of te @ Pew *” <* on tl lh oat a. 4 J Sem scape ee THE DAILY EXAMINER, CHARLOTTETOWN, JULY 26, 1397 ) > om > : teem oo. Bibi, OF THE SAN SIMON PLAIN. § ‘OF T ow A A JF i 4 Ne 5 tins ace cea Sage JBYCLARENCE PULLEN. r. COPYRIGHT, 1897 BY THE AUTHOR (Continned ) I n Wamons tanip’ Was a ficture cof had been the cause oT thé’adsenee of rack and ruin, a mute memorial of the Pon Ramon’s varty from his camp at courtesies of the Apaches. The an-_ the time it was raided by the Apaches. ces | carriage was on its side with We proceeded to patch up a harness wi s in the air, its glass windows for the mules from such parts of their I several bullet-holes through it gear as the Apaches had left, helpe n arrow sticking in a panel. A out by lariats and bits of ec rd. The d been started under it, but had earriage \ hen righted we found to be out with no further damage than uninjured for travel and, after con- ar a portion of the woodwork. .« ible labour,: we were able to The narnesses of the mules had been apt 1 the mules toe it and resume our cut » pieces and the straps carried ; y ¢ rad in company with the @way. The baggage had been rudely Yyoxi an party. : ransocked, and these things that the Our progress was necessartiv slow Al s had left were strewed about and it \ -s high noon ber we reach. 2: partially destreved. Carmen’s eq San Stns n Sida es station ‘Wamen zu -case and her book of devo- , found the stovk corralled aia thi tions had contributed to the fire under ctation-k: snail ted todas “Senedaien at thn the rriage, while her guitar, smashed pouse. They had receiv A ie owen ial almest beyond recognition, hung for- 4, Fiditens dark bine ie vet © Seni totes ton . with danglirg strings, from the \arnine by sha Avent Chit tex t a 1 .gainst which it had been flung. | j,ountains. and - ball . dete = a heir Her little leather trunk had been cut ....5;,. weet! tia © oo pe aril a> open and despoiled of her finery, while Yuckhoar . hae c Ps D nig ak Lroken glass and an odour—nothing .,. .,... veils a a e ae n -of aguardiente, indicated that : ted sem thoes er st = 7 s ian the quality of Don Ramon’s special a ee. re byl a _ — Oren commissary supply had been approved if lg “ih : mie cme Apa —s had —— by t marauders. Moccasin tracks ed up the vasley: We were invited wer plenty, and marks of the hoofs Lo ainner, and arrangements were Me a “pain made by which a set of harness was of unshod ponies. As we looked over | ? in ae wentine ¢ the ene of disaster, Felix lifted the Pecdat tet bie tl rete tol ce a) oe to eee Os Ween MAA beam | ae ee nope, smashed, and shook it, listening. aes ued tn remain where we were There was a splash within. pwne the Temainc of the day. “Here’s luck,” he cried—“ water! The force at the station consisted. of We in have some coffee.” the keeper and two assistants, whose Surely enough, there was a gallon or | Primcipal duty was herding. The ac- two of water still in the keg There | C®*S!0Nn of a pany mass & sven seemed for the present nothing het- | fTc® for defence. In the afternoon ter to do than the stock was turned out to graze in 50, gathering materials for a fire, we feli to boiling coffee in our tin cans and frying bacon in a battered pan foun’ among the wreckage. Dolores, Stimulated by the prospect of some- thine to eat, assisted us with alacrity, but her mistress sat downcast, giving no attention to our proceedings, nor would she afterward join us at the repast, not even so much as to touch th: tin cup of coffee gallantly ten- dered her by Felix. The rest of us had no lack of appetite. After our troubled night the strong. black coffee was ambrosial, and we did the fullest justice to our simple fare. Midway in the meal Felix touched me with his elbow and signalled with his eyes that I should look down the trail. The objects that we had seen moving near the playa in the early dawn had approached us, and were now so near that we could identify them as two mounted men coming up the trail driving a mule before them. They were advancing at a good pace, and their distance from us rapidly de- creased. Presently Dolores, with her quick Indian eye, saw and identified them. Full of excitement, tn a mo- ment she ran to her mistress. “Senorita, oh, senorita, behold Don Ramon—and the mules—and Manuel! All are returning safe. Oh, the »less- ed Virgin of Guadaloupe who has heard our prayers !” Carmen raised her head and looked around, hardly understanding at first the vehement words of Dolores. Then she arose trembling, and, resting against the shoulder of her maid, looked long and unsteadily at the com- ing fgures now near at hand. Hier face changed from hopeless sadness to @ager attention, and then, as she ¢Cognized her people, to an é¢xpressiv.. of ra:ture. She sank to the ground. and sobbing with emotion, kissed agai1 and avain her gold medal of the La:ty of Gu.daloupe, to whom she prayed in gratitude, Dor Ramon saw his ruined camo. the armed strangers, his daughter 2nd her maid, and he spurred his mile fiercely toward us, his square, wrinkl- ed fi: set in a look of fearful de- terinination. Manuel’s black eyes were gleaming as he strove to keep up with to prepare breakfast. | his master, and both carried weapons in hand. Then Carmen rose and spranz to her father’s arms. Don Ramen’s eyes wcre wet as he! disengaged his daughter’s arms from his neck, patted Dolcreg on the head on * A procession of horsemen passed. and spoke to her kindly and came to us with extended hand. He thanked us in courtly Castilian phrase for our conduct toward his household, and ex- pressed regret that he could offer no adequate hospitality in his ruined camp. While he and Manuel finished the meagre remains of our breakfast, Dor tamon gave an account of his own ad- ventures of the night before. The Stampede of his mules had undoubted- Iv saved the lives of all his party. The sairst of the animals was the cause <f their breaking away, and they had gone straight to the playa. To follow end catch them had consumed the re- “aainder of tha nieht. and the episods -_— oe US | ee the immediate neighbourhood, guarded by Felix and one of the station herd- ers. Don Ramon, wearied with his vigil and exertion of the night before, went to a long siesta on the mud bench that surrounded the common room of the station. Carmen and Dolores retired for the same purpose to an inner apartment. Manuel offered to assist in the guar- ing cof the stock, but he, poor fellow, was so tired and sleepy that Felix vol- unteered to go in his stead and give him a chance of repose. The rest of us sat about the door of the station mending harness, smoking, talking, and watching the plain. Occasionally some one climbed to the roof and made a careful inspection of the country far and near. A large party of men were in sight coming rapidly on foot toward the station from the west. When they were near enough to be distin- guished, they were seen to be Indians. The men herding were signalled to drive up the stock, which was soon done and the animals corralled. Every preparation was made for defence, and in readiness to retreat within we stood with our arms about the door of the station watching the advancing party. Some were mounted, and as they came near were revealed as white men in the undress uniform of the United States army. “That's what I thought all along,” remarked the _ station-keeper, resting his rifle against the adobe walls and taking a comfortable chew of tobac- co. “There’s no trouble from them. Thev are Arache scouts.” The Indians, travelling at a dog trot, were 509 vards away, when an officer, evidently in command, rode ahead and hailed the station. He was @ yeung man of pleasant yet resoluié éxpression, with a quick flashing eye, and his seat in the saddle was super». His clothes and slouched hat were white with dust, and his bronzed faze showed that he had had much recent campaigning. He was fcllowed at a little distance by two other officers. * Have you water here for my horses and men ?” he asked. ‘I reckon so,” replied the station- keeper. “There’s the well. Help ycurself.” A bafrel partially filled with water and a pail beside it stood by the well. The officer dismounted and held the reins of his horse as it drank. After its wants had been satisfied, he him- self. took a long draft. The other of- ficers followed his example. By this time the Indian scouts, ebout fifty in number, had come up, and they pro- . ceeded to slake their thirst at the well. They were wild-looking savages, differ- ing none in general appearance from their hestile kinspeople, against whom they were temporarily enlisted. Most or all of them had in times past been on the warpath against the white people, and probably would be again before all was over, but while in the employment of the Government were leyal soldiers. Their distinguishing badge as scouts was the band of red cloth, worn about the head and be- neath which streamed their long, black hair. Calico shirt drawers, deerskin leggings, and moccasins completed the e costume of those who were fully dress- ed. but some had discarded all clothe Ine save breechclo and moccasins, and ran lightly ever the prairie in a Al state closely approaching that of na- ture, their copper-coloured skins seems- ing to draw refreshment from the sun. The fae all were hideously paint- ed in red and black and yellow, and all were armed with repeating rifles, and carried well-supplied cartridge belts. The scouts were in nowise fa- tigued with their long run that morn- ing from Camp Bowie, and, squatting on the ground, fell to rolling cigarettes and gambling during the short halt that was ordered. ‘es of CHAPTER IV. It was a tragic story that Captain Peston, the officer in command of the ea) lil. 14ae Pers LPM C,.LCR tid LC Sau hiumoen plain. ‘Iwo mai! bucwxboards had been attacked, and the adiivers and two f all that were With them, kwWled. Th \paches had, of course, Grivcn away th mules, @ud they hac rifled tiie mail bags in Search cf letier Grain inoney, of Which these Indians fuliy know the Vulue. Reports had come to Camp Bowie that a heréer iad been killed on the Plain to the south, and that several Prespecters had heen n.assacred in the Chiricahua mountains. A courier, riding from the north-east, had met the detachment of scouts With the ' story of burning buildings seen to the north, in the direction of the Gila riy- er. It was probabie that the Apaches, ,; Sweeping north-easterly, were new harrying the Gila valley with the ac- ccompaniments of outrage and massacre that characterize all their raids. A bedy of treops wet in direct pursuit of the Apaches, and Captain PBeston’s company of Cuts was on itS Way east- Ward to cut off the renegades should they attempt to make their way back to Mexico, through the Burro moun- tains. Other detachments of troops had been ordered by telegraph from Fort Bayard and Fort Craig to points where they might be able to intercept the Apache boule they try to reach Mexico by.way of the plain to .the eust or to the west of Fort Cummings, in Cook’s canvon, “It’s the worst cutbreak in yeurs,”’ he said. “It has been carefully and secretly planned, and we know tha from thirty to forty Indians have zene narthward across the stare trail. Tley will number a half more after they have been joined by Apaches sit¢aking away from the reservations, Indian scouts. had +o tejl of the nast a ener ane you NEED Hood’s Sarsaparilla § if your blood is impure, your appe- tite gone, your health impaired. Noth- ing builds up health like HOOD’S. enough to doavast deal of mischief be- fure any troops can overtake them, and to make a hard fight if they are cor- nered. They will scatter into bands, a half-dozen may be, and we shall get reports of outrages from as many dif- ferent quarters at once.” “It's good luck the old Mexican’s outfit didn’t get bagged—and you, too,” he added I] had already told the of- ficer the story of the doings of the night so far as Felix and I were cun- cerned. ‘You and your friend, as well as they, seem to have run about every chance of their getting you at one time or another during the night. By the way, isn’t Don Ramon a fine type of the old stvle Spanish hidalgo ? I was at his hacienda once, years ago, and was royally entertained, I can as- sure you. He’s weaithy, but what he most valves is his descent from some of the histcric familigs of Spain. He trides himself on his blue blood, and upholds the honour of his ancestral name in all his conduct. Isn't she a lovely girl, that daughter of his ? What eves and hair !”’ As he spoke these last words he was lcoking at Carmen, standing in the doorway, an ideal vision of Spanish grace and beauty, as she gazed in shrinking wonder upon the band of Savage scouts with a half-coquettish affectation of unconsciousness of the ill-concealed admiration with which the two vounger officers were regarding her. “ There’s a romance about her,” continued, ‘‘and I is a sequel to it. Mexican connected with some _ good Spanish-American families, but poor, who wants to marrv her. Whether the girl likes him, I don’t know. Her preferences in the matter wouldn’t count very much, with even a very af- fectionate Mexican father, you know. However that may be, Den Ramon won't hear to his suit. He’s a dash- ing fellow, this Sangrado—Gaspar Sangrado’s his name. His character is none too good, even for such a coun- try as this. He has been in several shooting scrapes, and, a great many believe, has done some business as a read agent and stock thief. At all events, he is probably equal to any desperate act if his pride or jealousy is once excited. He swears that he will have the girl, with or without her father’s consent. * Whether or not Don Ramon thinks the chances worth considering that the young desrrgido might fnduce his daughter to elope with him, or carry her off by force, he is going to save himself all anxiety in the matter by placing her in a convent’ school in Santa Fe, and is taking her there him- self. If Don Gaspar Sangrado should make it in his way to ceme upon them during this journey, something would be apt to happen as dramatic as the liveliest of stags tragedy scenes. But such a contingency as this isn’t worth minding by comparison with the chances of falling in with the Apaches ugain, when your luck might be worse than it was last night. I confess I Gon’t like to see an outfit with women along out on the trail in a time such as this. I hope you'll all stay here at the station until we’ve scouted the Eurro mountsins, and that you and yeur friend can make it suit your plans to keep along with the old Mexi- can’s party as far as Silver City. It’l} Captain Beston looked at his watch. “Time to be off,’ he said. ‘‘ We must make all our halts short ones until we get to the scene of action. We're after an enemy that keeps forever on the move, and the passes must be watched early to prevent his slipping threugh on the hack track to Mexi- co With his plunder. I hope to meet you again and to hear that you have made your journey safely.” An hand, he think this journey There's a young close at the cap- a sharp standing own and tain’s The officer gave command. His two subordinate offi- mounted their The In- cians rose lightly from the ground, ad- justed their equipments, and, almost in a moment, were ready for thé start. orderly holding horse. was his cers horses. At the second word of command the favage company, headed by. the two lieutenants, strung itself out into an irreguigr line, and the scouts were off, running lithely in that long, tireless half trot that can carry the Apache over mountain and plain at a speed which, in a day’s journey, defies the pace of the best horse. Captain Beston stopped a moment to bid adieu to Don Ramon and lift his hat to Carmen, then galloped after his command, and soon the wild proces- sion had vanished to the eastward, in- distinguishable among the mesquite clumps and yuceas and cactuses that dotted the plain There was urgent need in my own | private concerns that Felix and I push forward to Silver City as fast as we could. Thanks to the events of the night before, we were now on terms of confidence and friendship with Don Cen Ce eee! <eenEnENESEEOet , Ramon, and as he was eyually desir- ous of continuing his journey without delay, it was arranged that we should Start onward, travelling together, that night. But our plans were interfered with when two hours before sundown it was discovered hy the station keep- er that no harness gear could be spared from the stage company’s supplies. This condition of things left Den Ramon no alternative for the continu- ing of his journey with the carriage but to send a mounted messenger back to Camp Bowie for a pair of harness or to wait where he was on the chance that some freighter or emigrant might come along with such an equipment to sell, Felix and I had not fully decided what course we would take about Starting out under the circumstances, When the attention of our company of wayfarers, seated about the. station door, was attracts by distant moving objects on the trail advancing from the direction of Camp Bowie. By the aid of a spyglass we could distinguish ‘hree separate groups of travellers come ing our way. To persons Western the far remarkable inexperienced in country it seems the freedom and apparent unconcern With which people travel about and pursue their avocations in times of In- dian outbreak, and especially over ter- ritory recently swept by hostile bands. This may partly accounted for by the principle that familiarity with dan- ger breeds confidence in one that he Will survive it, and the fact that under the conditions of our savage warfare for the past twenty years the Indians, after striking a blow, usually disap- pear for a time from the scene of its cccurrence, knowing that the Govern- ment troops are likely soon to be up- on the ground in pursuit of them. be Besides, most people that travel in- dependently through the far Western country, the prospectors, emigrants, and freighters, have few resources beyond the means necessary to carry them wiihenut delay to their journey’s end, and they can ill afford to stay long mm any one place on the way ; hence, in times of Indian troubles, as Soon as it is known that troops are out after the “ hostiles,”’ the various travelling parties huddled temporarily in the shelter of frontier towns and Government posts, promptly strike out &long the trails in the hope to make another stage of their journey without disaster. So it was with less of surprise than curiosity that we saw these parties approaching us over a trail on which, not 24 hours previously, four peo- ple had been killed by Indians still abroad on their career of slaughter. Ag the three groups came nearer we identified them successively as a sin- gle waggon team, two men driving along three burros, and, lastly, a Waggon and team preceded by three mounted persons. “It seems we're not likely te be lonesome for lack of company to- night,”” remarked the station keeper. “There’s water enough and_ grass enough for all, but if they want zrub I'm blessed if I know where it’s com- ing from. We've got no more ofthat than what’s engaged and what we Want ourselves at the station.’’ I may here parenthetically remark that Felix and I, foreseeing that pro- visions might be scarce commodities on the San Simon plain before the Apache outbreak was over, had bar- gained with the keeper for a three days’ supply of such as he had, fcr ourselves and for Don Ramon’s party. Such a quantity was more than enough to provide us to Silver City, in case our journey were not seriously inter- rupted. This bit of precaution prov- ed valuable to us and to people in whom we were interested while we were at the San Simon station. It was with a genial feeling of security as to our safety from famine that we watched the distant travellers mean- dering toward us over the lonely In- dian haunted plain. The first waggon had drawn so near that its characteristics could be de- fir.ed. “Pike county, I'll wager, miles away,’’ exclaimed the keeper. “Will any gentleman me up ?” Nobody felt like at five station take raising the ques- tion as the waggon came on toward the stution. It was a type of outfit common enough wherever emigrants go on the plains of the west, but which by western tradition is pecular- ly associated with tne migrations of the inhabitants of the Missouri coua- ty to which the station-keeper had re- ferred. It was a “ prairie schooner,” a white topped, covered waggon, drawn by a pair of shave-tail ules. Sittine up- n the seat in front was the driver, 1 Jong, lank, age, lanter with unkempt -pawed man, jusi middle hair and Stragsling beard. Beside him, with a small child wedged between them, sat a Well-crown girl, in calico dress and sunbonnet, holding a smaller child in her lan. From the recesses of the aezon peered the fe a cluster f children of vzuriovs acts, but with niforrnity as to thelr “hair hich as of the’ colour of tow. The butt of a heavy rifle that swung from the awning hoops within protruded, casy at hand, at the driver’s shoul- der. At the back of the waggon, lashed against end, outside the canvas, was a splint-bottomed rock- ing chair. A cow was led behind the waggzon. the The man drove his team up before the station door, leoked at us all de- lw crately and accosted the. station- keener : (To be Continued. ) Victoria Carte Great Georga St. Scene of attraction during these hot days. Nice drinks of all kinds to refresh the tired and weary. Nice Lunches, beautitul strawberries and cream, JOHN P. JOY - Vicrorta Carre Gt. 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