Year: 1877

it of the firm. Messrs. Curtis had
strained every nerve to collect the
ready money necessary, and the
funds were forthcoming, but the Ell
tire scheme bade fair to be frustrated
by the abrupt closing of the route
consequent on the war. No man, or
party of armed men, could have
been bribed to attempt the convey
ance of the cash across the plains,
now haunted by the savage enemy,
when l astOnished my employers by
volunteering to be the messenger.


"You shall not have to repent of
it, Harry, my boy" said the elder of
the two brothers, as he wrung my
hand in his own horny one. "You've
stood manfully by us in this pinch,
and we'd be mean enough for mig
gers to tramDle on if we didn't show
gratitude little more substantially
than few fair words. We never
yet did raise a clerk to be partner,
but. There, there, Lyndham; |
did not intend to egg you on by an
offer, as if you needed that, hastily
added the honest old fellow, fearing,
as he saw the color rise to my face
that had taken umbrage at his
rough speech. "Come safe back to
us, lad, and all will be right"


Mr. James Curtis spoke words to
much the same effect, at the same
time bidding me be careful, and in
deed it was curious to watch the
struggle in my employers mind be-
tween a natural eagerness to escape
a financial wreck that almost amount
ed to ruin, and the kindly apprehen-
sion lest l should lose my life in
their service.


As for myself, | knew well enough
how great was the risk ran, and
for how momentous a stake | was
about to play, and had not the goal
before my mental vision been the
bright prospect of.calling ROsamond
my wife, even the prospective part
nersh1p would hardly have tempted
me to set off on an errand so perilOus,
As it was l was resolved, and as l
got ready for the start tried quiet
" to weigh the chances for and
against my safely reaching CristO-
bal. l had a fair knowledge of the
country, which had traversed on
four or five occasions, and was no
novice in camping out, or in the ia
miliar incidents of prairie travel. /
could ride well, too, and was better
mounted than most of the residents
in that district where horsefesh is
cheap and plentiful, having in my
possession a splendid chestnut thor
Ough-b bred, originally brought from
Kentucky by some United States Of
ficer, and was celebrated for strength
and speed. l was fond of Sunbeam,
and he was of me, for he was docile
and intelligent as well as swift, and
would follow me for miles as a dog
follows his owner, or stand, when l
babe him, with the reins hanging
loose upon his glossy neck.


There was scanty time for leave
taking. 1t was deep in the afternoon
when l started, a dozen or more Of
the younger citizens of Tucson rid
ING with me for the first half-hour,
and giving me a hearty cheer as we
parted. More than one strong hand
trembled little as it grasped mine
in token of adieu, and there was an
unwonted moisture glistening in the
honest eyes of some of the kind
hearted young fellows as they wish
ed me "God-speed and a safe re-
turn" Well do | remember wheel
ing my steed on little elevation III
the rolling, fower-enameled prairie,
and waving my hat in answer to the
waving of hats and handkerchiefs
from the little knot of hOrsemen, not
one of whom, am sure, ever ex-
pected to see me again on this side
of the grave. Then l rode on, and
lost sight of the friendly band of
well-wishers.


The heavy sultry heat seemed to
enwrap the land like mantle; there
was not breath to stir the droop-
ping leaves of the few cottonwood
trees l passed in the lower levels,
and on the uplands the long rank
grass was parched and brown by the
fierce sun, for it was long since rain
had fallen. The shrill, sharp chirp
of the prairie cricket, and the far-otf
barking of that curious animal, the
prairie dog, alone awoke the still
ness that was absolutely oppressive.
Some three hours after leaving Tue
son l reigned up beside the blue,
bright waters of a creek, and slack
ing my horses girths allowed him
to drink freely, myself replenishing
the metal canteen that was slung at
my bow, for in that desert
land another opportunity of appeas-
ing thirst might not readily occur.
And presently leaving the grassy
prairie we struck into a country still
more lonely and desolate, where the
only sound was the thud of my
horses hoofs on the scorched and
barren earth.


Far away to the left there glim-
mered against the sky something like
a shining wall, imperfectiy visible,
but which l knew to be the serrated
crests and mountain peaks of the
Mimbres, the natural Businesses
where dwelt the barbarian tribes
whose torch and tomahawk had laid
waste many a happy-hOme. Nor
were mementoes of their hostility
lacking, as | traversed the track
deeply scanned by wagon-wheelS,
and strewn with the bleached bones
of mules and Oxen-that did duty
for a road. Eight or nine times
there loomed before me rude
wooden cross, on which was coarse
ly painted in letters of black or red,
sometimes name, more often mere
initials, followed by the simple in.
scriptiOn, "Killed by the Apaches.
The sun went down, the dew glis-
tened upon the rank herbage, and
tufts of the wild sage, and wei
{ come breeze cooled the heated air,
while the broad, bright moon, ike a
silver shield, rose to shed her chas-
.,,,,,J E,rI,t o,,ar the vast eNpanSe of