The Snowflake herald., 1921-02-18

Single handed, l could not nave pur-
sued better tactics, for the red men.
convinced by sudden surprise that not
less than regiment of regulars was
upon them, turned and fled in every
direction for their bows, arrows and
rifles.
The view which their hurried ,r0ut-
ing disclosed filed me with apprehen-
sion and with rage. Under the clear
rays Of the Arizona moon lay Powell,
his body fairly bristling with the ar
rows of the braves. That he was al
ready dead | could not but be con-
vinced, and yet | would have saved
his body from mutiIation at the hands
of the Apaches as quickly as | would
have, saved the man himself from
death.
Riding close TO him I reached down
from the saddle. and grasping his
cartridge belt drew him up across the
withers of my mount. To return by
the way I had come would be more
hazardous than to continue across the
plateau, so, putting spurs to my poor
beast, l made dash for the opening
to the pass which could distinguish
on the far side of the tableand.
The Indians had by this time dis
covered that was alone and ! was
pursued with imprecations, arrows.
and rifle balls The fact that was a
rather rapidly moving target saved
me from the various deadly proiectiles
of the enemy and permitted me to
reach the shadows of the surrounding
peaks before an orderly pursuit could
be organized.
My horse was travelling practically
unguided. as | knew that had prob
ably less knowledge Of the exact lOca
tion of the trail to the pass than he
and thus it happened that he entered
a defile which led to the summit o.
the range and not to the pass which
had hoped would carry me to the val
ley and to safety.
My first knowledge that was on
the wrong trail came when | heard
the yells of the pursuing savages sud
denly grow fainter and fainter far of
to my left.
drew rein on a little level promon
tory overlooking the trail below and
to my left. and saw the party Of pur
suing savages disappearing around the
point of neighhoring peak
knew the Indians would soon dis
cover that they were on the wrong
-, No IN
he renewed in the right direction as
soon as they located my tracks.
l had followed the trail for perhaps a
hundred yards when a sharp turn tC
the right brought me to the mouth Of
large cave The opening was aboa'
four feet in height and three to fon
feet wide, and at this opening the trai
ended.
Dism0nnting. laid Powell upon th,
ground. but the most painstaking ex
animation failed to reveal the faintest
spark of life.
Leaving the body where it lay oi
the ledge | crept into the cave to re-
connoiter. | found large chamber
possibly hundred feet in diameter
and thirty or forty feet in height; .
smooth and well-worn floor. and manl
other evidences that the cave had 81
some remote period. been Inhabited.
AS | was continuing my examina.
ton commenced TO feel a pleasant
drowsiness creeping over me which
attributed TO the fatigue of my long
-.
from the excitement of the fight ant
the pursuit.
/ soon became so drowsy that !
could scarcely resist the strong desire
to throw myself on the floor of tht
cave for few moments rest, hut !
knew that this would never do, as II
would mean certain death al the
hands of my red friends. who mign'
be upon me at any moment. With ~