The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-11-08
g Frank Il. spearman
WNu Service
CHAPTER XIII

Rancho Guadalupe was not quiet
during the year following Bowie's
departure. Political disturbances
marked the period throughout Cali
fornia. Rival Mexican factions were
in motion most of the time. Free
mont, increasingly bold, had en-
larged the scope of his depredations.
Commodore Stockton had not as yet
told him bluntly where he belonged.
Pardaloe and Simmie, deserted by
Bowie, felt the wanderlust and re-
signed at Guadalupe to betake
themselves to Suffers where, as
hunters and rifemen, they were
welcomed by the energetic Swiss.
If there had been lingering, after
Bowie's departure from Guadalupe,
a penumbra of the reputation that
his presence had established at the
rancho, it faded completely when
his scouts left. Minor marauders
had heretofore steered clear of the
noted hacienda, since the Tejanos
were known to visit swift and severe
punishment on any who ran off
horses or cattle. The wild Tulares,
the Mexican rovers and the wan
dering Americanos had long been
content to do their pillaging else
where.
Seemingly everything united in
that year to make the situation of
Don Ramon and Guadalupe unpleas-
ant. And at the dinners many were
the regretful expressions that Bowie
had deserted the rancho-for so his
going was mildly characterized by
his Spanish friends.
One morning after an especially
exasperating report had come in
from Pedro, about a caballeria Of
horses that had been run off during
the night by thieving Americanos,
Carmen spoke up with spirit.
"But why" she asked of no one
in particular, "why, instead of talk
ing so much about it, don't we do
| something about getting Senior Bow
lie back?"
What could be done, even to get
track of him, let alone getting him
back to Guadalupe? Inquiry fol-
lowed inquiry concerning him. Car
men especially took up the subject
with energy. It was quite in vain.
His friends were besought to hunt
him up. DR.. Doane was enlisted;
he worked at the task. He had a
friendly interest in bringing him
back to what appeared to his vision
an o1forad situation
At Mission Santa Clara Padre
Martinez was appealed to. He, too,
was very ready to do what he could,
which was little, but he wrote to
fellow missioners in the South to
ask that they be on the lookout. In
Yerba Buena Nathan Spear, DR..
Doane's friend, told the doctor that
he had in his safe a considerable
sum of money belonging to Bowie
but had no clue as to where the
owner might be. He could write,
and did write, to his Los Angeles
correspondent. Beyond this, that a
man of the same surname, Bowie,
had been in prison at San Diego on
charge of treason and had made
his escape, nothing further could be
learned as to his whereabouts.
At Suffers neither of Bowie's
men, Pardaloe or Simmie, had any
track of him. They were told at
Suffers that he had packed up, re-
sisting all inducements to remain,
and left the fort.
A ray of light on the fate of the
missing man came, after year or
more, from a least expected quar-
ter. Pedro, one morning, brought
in word that the missing Sanchez
had come back; that he had found
the rascal, Yosco and killed him
and he was hiding somewhere near
Mission Santa Clara and had men,
toned to Indians there news of
Bowie.
Pedro was dispatched to the mis-
sion Indians at once with instruc-
tons to bring Sanchez back by fair
means or foul, to assure him that
his old job was open for him and
that, while he had not been forgiv-
en- for killing the man who had TAX
en- his sweetheart, his conduct would
be overlooked. After two days Of
suspense at Guadalupe Pedro, ear
ly the third morning, walked into
the office of Don Ramon to say he
had Sanchez with him.
Dona Maria and Carmen joined
Don Ramon and waited to hear San
chez story. It was vivid and alb
sorbing, for Sanchez told everything.
But in the end the question mark
of mystery still remained. The two
men had parted in the mountains,
Sanchez to go north, Bowie to work
his way over the inhospitable ST.
erras and across the trackless des-
ert and the Staked Plain into far
away Texas.
It was a recital so convincing that
none thought to question it. Surmise
fixed only on the possibilities of the
outcome. To undertake such feat,
even in a stout company of from
tiersmen, at that early period Of
California travel, was enough to
give the hardy pause; to attempt it
alone uas a challenge tn the most