Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1940-10-10
'"'RANCH0 -
CARMEN. ~
BY FRANK H. SPEARMAN

where he was challenged by SEN
| try, whom he answered in good
Spanish and asked for shelter.
The sentry called the captain of
the guard out into the rain from a
game of seven-up.
| Whether this was unpleasant for
the captain, whether the call spoiled
a winning streak, or whether the
captain had had too much pulque,
Bowie never could figure out. But
he was very brusque. He ordered
Bowie to dismount, ordered him
searched and disarmed. No answer
that the Texan could make to his
insolent questioning would satisfy
him. He pronounced Bowie a spy,
| put him under arrest and sent him
| to the guardhouse.
The Texans surprise was equaled
by his annoyance and his contempt
for his captors. However, he reflect
ed that night in the dry guard
house would be better than a night
in the rain. But to find himself for
the first time in his California life
without his knife, his revolver, or
his rifle and his ammunition was
something to disturb him. He tossed
all night and could console himself
only by thinking that in the morn
ing he would easily satisfy the COM
andante that his arrest was owing
to the drunken stupidity of the
guard.
After much palaver the next
morning he was brought before an
underling of the governor and SUBJ
jected to a grilling that astonished
him. His own simple tale of who
he was and what he was doing in
San Diego was brushed aside as of
no value, and he was questioned
closely as to what his relations we're
with the faction that Governor Pico
of the department feared was plan
ming an attack on him personally.
After hours of examination which
naturally developed nothing Bowie
was remanded to the guardhouse.
There he fretted and funed day
after day until his resentment wore
itself dumb. He was summoned at
last before the governor himself.
This, the prisoner felt sure, would
be the end of it.
Such was not the case. Pico bore
name that inspired all who sought
justice at his hands with forebod-
ing. But the Texan knew nothing of
the mentality that characterized this
leader of the mission spoilers.
Again Bowie told his story; it fell
on deaf ears. The strange revolver
| taken from him was not merely evil
dence but proof conclusive in Pico's
Judgment that Bowie was a spy.
His protestations availed him moth
ing.
At three o'clock he was notified
| that he would be shot as spy next
morning. Bowie took the message,
silent and hard featured, from the
guard who brought it. But with his
wits keyed high by the amazing
news, he studied closely through the
bars of the peephole in the cell door
| the features of the Indian soldier who
bore the message It flashed sud-
denly on Bowie that he had seen
that man before. Sanchez" he
said calmly, 81 thank you for tell
ing me this"
The Indian started at the utter
ance of his name. 81 thank you,
Sanchez" continued Bowie, un-
moved by the stolid guards amaze
ment, because you and I are old
friends. You do not recognize me;
I am covered with half a beard and
unwashed and eaten by vermin.
Look closer, Sanchez" Bowie low
cred his voice-"look closer. I am
Bowie, whom you knew at Guada-
lupe. We fought together in the can
yon of the Santa Maria-did we
not?"
Sanchez stared hard at him. Bow
les very quiet pierced the sluggish
ness of his Indian nature.
'Senor," he stammered. speaking
low and with the utmost caution.
II remember all. l did not know
you How can I help you? If I let
you out they will shoot me-"
! "Do nothing of that kind. Only,
as soon as you can, bring me some
thing to eat and pass me a good
knife. That's all-go. Tell them I
will be ready"
Sanchez proved not ungrateful.
Bowie's contempt for everything
and everyone concerned in his i'm
prisonment was not lessened by the
threat of immediate death. But he
set to work, within a minute after
the knife was in his hand, to dig
himself out of his crude surround
ings.
Working feverishly for an hour in
the clay underlying the stone floor,
he had made progress in his tunnel
when, although no sound reached his
ear, the 'scant light through the
peephole of his cell door lessened
| just enough to make him realize
someone was looking in.
Expecting bullet in the back of
his head, he turned as unconcerned-
ly as possible from the bunk near
which he was working. Behind the
bunk lay the loose earth scooped
from under the floor. He glanced
toward the peephole. A face was