Year: 1876

ciined 10 smile az the rOmanceS written
in these matter-of-fact days, and cry
down many Of the incidents therein as
marvellous, improbable and false, should
60 to the mountains and plains OF the
far West, where the ring Of the rifle,
the war-whoop Of the Indian and the
howl Of the wolf are the sounds that
break the stiffness Of nature by day and
by night.


In my wanderings over the trackless
prairies or climbing the rugged hillsides
Of the Western and Southwestern bor-
ders, / have met men of whom many
stories were told which seemed beyond
belief; but when brought face to face
with facts, and having been an eye-wit-
ness of their deeds of daring, was COM
PEELED to feel that seeing was believ-
ing"


Of one Of those characters I would
now write: and a man of a strange na-
ture he was, this same Kit Carson, Jr.
OF this noted scouts early history little
is known, for although fluent talker,
he had little to say regarding himself:
but it was rumored among his comrades
that he had been educated in Mexican
monastery and was intended for priest.
But at an early age he cut the church
and took to the prairies where he did
more good as fearless scout than he
ever would have done as a defender of
the Christian faith.


Accident caused me to put West with
Kit. | was in Mexico, and he became
my guide in an expedition of danger that
| had been ordered upon.


Of Mexico, the land of desperate ro-
mances, little is known to the general
reader, so | may say here that in times
OF peace 1t is dangerous to 60 unarmed
and in times Of war-and war is chronic
there-it is dangerous to live there at
all.


One bright moonlight night, Kit and
myself were riding cautiously along a
rugged roadway, when we were startled
by several pistol shots fired in rapid
succession, followed by the loud cry of
a woman.


With one impulse we darted down
the hillside into the valley from whence
came the sound, and suddenly drew
rein at an animating scene transpiring
on the highway.


AT glance by the bright moonlight
We realized the position of aifairs-a
Mexican ranchero and his family at
tackled by band Of robbers,


The Don and his family, consisting
of his daughter, maiden of seventeen
and th4ee servants, had been suddenly
ait.ctYei BY half a-score ofthete rough
banditAi, and before their de..dly FIRE
two of-the servants had fallen, while a
rufiian stood at the head of the horse
on which the lady was mounted.


Kit was not man to ''count noses"
in fight, and, with his wild war crv,
that echoed through the valley, and a
revolver in either hand, he spurred upon
the scene, | following his example as
well as could.


How it all occurred do not remem-
Der, for there was a rattle of firearms,
few savage yells, shrek of despair.
a groan of agony, trampling of feet,
and We held the field, for those of the
bandits who had not fallen under Kits
deadly fire, had determined to "live to
fight another day" by running off from
present danger.


At glance Kit recognized the Mex
lean and his daughter, and towards them
he felt most kindly, as for weeks he had
been nursed very tenderly when lying
wounded in the Don's hacienda.


"Ha, Don Nunez, it is YOU, and the
fair Senorita Lita :" he exclaimed, in
Spanish.


Eyes, Senior Americana; we were re-
turning from the town to my rancho,
and"


Tell me the story some other time,
for these devils have been reinforced,
and are not going to let the wealthy Don
Nunez and his lovely daughter escape
them so easily. You must be off. COL
onel, lead them back the wav we came
until you reach the ruined hacienda
there await me; if 90 under, curse
them, l will have company"


"And you, kit:" asked. as he threw
himself from his horse and gave me the
rein.


"Will lay in this path and let them
drive me. Be off, for don't you hear
the hell-hounds coming:"


My several days' acquaintance with
Kit made me feel that remonstrance was
in vain, so at once told the Don, his
daughter and remaining servant to fol-
low, and spurred on up the hills, leaving
the bold scout standing alone amid the
half-dozen dead who lay in the valley.


As We reached the summit of the
hill saw fash in the valley below.
followed by series of wild wells. and
then came the war-cry of hit telling
US his aim had been true


Again came the fash of his rife, this
time from clump Of bushes at the base
of hill, and once more his wild cry
was heard.


As We went over the crest, | paused,
while my companions rode or, and from
half way up the slope came third
flash, ringing whoop and answering
shots from the valley below.


KIT was keeping his word: he was
letting them drive him.


As We went on to the hacienda we
continued to hear the single shot, like
a minute-gun, send forth its death-deal-
ing note, and followed by the rafting
discharge Of the bandits.


Reaching the old ruins, which looked
picturesque and weird-like in the moon
light, left the Don, the fair Lita and
a