AN AVENGING RESCUE.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 14 September 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

AN AVENGING RESCUE.

Tn those good old days when the Apache was yet lord of the Mexican Sierra Madre, I was commissary clerk in a grading outfit that was engaged iu building a railroad in the State of Chihuahua. While this position was one that gave me constant opportunity for study of mulislmess there having been three hundred nudes in an outfit, it was not one calculated to make me familiar with feminine nature, a grader’s camp being no place for a woman ; ' nevertheless, it was while so employed that my personal observation brought me to the conclusion that there is no creature more whimsical than a woman, unless it be a nude. Chihuahua was a wild bit of country in those days, an unihabited desert of bare mountains and lulls, and waterless valleys and plains for the greater part; as for that matter, it is still so, but the Apaches are not there now, and Apaches are —well, there is nothing with which to compare an Apache —unless the devil, of whose characteristics 1 have only a hearsay knowledge. The nudes of the outfit were plain, every day mules, sometimes sensible and tractable, at other times foolish and stubborn, but energetic kickers always. Their leader was not one of their own number, as one would naturally expect, but an old grey mare with a vicious temper who hated them with all her heart, and who was continually fighting them, ever keeping them well beyond the reach of her heels and teeth—and her they reverenced, if mules can. be said so reverence anything, never offering to return her kicks or bites, and they would have followed her into the very jaws of death. And because of this leadership the old gray was assigned as mount to the man who took the heard out every night to pasture, for with her under the control of an experienced man there was but little danger of the mules being stampeded and run off by the Apaches. With a few exceptions the men of the outfit were in keeping with their surroundings. Wild rough fellows whose only law was the dictate of the sixshooter held persuasively at “the drop,” and the few orders issued by the “boss,” of the outfit. Of these, none was wilder or rougher than one whose name was Bill Smith. Phisically lie was a giant, and lie was an ideal labourer, but morally he was a weakling, and his great strength, in connection with extraordinary quickness in drawing his gun, giving him unlimited confidence iu himself, at the same time inspring Ids comrades with fear of him, lie became the bully of the camp, though lie was not the coward most bullies are. Among the few who were not of Bill’s class was a young Mexican, whose name appeared on the books as Luiz Monte/,, but who wns known to the men as “Kik Cook, 1 ’ this nickname having conic of his position as cook’s assistant, and his smooth, beardless face. Ho was a quiet fellow of about nineteen years, giving to blushing when roughly spoken to, and was as shy and timid as a girl ; naturally he associated very little with the other men, and disliking him because of this, they bullied him continually.

Part of Kid’s duty was to help serve at table, and one day, while filling Bill’s cup with coffee, some one struck his arm, and some of the hot fluid fell on the bully’s hand. With a bellow of rage, Bill sprang to his feet, and, with a sweeping blow, sent Kid staggering down into a corner of the tent, where he stood over him with drawn revolver, threatening to kill him in a dozen different ways if he should so much as bat an eye. Is Tobody offered to intervene, for all knew that, if left alone,-Bill would do the boy no furl her harm, but if interfered with might shoot him in a spirit of savage wiltulness, and that, as he used bis gun promiscuously when once started, somebody else would get hurt. Kid wisely made no protest, but lay still and quiet, covering bis flaming face with bis bands, and, after a while, Bill put up bis gun and went back to the table.

Anybody but a, bully would have lot that end the incident, but Edi seemed unable to forget his scalded hand, and never tired of badgering the timid cook. Kid avoided him as much as possible, bus could not avoid him at meal times, when would pour from him a perfect torrent of abuse. Watching Kid at these times I would see that his eyes, usually soft and shy, would fairly blaze with venomous hatred, and knowing something, of Mexican nature, and how handy they were with the knife, I came to the'conclusion that if I were in Bill’s place, I would do one or two things; apologise to Kid and let him alone, or -—kill him. I thought of speaking to Bill about it, but meddling in another man’s row was unhealthy business in those days, so I ended by keeping silent.

Kid did not disappoint me. One night as I sat reading in my tent, there came from the outside a sharp exclamation that was followed immediately by the sounds of a struggle, then a piercing scream, and I heard unmistakably in Bill s voice,- “Yer miserable, sneakin’ little kyote ! Put or knife in nle in th’ dark, would yer? Walk I reckin not 1 An now 111 jest give you cr taste of it; my little snake-iu-th’-grass,”

Grabbing up my gun, knowing that nothing short of that would have any weight with Bill, I hurriedly threw open my tent, and the bright light of my lamp flashing out, I saw Kid flat on his back with Bill kneeling on his chest, one hand gripping the hoy’s throat, and the other grasping a knife, upraised to strike. In Kid’s face there was a look of horror that I will remember as long as I live. The sudden Hood of light caused Bill to pause, and then his arm sank slowly to ins side, the knife slipping from his hand. “Wall, I’ll jest be all over d d!” lie ejaculated, and letting go Kid’s throat lie stood up. I could see nothing to justify such a change in his attitude, and I was amazed to see him now reach down and take Kid’s hand.

“ Git up,” lie said gruffly ; “ 1 ain’t goin’ to hurry yer —never would a techecl yer if I’d knowed, an I’m sorry I done it.” He helped Kid to his feet and went on : “ Now go hack to your tent ; I ain’t again’ ter blow on yer, an’ I Avon’t bullyrag yer no more —sabe ? I’ll keep the knife, though, so’s yer Avon’t get inter no more mischief with it.” Kid made no ans Aver, and I could not see his face, lint I did see his hands suddenly clinch as lie Avcnt into the darkness. Having watched him out of sight, Bill walked off Avithont even a glance in my direction. 1 was greatly puzzled by Avhat had occurred, and my curiosity being roused, I determined to lind Bill the next morning, and get him in tell me what had caused his sudden change towards Kid ; but that day Avas Sunday and he left camp at daybreak on an antelope hunt, so I did not secy him. Turning the affair over in my mind that morning, I came to the conclusion that Bill’s heart was too large for his judgment, and that Kid would yet avenge himself ; and I Avas not Avrong, though he did it in a way that I could not liaA’e expected. Our camped Avas pitched on a loav hill that rose island-like in the midst of a grassy A'alley. On the Avest of this A'alley Avas bounded by a range of rugged mountains that came down to within, a mile of the camp, and on the east side by a chain of high hills ;to the north and south, Avhere the railroad came in and Avent out, the grassy level stretched away farther than the eye could reach. To economise feed it Avas the custom to pasture tire mules in this A'alley Avhenever they were not at work, on Sundays and at night, and they went on as usual on the day following Kid’s attempt to knife Bill, though not under tho charge of the night herders lie and the old grey mare having to remain in camp to rest, and sleep. When the gong sounded for supper, about an hour before sunset, the herd Avas in plain view from camp, and not over half a mile away, so the herder galloped in to his supper, leaving them unguarded until the night herder should go out and take them.

As we were in the Apache country, it was a very foolish thing for him to do. He had scarcely unsaddled his horse and gone into the grub-tent, when-shrill yells and whoops, mingled with the thunder of pounding hoofs coming from the valley brought every man running out. Watching their opportunity from their lurking place in the mountains, a band of half-naked Apaches had slipped into the herd, and running about among the mules, lashing and striding, -were trying to stampede them. They would have succeeded, mules being mortally afraid of radians, but that the night herder, preparing to go on night duty, had brought the old grey mare to the grub tent to wait while lie ate his supper, where she stood in plain sight from the valley. The mules were running away southward when the leading ones spied her, and, making a wide detour the Apaches who were following as fast us their legs could carry them, the entire herd came galloping in.

Yelling with rage and disappointment, the Apaches turned to go back to the mountains, when a white man rode out from the rocks before them and started across the valley towards cam]). By his horse, which wo recognised, we know him to he Bill Smith. The Apaches opened fire the moment they saw him, and, changing his course so as to avoid them, he as promptly spurred his horse into a'gallop, and we thought ho had got safely out of range, when the animal suddenly went down, falling on Bill, stunning, and pinning him to the ground. Instantly a yell of exultation went up from the Apaches, and they dashed towards .him, racing with one another for Jus scalp. While the men occasionally killed one of their number themselves, it was quite another thing to see one butchered by the Apaches, and they groaned with horror, for they could do nothing but stand idly looking on.

Kid had run out of ibe lent with the others, and was standing near me when Bill went down. In the excitement of that moment 1 lost sight of him, and, when I saw him again, he had leaped astride the old grey mare, and, digging his heels in her flanks,

started at a furious gallop toward the Apaches. At this another groan went up, far it seemed that the boy was only riding to death. A moment later we saw three hundred pairs of long cars cocked toward the old grey, three hundred shaved tails flow upward, and the ground quivered beneath the twelve hundred hoofs as the mules dashed away after their leader. Soon they overtook her, and, ranging themselves behind and at Tier sides, bore down in solid phalanx upon the Apaches, racing along as though for their lives.

Oh, what a howl of delight went up from the men when they saw through Kid’s design! The Apaches heard it, and. looking behind them, saw their peril. As one man they halted and fired into flic mules, then scattered on the run, the greater number making for the mountains, the others still bolding tliffir course toward Bill—his scalp was too great a prize tube light-

ly gWen up. Stretched out flat on the old grey’s back, Kiel rode straight for these, and presently they dropped their rifles and ran for their lives, but it Avas too late. One after another they disappeared in a mass of switching tails and flashing heels, to go clown under the herd, trampled and crushed into a bloody pulp of flesh and bone. When the last of them had fallen, Kid reined in, and, getting off his horse, started, staggering, toAvard Bill, but before going far he fell limply to tile ground. We saAv this Avhile running across the valley, for the moment avc understood Avhat Kid Avas doing every man in camp had started at the top of his speed for Bill. Those of ns that went to where Kid lay, found him insensible and bleeding profusely from a ragged tear Avhere an Apache bullet had ploughed through his shoulder. Quickly I took him in my arms, and tearing open his shirt to better see the Avonnd, I made a startling discovery —Kid Avas a woman.

Bill soon recovered sufficiently to vide the old grey back to camp, but wo had to carry Kid, and never Avas babe held Avith tenderer care by a mother. When she regained consciousness she sent aAvay all but the “ boss ” and me, and told us all about herself. Her right name Avas Luisa Montez. She Avas born and reared on a ranch back in the mountains, Avhere the Apaches had killed her parents. Without friends or relatives, compelled to earn her own livingin a land where Avomen are not supposed to do anything of the kind she Avandeml up to Paso del Norte, and was almost starved when it occurred to her to pass herself as a man, and she was given a job in out outfit.

When avc left her, Bill went in and had a long talk. What passed between them we never knew, hut he immediately took charge of her, and, as carefully as a woman could have done, nursed her until she avhs sound and well again; and the next thing anybody knew she took him, unresisting, back to civilisation and married him.

Ten years afterwards I ran across Bill in Santa- he and he Avas a changed man. His overhearing manner was gone, leaving in its place the very spirit'd meekness, and he Avas prosperous, owning a small grazing outfit of his own. Kid and the children were avcll and happy, he told me. — Bourbon Wilson, in the Argonaut.