Page:Don Coronado through Kansas.djvu/390

373 couANCBm TRICKS. 3.73 : - to catch other souads.so as to apprise him of th© presence of Indians. One tiling the pursuer i*.; sure of, which is from the sound that although the ■■ two horses are galloping yet it is a very slow one, for.-; by reason of their condition they cannot be made to | take a fast gait; the sound. becomes more distinctj ~ arid now the two riders are seen, and Alonso resolves to use his gun to bring down one of the men; but for some cause it misses fire, and the distance is so little until he can come up with the two thieves, he resolves .. to give them a little cold steel: so drawing his good Toledo, or Granada or Damascus sSaber, he calls on Babieca, and soon it is over, for as quick as you can count one, two, the horses are riderless, and after going a short distance they permitted Alonso to- lead them back to camp. Alonso did not investigate relative to the would-be thieves, but some of the men told the commander they had discovered two dead men fearfully hacked with a sword. The killing of the two Indians now gave the Co- manches an excuse to not only steal but kiU, and for many days and nights the party is continually har- assed;, but so afraid are the Indians of the bolt of lightning which they think the white man can hurl at them from their guns that they rarely come close enough to reach the party with their, arrows, and the members of the troop are careful to never scatter so as to give the vigilant Indians an opportunity tO' injure them. The party is nearingthe end of their destination, vrheix daring a noon hour, while they are ref reshiog themselves and allowing their horses to browse, and