THE RANCH.
EPH BOZEMAN was so familiar with the Pecos River, from its source
in the Rocky Mountains to its junction with the Rio Grande, that he
conducted his friends to a fording place, where it was crossed without
any of them wetting their feet. Riding up the opposite bank, they
started across the comparatively level country, and by the middle of
the afternoon struck a piece of grazing ground, which the hunters told
him belonged to the ranch that the banker, Mr. Lord, had sent Strubell
and Lattin to inspect.
The lands were so extensive that there were many portions from which
not the first glimpse could be gained of the adobe structure that was
erected nearly a half century before.
The little party pushed onward, and before the sun dipped below the
horizon began the ascent of a moderate slope, from the top of which
the coveted view could be obtained.
Since Rickard and his companion must have known of the pursuit, they
would be on the lookout for the Texans, who were eager to befriend
Nick Ribsam. It was decided not to allow them to know the cowboys had
arrived in the vicinity before the following day. Strubell hinted that
important events might be brought about between the setting and the
rising of the sun.
Herbert, who began to feel a natural nervousness as the crisis
approached, made several inquiries about Jim-John, the half-breed,
and his companion, who had been left behind. Were they not likely to
abandon the pack horses on discovering they had been flanked by the
Texans, and hasten to the help of the couple that had been the first
to cross over from Western Texas to New Mexico? But when Eph Bozeman
agreed with Strubell and Lattin that there was nothing to be feared of
that nature, Herbert bade good-by to his fears and fixed his attention
on that which was in front.
Leaving their animals in the hollow, where they were safe against
disturbance, the four climbed the elevation, the youth carrying one
field glass, while Strubell had the other. The trapper had never used
anything of the kind, and refused to do so now. He claimed that his
eyes were as good as ever—and he was undoubtedly right—and he needed
no artificial aid.
It looked like useless precaution, but on reaching the crest the party
crouched low in order to render themselves less conspicuous.
“Thar she is!” said old Eph, extending his left hand to westward, while
his right grasped his inseparable rifle; “and I’ll bet them new-fangled
machines won’t show you anything more than I see this very minute.”
A mile away stood a broad, firm building, of a slatish yellow color as
seen through the clear air. It was of adobe or sun-dried bricks, which,
in the course of time, had become compact and hard enough to resist a
bombardment of six-pounders better than many forts erected for that
purpose.
[Illustration: “_A mile away stood a broad, firm building._”
Page 224.]
The land immediately surrounding the structure was smooth and quite
level, and covered with grass which wore a soft, beautiful tint,
mellowed by the intervening distance. On the further side of the
building were a few bushes, bearing a resemblance to the well known
mesquite growth so common in many portions of the Southwest.
These were the main features of the scene when viewed by the unaided
eye, but the helpful field glass added something.
Lying on his face, with his instrument pointed at the building, Herbert
Watrous studied it closely. He offered the instrument to Lattin, but
he, seeing how much the youth was interested, declined, and waited
until Strubell was ready to pass the other to him.
The youth noted the broad door in the middle, with a small narrow
window on either side of the upper story. The front was like that of an
immense box, there being little slope to the roof. It was probably one
of those mission houses built in the preceding century by the Jesuits,
who devoted their lives to the conversion of the Indians, and that,
having been abandoned by them as civilization advanced, had been taken
possession of by those who secured a claim to the extensive tract which
surrounded it.
Being questioned on this point, Bozeman as well as the Texans replied
that such was undoubtedly the fact, for it was far different from the
flimsy structures of wood used by ranchmen in other sections. There
was a court inside, after the fashion of the older houses in Spanish
countries, the building itself enclosing this open space, so that when
manned by only a few, it was capable of withstanding the attack of a
large force.
Bozeman stated further that the ranch was abandoned because of the
Indians. While the men who made their homes there were safe so long as
they stayed behind the wall, they could not afford to remain there.
Hundreds of cattle had been killed or run off by the Apaches, whose
chief hunting grounds are further west, until the ranchmen who essayed
the business became discouraged and gave it up.
As a consequence, the place had been allowed to run to waste for
years. During that time the grazing had improved, though a large part
of the thousands of acres had paid tribute to other cattlemen. Besides
this, the marauding Apaches, with which our government was having much
trouble at that time, were mainly in the western part of the territory
and in Arizona. This made the ranch so inviting that it was beginning
to attract attention, and when Mr. Lord, in San Antonio, was offered it
for what was really a small sum, he was warranted in sending a couple
of trustworthy experts to examine and report upon it.
This was the destination toward which the Texans and Herbert Watrous
had been riding through many long days, and that was now in sight. By a
strange order of things, which at present he could not understand, the
ranch was the objective point also of the two evil men who held Nick
Ribsam as prisoner.
He had puzzled his brain many times to read the meaning of all this;
but though he had formed his theory, he forced himself to be content
to wait until the Texans or events themselves should reveal the truth.
The most careful scrutiny of the front and eastern side of the adobe
building failed to show any sign of life. That, however, was no proof
that it was not there. The horsemen might have ridden abreast through
the broad door, closing it after them, placed their horses within the
numerous quarters facing the court within, and then, climbing to the
roof, watch the eastern horizon for a sign of their pursuers.
Fully ten minutes passed without a word being spoken by our friends,
who were inspecting the building from the crest of the elevation. They
were so intent on their work that nothing else was thought of.
Having studied every foot that was visible, Herbert went over it again
several times, but with no better success than at first. He was gifted
with fine eyesight, and, when he finally lowered his glass with a sigh,
he glanced across at Strubell, who, having passed the other instrument
to Lattin, was looking expectantly into the face of the youth.
“How did you make out?” he asked.
“I couldn’t find anything at all,” replied Herbert. “Did you?”
“Well, yes; Rickard, Slidham, and Nick are there, but a bigger surprise
awaits _them_ than _us_.”
“What do you mean?”
“Point your glass over to the left,” replied the Texan, “and I think
you will see something that will surprise you.”