Show l 0 T By FRANK H. H SPEARMAN Front Frank H. H Spearman Service SYNOPSIS Doa Doi Alfredo wealthy Spanish owner of a Southern rn California rancho refuses to heed sever several 1 warnings of a raid by a 0 band of outlaws Sierra Indians One day after afler he hea has a finally decided to seek the protection of the e nearby mission for his wife and family the e Indians strike Don Alfredo Allredo is killed and his hii two young daughters are arc torn from the arms ann of the family's faithful maid Monica and are carried away to the hills Padre Pasqua missionary friend of the family arrives at the ruins of the ranch and learns the ithe story of the raid from Monica After a 8 trying hying and difficult trip across the plains and mountains from Texas to California youthful Henry Bowie a Texas adventurer with his friends Ben and SImmie an an n Indian scout sight the party of Indians Who ho have carried off the two little Utie girls The three Texans attack the war party of fifty- fifty odd Indians and through a clever ruse scatter scat ter the savages to the hills The girls are laved caved The group makes its way out of the bilIs and meets the distraught Monica the childrens children's maid The girls are left leit with Monica and the friendly Padre at a mission and nd d the Texans proceed to Monterey Here I Bowie wie completes his business for Gen Sam Houston of Texas who has commissioned him to deliver dellver an important message Bowie decides to have a look at the wild untamed country that California was In the middle i Nineteenth century Bo Bowie yie rie disappears from California but returns eight years later and the acquaintance of a friendly Spanish Span Span- t ish family at the Rancho Guadalupe He Is I Carmen daughter attracted by the lovely of If Don Ramon the ranchos rancho's owner Bowie saves Don Ramons Ramon's s life in a fierce fight a huge grizzly bear I Il l C i CHAPTER VI Continued VI-Continued Continued 1 J. J 7 7 I But Pedro dared take no chances His Ills horse was frantic and he knew Ithe the deadly danger of a wounded bear Casting a hasty glance at Dowie bowie who lay on his face he urged his frightened horse closer to the fallen tallen f allen monster of the Sierras The vaquero eyed the beast narrowly while he rode his horse kicking and flinging around him until he caught eight ight of the handle of a bowie knife sunk to the hilt between the ribs under the left forepaw The grizzly lay quite dead Hastening to Bowie Pedro slipped from his horse to examine him Dust covered and mangled the Texan Texan Tex- Tex an en lay in a rapidly widening pool of his own blood His heart was beat- beat ling faintly and Pedro giving hurried hurried hurried hur hur- ried orders to his comrades raised the unconscious man in his arms pushed up from one ear a flap of scalp torn from Bowies Bowie's temple sand and shouting for puffballs plastered the dry spores as best he could over the unconscious mans man's head I shoulders and arms CHAPTER VH VU VUI VIII I Bowie woke in bed to see a tall bald man in the brown woolen habit of of a Franciscan padre sitting in a chair chair beside him and eying aYing him with witha Is a suspicion of a smile As Bowie opened his eyes the padre raised the forefinger of his right hand and laid it across his own lips as if to enjoin silence Dos amigo no mas he said in a low sympathetic voice I Few words from you OU for some sometime sometime sometime time yet I want to see some nourishment nourishment nourishment nour nour- for you before you expend any strength you strength you left most of that amigo in the canyon Yes he continued still in English English Eng Eng- lish I uI know what you want to ask You were brought back to the ranch house given up for dead When they sent for me at the mission mission mission mis mis- sion I asked Who is this man A Texan mangled by a grizzly they told me meA A Texan I repeated And when they assured me you were I Isaid Isaid Isaid said The Texan is not dead I have seen many men torn by grizzlies but the Texan outlasts the bear However I say to you seriously few words and on your back till we can get more blood coursing through your veins Bowie lay so utterly weak he could hardly find voice but speak he I would Padre he said breathing with difficulty if the bear is dead I want my knife e. e My knife he repeated with an effort and my revolver For answer the Franciscan rose turned to the bureau in the bedroom took from it the long knife and the Colt revolver They have been cared for amigo as you see But ButI I advise you to rest up for at least three months before you resume with a grizzly That is indeed a remarked the padre holding holding holding hold hold- ing up r s bowie knife for interested ins Where did you get it i ami amigo go ir The uThe blade was made from a blacksmiths blacksmith's file returned Bowie with a trace of pride in his weak weak- ness And calls for a long strong arm to wield it it mused the padre Don Francisco entered the room on tiptoe He greeted Bowie warm warm- ly y U Amigo he exclaimed Thanks to God that you are alive I Tell me what happened in that canyon canyon canyon can can- yon The padre put up his hand He uHe is too weak to talk But in a few words begged Don Francisco In a few words responded Bowie Bow Bow- ie dryly we uwe had more or less of a fight Madre de Dios exclaimed Don Francisco I uI would c call ll it more than less of a fight Pedro has never never never nev nev- er seen so big a bear bear no no not in all his life he truly says But Bowie you must know Padre Martinez He has been our surgeon amigo We had none else to call on Dr Doane was in Santa Barbara Doctors are scarce in California very scarce We Ve feared you would di disk die from all the blood you lost But Padre Mar Mar- who graduated a surgeon in Spain before he became a missioner mission- mission er came quickly to our aid and aid and you see Bowie weakly acknowledged acknowledged acknowledged edged his obligation by pressing the hand of Padre Martinez who sat beside his bed and the padre si silenced silenced silenced si- si Don Francisco by waving him out of the room and then following following following fol fol- fol- fol lowing him At the door he encountered Don Ramon just coming to speak to Bowie Bow Bow- ie and in matter of fact to apologize apologize apolo apolo- gize for exposing his guests guest's life to such danger Don R Ramon brought back his nephew Francisco for translator Only a few words Padre Pad Pad- re exclaimed Don Ramon But Buthe Buthe he saved my life I must at least thank him Bowie who in the everyday course of the life of a frontiersman would not have looked on his narrow escape escape escape es es- es- es cape as an extraordinary event found himself the hero of the rancho and Simmie shining in the penumbra of his prestige and though secretly elated at the feat put on airs of indifference among the vaqueros vaqueros vaqueros va- va queros to intimate that where they came from such incidents were everyday everyday ev ev- ev occurrences The days went slowly almost painfully for an active man like Bowie Dona Maria realizing that her husbands husband's l life e had been spared through the diversion of the bears bear's fury was unremitting in her solicitude solicitude solicitude tude for the Texans Texan's comfort And when he was ready to sit up Carmen Carmen Carmen Car Car- men sent flowers and a Chinese confection confection confection con con- to him During the impatient days that followed followed fol fol- fol lowed Bowie had one faithful at at- Don Francisco spent hours at his bedside and entertained him with stories of California and of his people the rancheros Bowie was a good listener One day while Don Francisco sat with Bowie a jar of Canton ginger was sent in with the compliments of Carmen Bowie assuming assuming assuming as as- suming such indifference as he could muster asked why Carmen wore black She had a sweetheart Don Ramon Ramon Ramon Ra Ra- Ra- Ra mon de Haro He had a twin brother broth broth- er Now if you are an admirer of General Fremont Don Francisco Francisco Francisco Fran Fran- cisco interrupted himself t to say you would not like to hear this Fremont said Bowie means nothing to me x The uThe brothers one day this spring took a boat at Yerba Buena to row over to San Rafael They wanted to see Fremont about getting getting getting get get- ting pay for a bunch of steers his men had taken from the De Haro rancho They took with them an anold anold anold old friend Don Jose de Berreyesa to interpret The three men landed at San Rafael and when they were seen by Fremont he detailed three to meet them and kill them Kill them echoed Bowie sur sur- Listen continued Don Francis Francis- co One of these three men sent by Fremont was his scout Kit Car Car- son Carson before he set out asked Fremont whether he should take these three Californians pris pris- Fremont growled Ive got no room for prisoners Carson and his two men dismounted dismounted dis dis- dis mounted about fifty yards from the theDe theDe theDe De Haro boys and Berreyesa who were walking up the hill unarmed and covering them with rifles deliberately deliberately deliberately de de- de- de shot the three Bowie tightened up a little Is UIs that the kind of a man Fremont is he asked Judge for yourself returned Don Francisco succinctly For a moment Bowie made no comment Ive heard some tough stories about him he said slowly but nothing to equal that They buried the boys fine boys fine young fellows fellows and and poor Berreyesa You Youcan Youcan Youcan can imagine how Californians felt I can Senorita Carmen was wild Don Ramon and she were not what you say engaged but they were deeply in love I really believe if she could have got hold of Fremont she would have strangled hiim No wonder she hates Americanos Bowies Bowie's padre surgeon Martinez came often When the danger had passed he confessed he had greatly feared infection But I should have known better he said one day Texans are strong blooded You may be discharged from my care let us see see see-it it is four weeks You are a lucky man Senor Bowie What will you do now This was the question that was being asked in the Estrada family After prolonged discussions in which Padre Martinez was consulted Don Ramon spoke to Bowie You have come to California to live You mean to go upriver to join Captain Sutter I have something something some some- thing better If you will wm become major domo of Rancho Guadalupe I will make you a rich man Bowie thanked Don Ramon but shook his head I uI would rather be befree befree befree free Don Ramon I have always been free A Texan just naturally hates to be tied down Besides I want vant to see more of this country It ItIS Itis Itis is very wonderful And who knows I might be called back to Texas Don Ramon did not press his of of- fer As you will senor Remember ber you are always welcome with your friends at Guadalupe And if you honor us again with your company company company com com- pany I shall be careful not to lead you into any more bear traps You have saved my life As the last day of his stay approached approached approached ap ap- ap- ap Bowie began to wonder whether he should catch a final glimpse of the young girl who had occupied his thoughts so much since coming corning to the rancho She had been visiting in Monterey and came home the night before Bowie and his scouts took their departure The scene in the morning as the trio made ready to mount their horses was a lovely one The sun had broken into flame above the eastern Sierras and flung its billows of gold over the land They livened the spreading green of the pepper trees and brightened the pink tips of the burgeoning oaks The family were grouped together After good-bys good to Don Ramon and the Dona Carmen came forward with her cousin Francisco for interpreter interpreter interpreter in in- to thank Bowie for the claws Bowie yielded to an impulse impulse impulse im im- im- im pulse and stepped up to Carmen to thank her for the Canton jar Since I cant can't take it with me I have left it in the car of Don Francisco he explained It uIt was most kind of you senorita he said while Don Francisco translated to Uto think of the stranger within the gates I Ishall Ishall shall shaH not forget it He watched her narrowly as Don Francisco repeated his words but buther buther buther her manner was reserved her smile cool Yet at the end as he turned away he thought perhaps imagined that a faint flush crept into her cheeks If ever I am happy enough to revisit Guadalupe II remarked Bowie soliloquizing as he rode away I shall certainly have learned to speak Spanish In fact I wont won't come back till I can He kept his word They heard from him at Guadalupe For months after the Texan had ridden away there came from upriver almost regularly choice bits of game from Bowie saddles Bowie saddles of venison and elk Canadian geese mallard ducks and not infrequently pelts from the north of the tipped silver-tipped fox Of these there were always two soft tanned and deep piled for the Dona and her daughter The uThe Texan has the instincts of a gentleman observed Don Ramon at dinner one evening since he I exaggerates in his mind the slight hospitality we have been able to extend extend extend ex ex- ex- ex tend to him and his men Nor does he forget Padre Martinez for Pedro Pedro Pedro Pe Pe- dro tells me that Santa Clara receives receives receives re re- re- re much courtesy from him not him not alone in g gifts ts of compliment but but but- so Pedro says says says-he he and his men have helped the padres recover horses and sometimes cattle driven off by thieving Indians The Indians are growing constantly constantly con con- bolder Don Ramon said his nephew indignantly I uI hear it iton iton iton on every hand They raid our neighbors neighbors neighbors neigh neigh- bors already Soon they will be beafter beafter beafter after our horses and Stanislaus Stanislaus Stanislaus Stani Stani- long ago taught them rebel rebel- lion They need to be driven out of these mountains Dont undertake it yourself Don Francisco remarked his uncle who knew his fiery disposition Nevertheless my uncle you will see them give us trouble if they are not taught a lesson Don Francisco proved too good a prophet The stealing horse-stealing Indians did grow bolder Their depredations increased and they raided the big ranchos ranches with less fear of conse conse- Every young Cal Californian along th the foothills was angry They demanded something be done by the soldiers at the mission or the pre pre- sidio But the authorities were indolent Following minor depredations at Rancho Pinole the Indians emboldened emboldened emboldened ened ran off one dark night every saddle horse on the place Don Jose Martinez and his son had to borr borrow borrow bor bor- r row w horses from Don Ramon at Guadalupe The neighbors were infuriated They organized a party and set out outto outto outto to recover the horses and chastise the thieves Don Francisco of Guadalupe Guadalupe Guad Guad- was chosen captain The posse was in the saddle early next morning and two vaqueros tracked the marauders through the hills to a canyon in the mountains where toward evening they charged I the Indians in a surprise attack It was made too hastily and the red men scattering at the onslaught of the rancheros sent back a cloud of arrows at their pursuers Pedro and his vaqueros took advantage of the sudden confusion of the warriors to run the stolen horses out of the canyon and head them downhill for home For a time the brush was fast but there were too many In In- Don Francisco called a retreat retreat retreat re re- re- re treat and the Californians slowly retired from the field As the leader of his little band Don Francisco was the last to wheel from the scene of battle The youngster youngster youngster young young- ster was fearless beyond his years Unhappily as he spurred after his comrades an arrow struck |