |
,a not infrequently robbed of their |
oney 1t was here that one of their |
~an men, Bill McCarty, once
,atched a mans neck with a !
t,hblle-which, Bill explained, he just |
h"pi,ened' to have in his hand-fOr !
,ho "1'ne at cards. Lefever pointed out |
NJ q unlucky gamblers grave as he and |
The inn. ~ '0 ' 0 "
sha' ot sign of any sort was displayed |
wto I' The habitation. No man was in |
ont TO enter, no man warned to keep
sta.a none was anywhere in sight. The
lnssS men dismounted, threw their
hs pushed open the front door of /
"oQSe and ontarod q ,.ooro 20 49,,