Wolcott LeCléar Beard

“ Barton rode slowly around the camp, telling off each family as he came to it, in order to make sure that all were present; and I found time to notice, in a vague sort of way, that Specs was shuffling rapidly up and down, muttering to himself, his arms twitching nervously. Each time he met any one at all in authority he would stop and seem about to speak, but no one helped him begin, so he would pass on, twitching and muttering as before.
The sheriff had finished his round, and pulling up his horse, he sat, with a troubled look, facing the group of men near which I was standing. ”

“ When anyone exposed himself, this was made evident by the bullet which was invariably sent in search of him.
Our only chance lay in getting a message to our camp. They could send us help from there, for, as one of the men observed, as all the Indians in the Territory were besieging us, the big camp obviously must be free from them. Anyway it was our only chance, if chance it was. On three sides we were encompassed by watchful savages, on the fourth rolled the river, swollen by melted snow from the mountains, and also commanded by the Apache rifles. ”

“ The long legs stretched themselves into a run, shambling and awkward, but very fast, toward the northwest.
It really was surprising what time they made, but as a shot rang out from Barton's pistol, and a little spirt of dust flew up from the desert, this record was nowhere. It was wonderful. I was starting in pursuit, but the sheriffs quick order stopped me, for there was a heave through the prostrate ranks on the train.
Men rose to their feet. One or two jumped to the ground, and several came out from under the cars. ”

“ Also it required men, which lessened the number of guards, so that there were uneasy movements among the packed masses on the tops of the cars, which looked as though an attempt to descend might follow. Of course anything like a concerted rush on their part would have swept us all aside in an instant, but that required a leader, who would probably be shot, so no one cared to assume the position, and we were allowed to ride or walk our rounds assailed by nothing worse than opprobrious epithets. ”

“ Mrs. Brainard was standing inside, leaning on the spare rifle; close by sat Annie, her face hidden in her folded arms. The younger woman stole a glance at Sam, but did not speak; the elder was always a person of a few words. "Came jus' in time, boys," said she. "Reckon you mus' be 'bout ready for somethin' t' eat."
Then she set about preparing the meal.
While we were eating, there was considerable discussion as to how we should proceed. Barton was for returning at once to the big camp; but Brainard held a different opinion. ”

“ Specs heaved a sigh of relief and disappeared. Sam stood close beside me. "I'll go, of course," he said, quietly, and turning, walked toward his horses. Many volunteered, most of them young men and unmarried, but some had wives. Barton may or may not have been right in attributing to this fact their willingness to risk their scalps, but he refused them, for the twelve men selected were all single.
The horses were soon ready, and we were mounted when Specs, on his mule, rode up and joined us. The sheriff started to remonstrate, but for the first time in my knowledge of him Specs interrupted. ”

“ They would not return, probably, but it was best to take no chances, and get as soon as possible to the camp. There was no disposition to linger. In an amazingly short time the horses were harnessed or saddled, and the wagon was creaking down the sandy road with its double escort. Now, in answer to our many questions we heard the account of Specs's adventures, as known to the lower camp. There was not much to tell.
Their attention had been attracted by some distant firing, and some Indians were seen, but far out of range. Then, around a bend, the kettle had hove in sight. ”

“ Specs had started to unfasten his mule, which was tied to the hitching-rail, but Hughes's hand was on the knot. Probably, by way of relieving his embarrassment, Specs stooped and pulled out a cactus-thorn which was sticking in the mule's hock. Balaam lashed out viciously. "Always look a gift mule in the mouth, Specs, me son. 'Tis safer so, fer it's a poor mule what won't wurrk both ways," Hughes went on. "Now, as I was sayin' about Annie——"
Specs tore the reins loose, bundled on to the back of his steed, and the brute bucked himself away, disappearing down the trail. ”

“ In the opinion of our men the unpleasant position in which we found ourselves was clearly due to Specs's cowardice in firing prematurely, and so giving warning of what otherwise might have been a decisive blow to our enemies. ”

“ I had noticed, one day, as I was approaching the Cactus Cottage, that the attenuated mule was standing dejectedly before its door. Specs came hurrying out of the saloon as I pulled up in front of it, followed by a crowd of grinning men, headed by Hughes, the proprietor. "She's a daughter of ould Brainard's up to Section Fifteen, Specs, me boy," Hughes was saying. "Annie, her nem is, an' a mighty fine gurrul. I do not wonder that you're interested. ”

“ Say, ain't that him? Mus' be. They ain't no moah than one man roun' heah built tongs-fashion like that."
The road curved about the base of a knoll, and as we rounded it the figure spoken of had come into view. It was the deserter from the Industrials; there could be no mistaking those legs, or the gait they took, even at that distance.
"Let's ask him and find out," I suggested, and calling on his horse, Barton moved toward the fugitive, and I followed. The ponies' hoofs fell noiselessly on the sand ”

“ Many of the men lacked faith, I think, in this custom, or feared that the Indians might make an exception in our case, and we all worked feverishly preparing for the assault which the morning at the latest would bring. Every chink through which a bullet might be supposed to find its way was carefully stopped, and sand-banked up on the inside of the wall. ”

“ At first there were only rumors of a murder here and there, in isolated cases and far away; but coming nearer and becoming more frequent as the savages gathered courage from success and force from their more cautious brethren who had hitherto held back. ”

“ It was Barton, the sheriff, and he was waving his hand in signal. I pulled up. "’Fraid you'll have to come back an' help us out," he said, as he stopped his horse alongside mine. "That Industri'l Ahmy—detachment of it—has rushed the East-bound freight, an' it's comin' by through heah. Got a wiah jus' now from Aztec. They'll run ovah the burg like a swahm o' Kansas grahsshoppahs if we don't watch out, an' we've got to roun' up all han's to keep 'em on the train. I deputize you. Come back." Now to argue with an Arizona sheriff is unwise. ”

“ Specs only went the faster, and would have passed on, but the other barred the way, asking, "What do you want to be such a blame fool foh, as to run 'gains' a game like that?" Specs fumbled at his glasses, unhooking them first and then the string that took the place of the missing bow, and wiped them on the elbow of his flannel shirt. He made his invariable reply. "Reckon t'was becus I wanted to so mighty bad," he said, and shuffled away. "He might want a hawse so bad one er these times that he's 'blaiged to roun' up some man's bunch," said the sheriff to me. ”

“ It hardly seemed possible that he could live through it. "You cyan't tell, though," said Barton. "Them Indians cyan't tell jus' wheah his haid is, undah that kettle. It'll lead 'em to fiah too high, mos'ly. Then they cyan't tell when it's theah, for Specs 'll prawb'ly keep it undah watah all he kin. They ain't no reason why he should steeah himself 'gains' nothin' else. ”