Through The Canon

" It was a ride, boys," eaid Unclo Nellè ' I shall always remember. I was in the employ of the Overland Stage Company, superintendent of the satne route before and since,_many times mounting the box with the driver, riding over the entire route from El Paso to Tau Son. " During the early Áütumn soms trouble had been apprehended from the Greasera and Apaches, especially from the ltttter, who had broken into our stockade and run off numerous heads of cattle at the upper end of the route. " It was on the afternoon of an Indian Sumnier day that I mounted the box with King Lyon, the driver, who held the reins in one haud and lnsh in the other, patiently waithig for the word ' go ' and occasionally chirruping to the mules. The word was giveu as 1 secured my seat. " No moon to-niit, Nell,' Baid King Lyon, after darkiiesa had settled around us. " ' No moon 'i ' I asked. " ' Too late for our use - won't rise till one n'clock.' "Our coach hauled up at a small post where we eichanged mules, and in five minutes the fresa teams were ou th; road. "'Any signs of Taches or Greasers ? ' askod Ki'ig Lyon, as he applied the lash. " ' Nothun as yet. Hear thero was a faraily smoked out by Greasers the other night ovtrr by the Big Kun,' " With this reply the man led the fatigund animáis iuto the stable. "Onwaid we sped ; mile after mile passed by, and we approached the pass. Up hill and down tugged the mules, pull injf the heavy-ladeu coach, and we were soon in the dreaded pass. The passengers inside had not been informed of the peculiaiities of the pass, and oonsequently were unconscious of the dangnr, ' Neither King nor I epoke now, for fear had driven conversation away. The canon was half traversed, with no signs of Indians, and wo wero congratulating ourselvcs that our fears were premature - but we were too hasty ! As we caine to a portion of the canon where there was a dense foliage, a volley of bullcts carne hurtling toward the coaoh in close proximitv to my person. " ' O, God, Keil, I'm shot ! ' exclaimed King Lij'on, as he let go his hold on the reins, and would have fallen to the ground had I not caught him witii one hitnd and with the other grasped the lines, ítnd with a sudden jork brought the mulcs to a standstill. " It was needless for me to yell ' Indi ans! ' to those inside the coaeb, for they immediately scrainbled out ere another volley was fired, plaintively asking, 'How many of em ?' " ' Don't know ! ' I replied. 'Be quiok, one of you fellows ! Lyon has been shot through the thigh. Help him down, fi'llows, and btow him in the coach out of the way.' " ' Hit bad ? ' asked several. " ' Nothing bad. A doctor can jerk the pill, that ís if we reach El Paso again.' " King Lyon had just been placed in the coach, and a second volley whizzed by. One of the forward mules dropped in the road, übot through tbe head. This created a panic among the remainder, but 1 managed thom thoroughly. At the second volley our party, who had waited with guns, derringers and pistola for tHis, instantly fired into the thicket f rom whenca the shots came. There was no response, and six successive volleys were fired to where the Apaches or Greasers were supposed to be. "'None thar; guess they've slid. Thought we wero one too many for 'em ;" spoke one of the passengers ; and bs they all seeined to concur with thia statement, they clambered into the coach, thinking the Indians - if such they were - had retreated, they being cowardly, unlees in large numbers. " Meanwhile, several of us had natraced the dead mule and dragged him to the side of the road. The other we let gu, intending to finish our journoy with one team - if We should so succeed. AH aboard ; and I again mouutod the box, grasped the reins, and coaxed the now exhausted team to an increasing speei. Nothing moro was heard of the miscreaiitSj and we passed safely through. I breathed freely when we reached terra firma, and the journey seemed short till we reached El Paso. " King Lyon immediatety revived medical aid, ana in ihree weeks was able to take his accustomed place on the route, It waa never known wSo attacked us that night, though it was doubtless some band with intent to pillage the caaöS and oecuipants, bui ónf ñúmber had hindered ihein i'rom carrying out their purpose. I 6hall nevtr forget the nigi King and I sat alont oa the box, shuddoring with foar, and the ride through the canon." A tec'anical phroae, meaning that a doctor will ejttxMt thf) bal).