FOR OUR BOYS & GIRLS

Te Aroha News, Volume VIII, Issue 488, 12 July 1890, Page 6

FOR OUR BOYS & GIRLS

EI'ITKD BY MRS FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT

Sunset Pass, ' OR SLUKNiNG the g auntlet through APACHE LAND. B y Captain Charles "Kino, . Author of ‘Tho Deserter,’ ‘ A Wartime Wooing,’ Etc. [Copyrighted 1889 by S. S. McClure.] [All Rights Reserved.] CHAPTER V. What Pike saw, far over on the plateau towards Jarvis’ Pass, would perhaps have attracted no attention from tourist or casual looker through a field glass, but to him—an old t-oopor, Indian tighter and mountaineer, it conveyed a world of meaning Against the dark background of that distant ridge and'upon tho dun-coloured flat along which the road meandered, the old corporal could just make cur a number of dingy white objects - mere specks—bobbing and twinkling in the blazing sunshine. Nothing of the kind had been there when ho looked before, and he knew only too well what it meant. Those dirty white specks were tho breech clouts and turbans worn by nearly all the Tonto warriors, in preference to any other headgear or clothing, a cheap cotton cloth being alwayske'pt in abundant supply, at the agencies solely for their use. Some of them, it is true, wore no turban at all, their luxuriant growth of coarse black hair, tumblingabouttheir shoulders and trimmed oft in a ‘bang’ just level with their fierce, beady eyes, being all tiro head covering they needed. But tho breech-clout was universal, and some few even wore loose cotton shirts. These, With the moccasin and legging invariably w orn, the legging generally in a dozen folds at the ankle, made the war toilet of tho intractable Tonto. There was none of tiro finery of tbe proud warriors of tire plains—the Sioux, Cheyenne or Crow —but for all that, when those Apaches took to tlve warpath, the soldiers used to say, ‘ It meantbusiness.’ ‘ They will b 9 here in three hours at tho rate they’re coming ; three short hours, too, for those beggars can keep up a jog trot all day long’. Now’ for it ! captain or no captain.’

With that brief soliloquy Pike slid down from the perch, and for "tho second time that morning made his Way down the hillside arid back to camp. Here he found Kate and tlie children as full of eagex : and anxious inquiry'about papa as before, and could only comfort them by saying that the mules must have run far to the south and were proving more than ordinarily obstinate about coming back. Still, he said, papa is sure to be here before noon, and indeed he hoped, and more than half believed, that such would be the case. Knowing the danger that menaced his little ones, it could not be that the captain would nob ‘use every endeavour to get back to them before the Indians could reach t he Pass. Jim had obeyed Iris instructions to the lottery There were the two big rolls of blankets, securely strapped ; there were the supplies ; the bacon, bread, frijoles, coffee,sugar, canned meats and vegetables : even some jams and jellies for the children, together with the coffee pot,‘skillets, plates, cups arid saucers all stowed away' in the big iron kettle that hung under the waggon and in a pail or two, ready to be plumped into the ambulance iE a start was to be’ made for the river, or ‘toted’ up the hill if the order was to take to the cave. And then the irrepressible propensity of the negro had cropped cut again. There lay black Jim peacefully snoring in the sunshine, oblivious of all danger. ‘ Now, Kate, as the captain has my horse, I'm going to borrow his aw’hile,’ said Pike. ‘ I want to ride down the range a little way and see if I can’t help him home with the mules. You are perfectly safe here. Just as safe, at least, as you would bo if T were with you. I wouldn’t go and leave you if it were not absolutely necessary, as I believe it to be. You’ll takecare. of her,'won’t you, Nled, my boy ?’ Tbe little fellow looked _ up bravely, ‘ Nellie and I aren’t afraid,’ lie said. ‘Only we do want papa to come and get something to cat. Jim told me nob to let the fire go out and I put on a little dry wood now and then.’ But Kate sat with her apron to her eyes, rocking to and fro in speechless misery and dread, Nellie striving vainly bo comfort her. All.unconscious of the coming peril, the little ones were fearless and almost content. They had no sympathy for their old nurse’s terror. Pike stopped and spoke once again to Kate before riding away, but in ten minutes mounted on a fresh and spirited horse, with his rifle athwart the pommel and the field glasses in their case swinging bv their strap from his shoulder, he cantered boldly up the Pass and was soon well out upon the open plain. His idea was to ride straight out to the .west along the road, five or six miles and more if necessary, scour the country southward with the glasses in search of Captain Gwynnc, and, if he saw nothing of him to geb near enough to the advancing Apaches to see about how large a party they were, then to whirl about, put spurs to his horse, ride like the wind for carnp, get Kate, the children, Jim and the blankets and provisions up to the cave and be all ready for the Tontos when they came. * Gregg ’ was curveting and prancing even now, eager for a gallop, but Pike’s practised hand kept him down to a moderate gait and in this way ho rodo steadily westward towards a distant rise in the midst of the undulating plateau, and there lie felt confident he could see all that was to be seem -It was just ten o’clock when he reined in at tho top of a gentle ascent and unslung his glasses. First lie looked towards Jarvis’ Pass to see how far away were the onc-my and how many in number. Despite the windings of the road and occasional stunted trees or bushes, the first glance through the binocular placed them at once. Yes, there they were in plain view—certainly nob more than four miles away.. Not only could he count the breech clouts and turbans now, but tho swarthy, sinewy bodies could be made out as they came bobbing at their jog trot along the trail. * Twenty-five hi that party at least,’ muttered Pike, ‘ and coming for -all they’re worth. But what on.earth are they bunched so for? There seems to be half a dozen in a clump, right in themiddle of the road.’ Long and earnestly, be studied them : a strange, worried.ex-

pression coming into his.face. Then,- -just as lie had'clone-at'the rock, Pike wiped the glasses and his own e3’es, and then gazed again".

‘By heaven !’ he muttered at last. ‘ That’s a prisoner, sure as fate, that they are lashing and goading along ahead of them/ Who on earth can it be ? O, God grantrib isn’t the captain.’ Rapidly then he swept the plateau southward, searching the foot-hills of the range south of the Pass, his whole heart praying for some glimpse of horse and rider, bub it yi as all unavailing. Then, with one more "look.at the coming foe, poor Pike turned with almost a groan of misery and anxiety, gave ‘Giegg ' one touch of the spur and a flip of the reins, and away he flew at full speed back to his duty at the Pass.. One minute ho reined in as he neared the gorge bo note the direction taken by Manuelito. These were the tracks of the two mules, and running southward out across the open plain, bub the Captain had turned south almost the instant lie had gob. out from among the foothills. Ilis trail started parallel with the range. Surely then he ought to have returned bo camp by this time.

And now, as once again he neared the little fastness in the rocks, Pike drew rein and rode at easy, jaunty lope down the Pass. He would not alarm his charges by hoof-beat that indicated the fainteso haste. When lie arid Gregg came into view nc one of the anxious watchers could have dreamed for an instant that he had seen a horde of fierce Apaches hastening to overtake them.

‘ Just as I thought,’ lie sang out cheerily. ‘ The captain went right down the range to the south and the mules strayed off across the plateau, so they missed each other and he won’t comeback till begets them. It’s all right, but I expect he : 3 pretty hungry by this time.’ Then, springing from the saddle he picked little Nell up in his arms:

■‘ And now, baby, you want to see the beautiful house 1 found for you, don’t you? We’ll all go up and take a look at it and have lunch up there—and lots of fun—while we wait for papa.’ And then with a kiss beset he rdmvn and stalked over to where Jim was still snoring in the sunshine.

1 Wake up, Jim !’ he cried, giving him a lively shake or two. ‘ Wake up and give mo a lift here. Nellie wants to seo her stone house.’

It took some hard shaking—it generally does—to rouse the darky from his slumber, but Jim presently sat up, rubbed his eyes, looked around him, and then, as though suddenly recovering his faculties, sprang to his feet.

‘Unsaddle Gregg and put the saddle, bridle, arid blanket with the other stuff, Jim,’ whispered Pike. ‘We must take our horse equipments and harness with us. We’ve gob to move up -to tho cave. No hurry, mind you. You fetcli the blankets first. I’ll carry Nellie.’ Then calling to Ned to bring his Ballard —there were lots of squirrels up the hill—a fiction that can hardly have been very heavily charged against him, Pike quickly lifted Nellie to his shoulders and strode off up the rocks. ‘ You come, too, Kate. It’s quite a climb, bub it’ll do you good,’ lie shouted, and presently ho had his whole procession strung out behind him and clambering from boulder to boulder. Long before they reached the lodge they had to let poor Kate recover breath and, after one or two halts of this kind, Pike sent Jim ahead with the blankets and bade him come back at once and tow, push or ‘boost’ the stout Irishwoman to their destination. At last the rock was reached, Ned and Nellie shouting with delight over the wonderful cave and speedily making themselves at home in its inmost recesses, Kate breathless and exhausted and bemoaning the fates that brought her on such an uncanny trip. The blankets were spread out on the smooth surface of the rock within the great, gloomy hollow. Jim was sent down for another load while Pike clambered up to his watch tower and took a long look with his glass. ' The Indians had nob yet reached the rise from which he had counted their numbers at 10 o’clock.

In an hour more all the provisions they could need for several days, more blankets and pillows, all the arms and ammunition, all the harness and horse equipments had been lugged up to and safely . stowed in and about- the cave. ‘ They’ll burn the waggons,’ muttered Pike to himself, ‘but we, can leave the horses there. They won’t harm them because they will want them to get away with in case they find the cavalry on their trail. The chances are the horses can be re covered, but darn .ine if I’ll let ’em have saddle, bridle, or harness to run off anything with.’ Then once more ho-had climbed to his post and was diligently watching the road, while Jim, obedient to orders, was rolling rocks and boulders around to'the opening of the cave.

‘ What’s thim for ?’ demanded Kate,

‘ Corporal Pike’s goin’ to build a wall here to keep out the bears,’ said Jim, with lowered voice and significant glance at the children prattling happily together at the back of the cave, and poor Kate knew .’twas no rise asking questions. And now, through the glasses, Pike could see the .Tontos gathered on tho low hillock which had been the western limit of his morning ride. They seemed to have corrie suddenly upon ‘ Gregg’s ’.hoof prints and to have halted for consultation. Full half an hour they tarried there and the children began to clamour for tho promised luncheon. Sauntering down by a round, about way, tho veteran picked up an armful of dry twigs, sticks and dead boughs, and tossed them down at the month of the cave. Then, behind tho rock, he built a small fire of the driest twigs he could find, explaining that ho didn’t want smoke in the dining room, and soon had his skillet heating and his kettle of water at the boil. Jim was directed to cook all that was needed for luncheon and to have-plenty for tho captain, who would be sure to come back mighty hungry in course of the afternoon, and the corporal was speedily at his post again. What could it mean ? The Tontos were still hanging about the little hill six miles out there on tho plain. Was it possible they had abandoned the pursuit? Noon came; one o’clock, two o’clock. They had all had luncheon, and Pike had been scrambling up and down the rock like a monkey, and still there was no forward movement of the foe. Every time he looked they were still lounging or squatting, so he judged,. about the stunted trees on the knoll, arid there was nothing to explain the delay. It must have been three o’clock when at last the binocular told him they were again in motion and coming rapidly toward him. He could see the dirty white breech-clouts floating in the. breeze and could almost distinguish the forms of the warriors themselves. Leaving iiis glass on the top of the leclge he slid down to the base again ; called quietly, to Jim, and the two men set to work to build their breast work. Boulders big and little, rocks of every possible shape and size were all around them, and in. three-quarters of an hour they'Hacl/a stout parapet fully four feet high, whose loopholes commanded the approach up thehillside, and yet were secure from fire from above,- below or either flank. Then back he went'tb Kis - watch tower.

. The instant ho adjusted and levelledit at the road,- Tike' gave vent to an' expletive that need not bo recorded here, but that

indicated itv him a'mosb’unusual degree of excitement. No wonder. The Tontos were now in plain view Only two mile 3 and a half out there on the plain—and though they were spread out,'as a rule, to the right and left of the road, quite a number of them came jogging along the road ibiclf, and right in the midst of these, led by an Indian in front and guarded by two or three in rear, were tho missing mules. Even at that distance Pike could swear to them. On they came, rapidly, relentlessly, well knowing that even if their human prey had escaped them,,- the big waggon must be somewhere about the Pass and loaded still with provisions. Nearer — nearer jogged the leaders, bub now the old trooper was carefully studying a dark object on the back of the foremost mule —a pack of some kind —and marvelling what it could be—wondering, too, what they had done with their prisoner. He was sure they had one-as they came along that morning. At last they were within a mile of the heights and the western entrance to the Pass, aud now their speed slackened. They’began opening out farther and farther to the right and left, and tho nearer they came to the foot-hills tho slower and steadier became their advance. The mules and their attendants were kept veil in the background, and for the life of him Pike could nob tell what that queerlooking ‘ pack ’ could bo. Slowly, steadily, the Tonto skirmish line came on. Every moment brought them nearer to tho mouth of - the Pass. The sun was low down in the west, and threw long shadows of the. approaching foe before •them. Little' by little, crouching, almost crawling, the more daring spirits among them would give a spring arid a rapid run bo the front of forty or fifty yards. Evidently they expected to be greeted with a sharp fire somewhere about the Pass, and did not dare push ahead in their usual order. And now they had reached the entrance to the defile Two or three, as flankers, remained veil out to the right and left among the trees ; two or three stole cautiously ahead down the road. Pike watched their every move, yet found himself every few seconds fixing his gaze on that foremost mule now placidly cropping ■tho scant herbage while the skirmish lino pushed ahead. Presently a signal of some kind was given and repeated. The Indians in charge of the mules hastened with them to the month of the Pass, and as they did so, that singular pack came closer and closer under Pike’s powerful glass. ‘ It’s their prisoner,’ he uttered. ‘ They have driven and goaded him until ho fainted from exhaustion. Then they had to wait for the mules to bo brought up to the hillock—then lashed the poor fellow upon the back of one of them and pushed ahead.’ For some purpose of their own they were keeping him alive, and death by fearful torture was something to be looked forward to in the near future. The corporal continued to gaze as though fascinated until the leading mule gob almost under him, and then ho gave a groan of helplessness and misery as lie exclaimed, ‘ lb’s Manuelito !’ (To be Continued. )