Year: 1877

beam answered gallantly to nv call.
and for the first four OF five miles I
saw a little. of the enemy, but on
they came pitilessly, and soon SEEM
ed to gain ground. Had it been on
the first day of the journey, I could
have laughed at my pursuers, but
now the superiority of my noble
horse in stride and strength was
neutralized by the comparative fresh
ness of the shaggy steeds on which
the Apaehes were mounted. I
groaned as l felt Sunbeam flag be-
meath me, though I urged him on
with voice and hand.


Miles upon miles of rolling prairie
were traversed, my horse keeping
the lead, and speeding on with cour-
age unabated, but staggering as he
went, and bearing heavily on the
bit as we descended the frequent
slopes. The Indians saw their ad-
vantage and pressed on, making
every effort to come up with me.
One arrow slightly wounded my
horse in the neck; a second brushed
my cheek, making me feel as though
a hot iron had been drawn across it.
| bear the thin, blue scar to this
day. But maddened with excite
ment I spurred Sunbeam on, shook
off the pursuers for a while and pres
emily saw, cleaning before me, the
waters of a swiftly flowing river
which could be no other than the
ella; while beyond it rose the stock
AIDED walls of a lonely building
Fort Webster, doubtless.


l patted my steed's reeking neck
as l encouraged him on; and with
a faint, friendly neigh the gallant
horse responded to my appeal, and
still reeled onward. The river,
bordered by tall trees and cane
brakes, was very near; could hear
It's rush and ripple, when Sunbeam,
dead beat, stumbled, fell on his
knees and sank slowly down. There
was an arrow, unknown to me, stick
ing in his.fank, and the noble brute
had actually been bleeding to death
as he carried ms master, with un-
faltering spirit, over leagues of the
weary praire. For the moment l
almost forgot my imminent peril in
grief for the loss of my brave COM
panion; but little time was left for
regrets, for already the ground
shook beneath the thunder of hurry
ing horse -hoofs, as with yells and
outcries of barbarous triumph, the
Indians came racing up behind.


Thirty yards before me lay the
river, but it was too deep and rapid
for man readily to swim or wade,
and though l was weary and worn,
vet l could not bear to abandon life
while a chance remained. My pis-
tol was in my belt, but my carbine
was strapped in the saddle of the
dead horse, and so were the bags
which held the money of Curtis
Brothers, and these snatched up,
though l had scanty prospect of
saving either property or life, so
near were the ruthless foes. They
were but six lances length away
from me as l plunged into the brush
wood, intending to take shelter
among the tall reeds of the bank,
in the faint hope that the elamOrs
of the Apaches might bring out the
troops from the fort. To nv great
iov, however, on reaching the river
bank beheld, mOored to the stem
of a mimosa tree, a canoe containing
fishing tackle, and probably belong
inc to the garrison, and leaping into
it, l seized the paddle and pushed
off into the. middle of the stream
lust as four or five of the Indians,
who had dismOunted, came bursting
through the bushes, knife and toma-
hawk in hand.


The river ran swift and / was in
expert in the management of cOnOe;
but the Indians fortunately. hesitat-
ed to take to the river, no doubt in
the vicinity of the fort, and although
they pursued me with fierce scouts
and volleys of arrows, only one of
the latter hit me, inficting a slight
wound on my left wrist; while the
welcome sound of a cheer and the
discharge of a rifle from the further
bank told that the Indian war whOOp
had attracted the notice of the sol
diers, of whose weapons the Apaches
stood in wholesome awe. 1 was
soon among friendly faces, although
so exhausted was l with fatigue and
emotion that l tainted before reach
ing Fort Webster.


NV story, thus heartily narrated
is nearly at an end. The kindness
of the commanding officer at the
fort enabled me to push on, as soon
as rest and refreshment had some
what restored my vigor; and 1 reach
ed Cristobal without further hind
rance or peril, and was in time to
save the credit of the firm whom I
represented, and to allay the sus-
picions of the half-wild Mexican and
Texan cattle-farmerS, whe had be-
can to chafe and mourn at the de-
| Law. The oxen and other live stock,
some weeks later, were sent along
with A wagon train that travelled
under a strong escort of the United
States cavalry to Tucson: and I
should have ayailed myself of the
opportunity to return had not an at
tack of fever, brought on by anxiety
and over-exertion, Frustrated me for
a time, although youth and a robust
constitution enabled me to shake 1t off


was still pale and weak, and was
sitting hstlessly among the magnolia
bushes and coffee shrubs int be gar
den of the little inn, when 1 saw
Rosamond and Mrs. Gray, whose
kindness to me during my illness
had been unremitting, approaching
me with joyful looks.


"Cau you bear good news, Harry"
asked the latter, smiling; and indeed
the tidings were very good ones. My
quaint, worthy old employees had
been better than their word, having
not merely taken me into partner
ship, in recompense for what l had


done on their behalf, but also ap-
| DOinted me their resident agent st