The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-02-03
CHAPTER III.
The Spanish Sinks.

In two extended groups, separated
by q narrow but well-detined break, a
magnificent rampant, named by Span
dards the Superstition mountains,
stretches beyond the horizon to the
south, along the vast depression known
as 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 suost majestic peak in
the range-Mhslc mountain; the break
itself has tax IN the name of its earliest
white settlers. and is called Morgan's
gap. No railroad has ever yet pene-
trated 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
conventionally 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
the Music Mountain country is still
rests on the facilities of 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
norse-and it should be good one;
the mountain rancher to his rife, 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
sdnks, except the Morgaps and the Nor
mons. The Mormons looked to the
Mergans for safety; the Morgans to
themselves.
For many a year the Morgans have
been almost overlords of the Music
Mountain country. They own, or have
laid claim to, an extended territory in
the mountains, a Spanish grant. Nor
kan's gap opens south of Music noun
tain. less than ten miles west of Gala
basas. 1t is a narrow valley where
valleys are more precious than water
for the mountain valley means wa
ter-and this in country where water
Is much more precious than life. And
some of the best of this land at the
foot of Music mountain was the ma
teTnal inheritance of Nan Morgan.
At Calabasas the Thief River stage
line maintains completely equipped
relay barns. They are over twenty
miles from Sleepy Cat, but nearly fifty
the other way from Thief river. And
except few shacks, there is nothing
between Calabasas, Thief river and
the mountains except sunshine and
alllali. say nothing, meaOirg especial
Iy nothing in the way Of a human habi-
Tation.
The CaIabasas inn stood in one of
the Ioneliest canyons Of the whole sew
enty miles between Sleepy Cat and
Thief river; it looked in it's depletion
10 be what it was, a sOmber, mysteri-
ouS, sun, wind and alkali-beaten pile
around which was q ruin like those
pretentious deserted structures some.
times seen in frontier toWns-relics OF
the wide-Open days, which stand after
ward, stark and somber, to serve as
bats nests or blind pigs. The inn at
Calabasas looked its part-a haunt of
rastiers, haven of nameless men, a
refuge of road-agents.
The very first time De Spain made
an inspection trip over the stage line
with Lefever, he was conscious of the
sinister air Of This lonely building. He
and Lefever had ridden down from the
barn, while their horses were being
changed, to look at the place. De
Spain wanted TO look over everything
connected in any way, however remote
Iy, with the operation of his wagons
and this joint, Lefever had told him
was where the freighters ard drivers
were not infrequently robbed of theii
money. 1t was here that one of theil
own men, Bill mccarthy, onct
scratched q mans neck" with {
knife-which, Bill explained he jus
happened" to have in his hand--fcI
cheating at cards. Lefever pointed gu
the uniuc1y gamblers grave as he ant
DE Spain rode into the canyon towart
the inn.
Not sign of any sort was displayet
shout the habitation. No man was in
vfteG to enter, no man warned to keel
ont. none was anywhere in sight. Tb'
atRge men dismounted threw thei
aaes, pushed open the front door o.
A. aouse aud entered q room OF per