The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-10-25

cAGhiOAlt VI Ills SANcuAtxOus
It did, in fact, come about that
Bowie visited the Fremont camp on
his way to the fort. Suffer had in
geniously made as sure as he could
Of Bowie's visit by taking the extra
ponies up the river on his supply
boat.
When Bowie appeared at Free
mont's quarters he was promptly
arrested as spy, which did not in
crease his affection for the sensa-
tional adventurer. The guard that
detained him attempted to disarm
him. This proving embarrassing to
his captors, they led him to FIRE.
mont's quarter. Fremont, busy, as
usual, about nothing of Importance,
had no time to interview the spy.
But while Bowie stood outside the
tent, an armed guard on each side,
two of the generals scouts came up.
One of these was stopped by the
sergeant of the guard, who poured
story into his ear about the captive.
"Who is he?" asked the scout,
looking at the prisoner.
"That's what I don't know, but /
suspect he's one of General Castro's
spies; the country's full of 'em. He
says he's from Texas. He gave up
his rifle, but when / tried to take
his pistol and his knife he got ugly.
/ didn't want no shooting round
headquarters so let him keep EN-"
The scout eyed the spy closely.
'Well, if he's the man l think he is,
I wouldn't want any shooting with
him either"
He stepped forward and put out
his hand for the spy to take. Henry
Bowie, what you doin' here?"
"You'd better tell me, Kit Car
son, what you're doing here with this
fool outfit"
'Shake hands, you old desert rat.
This man." explained Carson to the
crestfallen sergeant, sis a Texan.
Why, man, he's from the Staked
Plain. He's no spy. Get him his
rifle, you bum Henry" he
ran on, 81 heard you was out this
way-kind of lookin' to run into you
sometime, somewhere. Wen, what
you doin' for yourself? Huntin', ]
reckon. No matter what you're do
in. Henry, / got better job for
you. And say, I heard you're tot
ing one of them new-fangled six
shootin' pistols"
"Where'd you hear that, Kit?"
"On the trail som 'mers - don't
know where. Let's see the contrap-
ton, Henry" ~
It was the first revolver Carson
had ever seen. He looked, listened
and examined the new firearm while
men crowded around the two scouts,
wild to see the new gun and get it
actually in their own hands.
The upshot of the meeting was
that Carson insisted on Bowie's
waiting to meet Fremont; he had
already gone into the tent with a
word for the generals ear to &C.
quaint him with the newcomer.
II knowed that scout when he was
little shaver-everybody in Texas
knows the Bowies. My brother Nose
and this boy grew up together, you
might say. Hates Injuns and greas-
ers like pizen. If you can get him
to trail South with us, he's worth a
troop O. cavalry-knows the coun.
try, the folks, well liked and fights
like a wildcat"
''Hold him." growled Fremont.
"I'll get him."
Outside, when Carson rejoined
Bowie, the talk went on. Carson
talked eloquently of the importance
of Fremont's campaign to Califor-
MIA and its people and of the deter
mination of every man in his ranks
| to fight to the death against any
attempt of England to take posses
sion of this prize of the Pacific coast.
He promised fat pay.
Bowie smiled. exit, do you mean
the kind of promises to pay he gives
Californians every time he steals
their horses and cattle?"
"Steals?" echoed Carson indig-
nantly. "What do you mean?"
"That's what honest men call it..
He took three hundred head Of
horses a few weeks ago from the
Guadalupe Rancho. Nat Spear says
the paper he gave Don Ramon amt
worth the ink on it. heard all
about it at Yerba Buena last week. |"
"To the devil with Nat Spear. ]
know he pays us boys and pays US
well. And no soldering, no camp
work, Henry. We're scouts. and sol.
der boys wait on u.s."
] Bowie listened with simulated pa.
thence; yet his tempter seemed to
feel he was holding something back.
Finally Bowie spoke. '"That all
sounds fine, Kit. But I'd like to ask
you just one thing before say more.
Why did you shoot the unarmed
De Haro boys when they were cross.
ing the river to visit your camp?"
The blunt question took Carson
aback. He seemed to color even
under the bronze Of his fine fea-
lures. The two men were sitting
frontier-fashion astride a fallen log.
Bowie was looking straight into Car