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Show I! By FRANK H. SPEARMAN Frank H. Wman WNU Servic. Don Ramon's face lighted. The details were worked out. The two scouts, Pardaloe and Simmie, were offered, and later accepted, work as vaqueros. But with the understanding under-standing that when the wanderlust seized them they were free to head for the mountains, where, in fact, they had spent most of their time" in California. After the difficulties had been ironed out Don Ramon ordered horses. Bowie was introduced to Pedro and his vaqueros as major-domo. major-domo. Taking Pedro, Pancho, Pardaloe Par-daloe and the Creek with them, Don Ramon and Bowie spent hours riding rid-ing over the valley and through the hills granted by the king of Spain to his favored retainer, Don Ramon Estrada, grandfather to the present Don Ramon. Dona Maria had been told of the new arrangement. She was so pleased that she hastened to Carmen Car-men to tell her of the coming of Bowie. Carmen looked up with a face almost as black as a thundercloud. thunder-cloud. "Why, Carmen," protested her mother, "don't you like it?" "Like it?" exclaimed the Impetuous Impetu-ous girl. "An Americano to come to Guadalupe? Could not Father have picked anybody but an Americano to take poor Francisco's place?" But Carmen was at least mistress of her feelings and she kept them to herself. At dinner that night there was present a new member of the SYNOPSIS I Don Alfredo, vvenltliy, Spanish owner o( a Southern California rancho, refuses to heed several warnings of a raid by a I bnnd of outlaws, Sierra Indians. One day after he has finally decided to seek the 3 protection of the nearby mission for his j wife and family, the Indians strike. Don Alfredo is killed and his two young daughters are torn from the arms of the family's faithful maid, Monica, and are carried away to the hills. Padre Pas-qual. Pas-qual. missionary friend of the family, arrives at the ruins of the ranch and , learns the story of the raid from Monica. After a trying and diflicult trip across ;od the plains and mountains from Texas to :tv California, youthful Henry Bowie, a Tex- 11 as adventurer, with his friends, Ben ded Pardaloe and Simmie. an Indian scout, rvrifi sight the party of Indians who have car- rled off the two little girls. The three Texans attack the war party of fifty-odd Indians. The girls are saved. The group makes its way out of the hills and meets the distraught Monica, the children's tV maid. The girls are left with Monica and si- the friendly Padre at a mission, and the l'" Texans proceed to Monterey. Here Bowie ! 433 completes his business for Gen. Sam , n Houston of Texas, who has commissioned him to deliver an important message. 1,600 Bowie decides to have a look at the wild untamed California. Bowie disappears but returns eight years later and makes 5j5iv, the acquaintance of a friendly Spanish family at the Kancho Guadalupe. He Is i'SS attracted by the lovely Carmen, daugh- VT ter of Don Ramon, the rancho's owner. jM 1 Bowie saves Don Ramon's life In a JSll fierce fight with a huge grizzly bear. rj Don Francisco, youthful heir to the V fjl rancho's acres. Is captured in a battle fiSv with Indian raiders. Bowie sets out to -v.. help his friends. 71 CHAPTER VIII Continued led Pri 11 was a D00tless search with no unu. signs of the Indians. Daylight was well advanced by the time the four '. CO. had covered the canyon and Pedro has sent me. The Indians were led by Yosco. He has carried away twenty-five girls and women and three hundred horses. Padre Martinez Mar-tinez begs you will send help today. He fears they will be back tonight to carry off more of the women." Don Ramon raised his hand. "Tell Padre Martinez we will send help." The horseman, touching his forehead, fore-head, whirled away. A clatter of hoofs and a trail of dust marked his way across the valley to the southern ranchos. The group on the porch watched him. Don Ramon looked to Bowie. "We must act," he said. "The mission must be protected." "What about their soldiers?" demanded de-manded Bowie of Pedro. "Hasn't this worthless government enough regard for the property to supply guards for it?" He did not wait for an answer. "Pedro," he said sharply, sharp-ly, "fetch Pardaloe and Simmie . . . Who is this?" he asked. A second unobtrusive vaquero had stood at Pedro's elbow, listening to every word. "This is Sanchez, my right-hand trailer," answered Pedro. "He is frantic. Among the girls Yosco has stolen is his sweetheart, Amelita." "He knows the mountains?" asked Bowie. "Born and lived there. He is down here only two years." "And Yosco has stolen his girl?" mused Pedro. "They were to be married soon." "You should have some idea of where this Yosco hides," said Bowie, Bow-ie, eying Sanchez closely. "He is no doubt the same wretch that killed Don Francisco. We must get him. Where does Yosco hide?" "Senor," muttered the stolid Mariposa, Mar-iposa, "he has three places." "Which is the closest?" "If he is in the closest he cannot be taken. You must wait till he goes farther up in the mountains." Bowie was impatient. "Tell me, talk faster: where is this closest place?" he asked curtly. "In a canyon of the Santa Maria River, high up in a cave " Pedro interrupted. "I know that CHAPTER IX At Don Ramon's suggestion Bowie was made captain of the company, and it was agreed to obey his orders. "You all understand, I suppose, that we must depend on Sanchez to take us to the canyon?" explained Bowie. "If we fail to find the Indians Indi-ans in the cave our work is lost because we can't follow them into the mountains with a skeleton company. com-pany. We are taking the chance of finding them. I think, a good chance. Sanchez, we are ready to start when you give word." "A few moments, senor. When the big star shows in the east we start," said the Indian in a very low voice. "And when the column moves, not a word is to be spoken by anyone," added Bowie to the company. "Not a whisper nor a cough nor a laugh nor a sneeze. This is no holiday ride some of us may not come back. You are going against a chief with the reputation of being the wiliest of the mountain outlaws. Sanchez San-chez says we need every precaution. precau-tion. Are you all in moccasins? If not, provide yourselves here. Look to your rifles, carbines, knives and your ammunition. If there is a fight there will be no time to correct our mistakes. Yosco will do that for us." At midnight the ghostlike column had penetrated the higher mountains. moun-tains. Sanchez halted the party in a small grassy glade. Here they dismounted. dis-mounted. Three men, Don Ramon and two vaqueros, were detailed to . guard the horses above the glade the trail could be followed only on foot. The advance was begun single file, and like a writhing black ser-, pent the column of armed men wound its way, at times faintly visible vis-ible in the light of the stars, and at times disappearing into the eclipse of a mountain shoulder. Not a word was spoken the Texan knew the tricks of Indians and left nothing to chance. The going grew rougher than that of the sierra they had crossed. Bowie Bow-ie halted at times to give the col- iffsl big cave, senor. It opens on a canyon can-yon wall five hundred feet high. The cave is halfway up, reached by a ledge not three feet wide. You see, there is no chance to attack while Yosco hides there. You must wait." "This cave it opens out on a canyon can-yon wall. Is the opening narrow or wide?" "Wide, senor." "We will try for the cave, Pedro." "But, senor!" Bowie shook his head. "We will ' start tonight. What say, Sanchez?" City, l!ti had signaled for the horses. Riding back, the quartette found the vaqueros riding in circles over 00 ,, the scene of the fight of the day be- rtMi tit fore. They had counted, when Bow- vwv ie rejoined them, the bodies of elev- en dead Indians, but there was no sign of Don Francisco. Once more jr . Bowie ordered the party up the can- yon to pick up the trail. He him- Osdtn'ui't self was ridhlg slowly ahead, alone and under a driving rain, across a p field of loose rock and shale when his eye was drawn from the trail by jlLTSLAK 811 ob5eCt lying near t0 3 clumP of Salt Lakebii. stunted trees. He reined toward it, I looked again, hesitated, then sprang r.Q I from his horse. It might be the " I naked body of a dead Indian. But ro in tta I a closer look brought a shock; it was write. 4rf- I the rain-sodden body of Don Fran- 1555, Salt lit I Cisco. " j A saddle blanket was stretched on MEALS I the ground. The dead lad was Trr I wrapped in it and slung across the j CAfK I back of a horse, and with every ULAR PRcn I precaution against ambush the so- I ber horsemen made their way back v(.. I to open country and the ranch. At JM- I Bowie's insistence Pedro rod ahead Sioo Ctaw51 I to break the news; he himself did and'Ponlw I not feel equal to it. oratories I Loud waUs greeted me utUe caval- JJJ I cade as it approached the rancho. I Servants and children made no ef- AlDi I fort to restrain their grief. At the t need to l k! I ranch house door Don Ramon, stern The vaoTjJJ I faced and bitter, stood with Dona 'TtS" I Maria. who was supported by Car- "iMTlTlTft I men' e two women in tears- Tney I.N J I suppressed their sobs as best they lut'uk' OwJ I could while Don Francisco was awk-r awk-r I wardly but tenderly carried in by !NTAlN- I the tall Texan and laid on the young "urtia I Don's own bed and in his darkened ' and mH & Bin I Ramon summoned Dr. Doane or WI"jateW111 1 from Monterey, and under his skill- Jj!jL' I ful hands the features of Don Fran- Cisco, as he lay in the candlelight wi-rCl)! the next ni2nt in nis rough coffin, ' AN ' were less terrible, more nearly nat- rn ural and, in some measure, more C ARhA consoling to those who gathered S -ilBF around him to recite the prayers of ADVENLHKi e dead. Indeed the whole night 'I A" AH heard their voices raised to heaven "J- aTIO in "'"cession for a dear one. Hour i cal!cl!i by hour groups of the household, ens of 9 itb- from master and mistress to the s of 18 aooJ pdjsicJ lowliest of the servants, relieved one and i" 9 another in vigil beside the rude bier, -rx pY Next day, lying before the mission r KlOV altat While Padre Martinez and his ST NU w, Franciscan assistant intoned the available i" A"( Mass of Requiem, the youthful vic- Arrillery, CoJSeiicil 1 tlrn seemed in his repose almost to Signal CorpS',n(l 0tW i speak words of consolation to those faster OP. i who still mourned him with unceas- ches. ! "8 sobs. Bowie had never seen -ONTAcT. ctatil ', iust such a Catholic funeral. The r Recruiting i solemn ritual, the marked rever- kj 55 BuiW'"9 ence. Uie uplifted hands of the sup- lV Lake CitTf- at the altar, joined by those UI Uthfted at times at the aItar rail s "oved him beyond any spectacle he ,intj "a(i ever witnessed. nCM L0"i" i rDr' Doane spent the night at Dk' . adalupe and sat late with Bowie Au Pd Don Ramon. Again the mas-UTAH mas-UTAH , r of the rancho talked with the T ' I 'wan about taking over the man-XZgP'V man-XZgP'V "M S6fment 0 the great domain. 7?l 1 "L. 'Ncw more than ever I need you, With a face almost as black as a thunder cloud. household, and he was received by the family with the perfect courtesy of their training and traditions. Bowie, Bow-ie, in spite of himself, was a bit self-conscious. self-conscious. Perhaps that was why he talked more than was his wont. He was likewise conscious of choosing choos-ing his words carefully in the new tongue because of listening ears at the lower end of the table. Within a short time the rancho routine had already become so established es-tablished that the presence of Bowie seemd a part of the considerable domain. Pedro, a full-blooded Mariposa Mari-posa Indian, took to Bowie from the start. Simmie told him of one fairly stiff brush in company with the Texan and how he had taken stock of his bearing when baptized by a cloud of arrows. In the estimation esti-mation of an Indian one characteristic characteris-tic ranks above all others steadiness steadi-ness under fire. Every day Pedro and his fellow Indian vaquero, Pancho, Pan-cho, rode the valley and foothills of Guadalupe with Bowie, who gradually grad-ually applied to its better management manage-ment the experience and practice of a Texas cattleman. One morning word came to the rancho that the Indians had raided the mission. Two hundred horses were missing and fifteen women and girls taken. The storeroom was robbed and emptied. "Senor Bowie, what do you think of this raid?" Don Ramon asked the Texan at breakfast. "Pedro thinks this is another of Yosco's jobs. Pedro knows these mountain Indians pretty well But there's one thing certain: every time ndians make a successful raid they are bolder for the next. They need a lesson." He spoke slowly. "What shall we do?" asked Don Ramon, interrupting him. "I know of but one thing, con- The Mariposa did not speak. He looked at the ground, thinking. Don Ramon, Dona Maria, Carmen, waited wait-ed in suspense. "Sanchez," asked Bowie casually, "are you afraid?" The taunt stung the Indian into words, "For himself, Sanchez fears nothing. Yosco has stolen his Amelita. Am-elita. Sometime," Sanchez spoke slowly on, "sometime Sanchez will kiU him." "You speak like a man, Sanchez. But help us now to get back the horses and the mission women. Can you take us to the cave?" Again the Mariposa paused. "I can take you to the cave, senor. But the only chance would be to surprise sur-prise them. If they discover you first every man you take along will be killed. Do you want to take that chance?" "Why not? And we must start tonight." Sanchez nodded assent. "We must get to the cave before daybreak." The Indian nodded again. "We shall need you for a guide." A small cloud of dust could be seen on the northern horizon. "Those are rancheros," said Bowie. "They will be here soon." The rancheros rode up in twos and threes. Felipe and Jose Martinez Marti-nez from Pinole; Antonio Bernal from Santa Teresa, Francisco Soto from El Molino; Pedro Arguello from San Miguel; Sebastian Pache-co Pache-co and Ignacio Alviso from Vicenti. The sun was hot. Francisco Soto, who was pugnacious but fat, suggested sug-gested moving to the shade of the portico Bowie vetoed the suggestion. sugges-tion. ''Let us keep away from the servants' ears," he suggested. "These Indians are not all to be trusted. If we don't surprise Yosco, he will surprise us: that Indian must be a smart hombre." The conference moved, as a compromise, com-promise, to the shade of a spreading spread-ing oak. Two hours went to impressing im-pressing on the group the details of "We are two hundred feet from the cave." umn a chance to close up; and an occasional cautious "Hist!" checked the movement while Sanchez felt out the rocks for further ascent. He was following a trail along which each man was cautioned in the lowest low-est whisper to hug the face of the precipice they were mounting where a misstep would have plunged a man hundreds of feet into the canyon below. At long last the struggling rancheros, ranch-eros, who, had they not been men of spirit, would have sunk under the exhaustion of their long and dangerous danger-ous climb, were led in the darkness dark-ness to a rock chimney in the sheer face of the precipice. Within the walls of this they could stand in a group. "We are two hundred feet from the cave," whispered Bowie. to those nearest him. The splashing of a small waterfall in the canyon made it possible to speak in whispers; the news was cautiously reiayed to the whole company. "Take a last look at your carbines car-bines and rifles. Have your knive handy if we're rushed. The trail splits here. Sanchez wants six volunteers vol-unteers to follow him up another hundred feet. He will post them high above the cave where they cm fire down at the raiders or roll boulders boul-ders on their heads who wants tn go? But," he added truthfully, "you should know that if we're licked there's no possible salvation for these six." Every man of the twenty-ight volunteered. Three rancheros and three vaqueros were chosen. Like men chosen for death, the six with their guide crept and crawled to the last difficult post Even Bowie, with keen ears, awaiting with the main body the return of Sanchez, could hear nothing of the volunteers after they had gone fifty feet "Now," whispered Sanchez on his return, "you have kept quiet Keep quieter. Try not to start a single chip of rock under your feet, for it will rattle all the way down the canyon can-yon wall. They are in the cave that much I know now. Get on your hands and knees this time for the ist climb. I think we've got them." (TO BE C.nyTlStED) tinued Bowie "" " them Anyway, that's what we used o do down on the Staked Plain hJr, thev fiot too troublesome. There's jangle in mis for me Don Ramon. This Yosco led the raid that resulted in the death of Don Francisco-murder I call it, for rrdWHkrmrHehnd.WI'd tTarelfom hereto belike to punish his murderer." His speech and manner were still dehberate! almost cold, but his tone carried conviction of deadly intent carrieu pedr0i Again he was cu .edly tQ dooray'h' Vaquer from the c,o?c!y by Dona Maria and Carmen, -f;eTdwlsthbarPehIad;d and his the plan of attack. And l don t want anyone to ride into this without warning him of the danger," said Bowie as the meeting broke up. "It is a dash into enemy country. If our attack fails some of us will not come back, and if anyone wishes to drop out now there will be no hard feelings. We meet at eight o'clock at the mission." That night the Spanish blood was up. Every don who had been summoned sum-moned was on hand at the evening rendezvous. Their numbers had been handsomely hand-somely supplemented by rancheros from the south in all. twenty-eight men rode from the mission that niht for the stronghold of the outlaw out-law Indians in Santa Maria Canyon. It was only a handful of men for an invasion, but they were twenty-eight twenty-eight men. each capable of g.v.i an account of Himself. I"" ' ' (ti ,,0wie said Don Ramon qui-' qui-' , y" "My nephew was my right ',' ' m without him, I am helpless. -l W WUhout him- well-nigh defense- v ' ; He nas handled the vaqueros, Arr fi-ir-B. ' 1 ' i nagw tne matanzas, arranged ' " a Sale 01 the hides and tallow. r,; ;23"?N (0!,Se lauding Indians from A " , -' L V? they wil1 be bolder, encour-- Sfc'VVfc, Partial victory. . . -W Dt f flcardo-" he said, addressing "--J ('''L, e "wU1 yu not als lend Bath ,J ' llVOice t0 Persuade our Texan r?.Mf ""I U bec, as you have, a ""cofff s"" A me tonight to think it over, I!3"10"'" said Bowie at last. :hange ai'Aft. ank you- Good night." "'C int breakfast next morning l Bef . l( raand on Ramon sat down in 'el "'I Cm 0ffiCe' yU SUU eel rLw i t"'"' Viid n tt0 g0 ahead, Don Ramon," 1 , ' 1 m inclined to come B- 'tfK y here with you." |