Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1940-09-12
By FRANK H. SPEARMAN

you see!" Bowie weakly acknowl-
edged his obligation by pressing the
hand of Padre Martinez, who sat
beside his bed, and the padre 81
fenced Don Francisco by waving
him out of the room and then fol-
lowing him.
At the door he encountered Don
Ramon just coming to speak to Bow
lie and, in matter of fact, to apollo
gize for exposing his guests life to
such danger. Don Ramon brought
back his nephew Francisco for
translator. "Only few words, Pad
re-" exclaimed Don Ramon. "But
he saved my life. I must, at least.
thank him."
Bowie, who in the everyday course
of the life of a frontiersman would
not have looked on his narrow es-
cape as an extraordinary event,
found himself the hero of the rancho.
Pardaloe and Simmie, shining in the
penumbra of his prestige and though
secretly elated at the feat, put on
airs of Indifference among the va
queros to intimate that where they
came from such incidents were ev-
eryday occurrences.
The days went slowly, almost
painfully, for an active man like
Bowie. Dona Maria, realizing that
her husbands life had been spared
through the diversion of the bears
fury, was unremitting in her solicit
tude for the Texans comfort. And
when he was ready to sit up, Car
men sent flowers and Chinese con-
lection to him.
During the impatient days that fol-
lowed, Bowie had one faithful at
tendant. Don Francisco spent hours
at his bedside and entertained him
with stories of California and of his
people, the rancheros. Bowie was a
good listener. One day while Don
Francisco sat with Bowie a jar of
Canton ginger was sent in with the
compliments of Carmen. Bowie, as
Stunning such Indifference as he could
muster, asked why Carmen wore
black.
"She had a sweetheart, Don Ra-
mon de Haro. He had twin broth
err Now if you are an admirer
of General Fremont" Don Fran
cisco interrupted himself to say,
"you would not like to hear this"
Fremont" said Bowie, ''means
nothing to me-"
"The brothers, one day this
spring, took a boat at Yerba Buena
to row over to San Rafael. They
wanted to see Fremont about get
ting pay for a bunch of steers his
men had taken from the De Haro
rancho. They took with them an
old friend, Don Jose de Berreyesa,
to interpret. The three men landed
at San Rafael, and when they were
seen by Fremont he detailed three
to meet them and kill them"
''Kil them?" echoed Bowie, sur
prised.
LISTEN" continued Don Francis
CO. Zone of these three men sent
by Fremont was his scout, Kit Car
son. Carson, before he set out,
asked Fremont whether he should
take these three Californians pris-
oners. Fremont growled, I've got
no room for prisoners
carson and his two men dis
mounted about fifty yards from the
De Haro boys and Berreyesa, who
were walking. up the hill unarmed,
and, covering them with rifles, de-
liberately shot the three"
Bowie frightened up little. els
that the kind of man Fremont is?"
he asked.
Judge for yourself" returned
Don Francisco succinctly.
For a moment Bowie made no
comment. give heard some tough
stories about him." he said slowly,
"but nothing to equal that
"They buried the boys-fne young
fellows-and. poor Berreyesa. You
can imagine how Californians
felt"
81 can"
'Senofita Carmen was wild. Don
Ramon and she were not, what you
say, engaged, but they were deeply
in love. I really believe if she could
have got hold of Fremont she would
have strangled him. No wonder she
hates Americanos."
Bowie's padre surgeon, Martinez,
came often. When the danger had
passed he confessed he had greatly
feared infection. "But I should have
known BETTER" he said one day.
"Texans are strong blooded. You
may be discharged from my care,
let us sect is four weeks. You
are lucky man, Senior Bowie. What
will you do now?"
This was the question that was
being asked in the Estrada family.
After prolonged discussions in which
Padre Martinez was consulted Don
Ramon spoke to Bowie.
''You have come to California to
live. You mean to 60 upriver to
join Captain Suffer. I have some
thing better. If you will become
major-domo of Rancho Guadalupe
will make you a rich man."
Bowie thanked Don Ramon but
shook his head. II would rather be
free, Don Ramon. I have always
been free. A Texan just naturally
hates to be tied down. Besides, l