Chapter XVIII. An Indian Scare

by Andy Adams

　　Near the close of January, '79, the Nueces valley was stirred by anIndian scare. I had a distinct recollection of two similar scares in myboyhood on the San Antonio River, in which I never caught a glimpse ofthe noble red man. But whether the rumors were groundless or not, LasPalomas set her house in order. The worst thing we had to fear was theloss of our saddle stock, as they were gentle and could be easily runoff and corralled on the range by stretching lariats. At this timethe ranch had some ten remudas including nearly five hundred saddlehorses, some of them ranging ten or fifteen miles from the ranch, and onreceipt of the first rumor, every remuda was brought in home and putunder a general herd, night and day."These Indian scares," said Uncle Lance, "are just about as regular asdrouths. When I first settled here, the Indians hunted up and down thisvalley every few years, but they never molested anything. Why, I gotwell acquainted with several bucks, and used to swap rawhide with themfor buckskin. Game was so abundant then that there was no temptation tokill cattle or steal horses. But the rascals seem to be getting worseever since. The last scare was just ten years ago next month, and keptus all guessing. The renegades were Kickapoos and came down the Friofrom out west. One Sunday morning they surprised two of Waugh's vaqueroswhile the latter were dressing a wild hog which they had killed. TheMexicans had only one horse and one gun between them. One of them tookthe horse and the other took the carbine. Not daring to follow theone with the gun for fear of ambuscade, the Indians gave chase to thevaquero on horseback, whom they easily captured. After stripping him ofall his clothing, they tied his hands with thongs, and pinned the poordevil to a tree with spear thrusts through the back."The other Mexican made his escape in the chaparral, and got back to theranch. As it happened, there was only a man or two at Waugh's place atthe time, and no attempt was made to follow the Indians, who, afterkilling the vaquero, went on west to Altita Creek--the one which putsinto the Nueces from the north, just about twenty miles above the Ganso.Waugh had a sheep camp on the head of Altito, and there the Kickapooskilled two of his pastors and robbed the camp. From that creek onwestward, their course was marked with murders and horse stealing, butthe country was so sparsely settled that little or no resistance couldbe offered, and the redskins escaped without punishment. At that timethey were armed with bow and arrow and spears, but I have it on goodauthority that all these western tribes now have firearms. The very nameof Indians scares women and children, and if they should come down thisriver, we must keep in the open and avoid ambush, as that is an Indian'sforte."All the women and children at the outlying ranchitas were brought intoheadquarters, the men being left to look after the houses and theirstock and flocks. In the interim, Father Norquin and the masons hadarrived and the chapel was daily taking shape. But the rumors of theIndian raid thickened. Reports came in of shepherds shot with theirflocks over near Espontos Lake and along the Leona River, and LasPalomas took on the air of an armed camp. Though we never ceased to ridethe range wherever duty called, we went always in squads of four orfive.The first abatement of the scare took place when one evening a cavalcadeof Texas Rangers reached our ranch from DeWitt County. They consisted offifteen mounted men under Lieutenant Frank Barr, with a commissary offour pack mules. The detachment was from one of the crack companies ofthe state, and had with them several half-blood trailers, though everyman in the squad was more or less of an expert in that line. They weretraveling light, and had covered over a hundred miles during the day anda half preceding their arrival at headquarters. The hospitality of LasPalomas was theirs to command, and as their most urgent need was mounts,they were made welcome to the pick of every horse under herd. Sunrisesaw our ranger guests on their way, leaving the high tension relaxed andevery one on the ranch breathing easier. But the Indian scare did notprove an ill wind to the plans of Father Norquin. With the concentrationof people from the ranchitas and those belonging at the home ranch, thechapel building went on by leaps and bounds. A native carpenter had beensecured from Santa Maria, and the enthusiastic padre, laying aside hisvestments, worked with his hands as a common laborer. The energy withwhich he inspired the natives made him a valuable overseer. Fromassisting the carpenter in hewing the rafters, to advising the masons inlaying a keystone, or with his own hands mixing the mortar and tampingthe earth to give firm foundation to the cement floor, he was thedirecting spirit. Very little lumber was used in the construction ofbuildings at Las Palomas. The houses were thatched with a coarse saltgrass, called by the natives zacahuiste. Every year in the overflowedportions of the valley, great quantities of this material were cut bythe native help and stored against its need. The grass sometimes grewtwo feet in height, and at cutting was wrapped tightly and tied in"hands" about two inches in diameter. For fastening to the roofing lath,green blades of the Spanish dagger were used, which, after being roastedover a fire to toughen the fibre, were split into thongs and bound thehands securely in a solid mass, layer upon layer like shingles. Crude asit may appear, this was a most serviceable roof, being both rain proofand impervious to heat, while, owing to its compactness, a live coal offire laid upon it would smoulder but not ignite.No sooner had the masons finished the plastering of the inner walls andcementing the floor, than they began on a two-roomed cottage. As itswhite walls arose conjecture was rife as to who was to occupy it. I madeno bones of the fact that I expected to occupy a jacal in the nearfuture, but denied that this was to be mine, as I had been promisedone with three rooms. Out of hearing of our employer, John Cotton alsoreligiously denied that the tiny house was for his use. Fidel, however,took the chaffing without a denial, the padre and Uncle Lance being histwo worst tormentors.During the previous visit of the padre, when the chapel was decided on,the order for the finishing material for the building had been placedwith the merchant at Shepherd's, and was brought up from Corpus Christithrough his freighters. We now had notice from the merchant that histeamsters had returned, and two four-mule teams went down to theferry for the lumber, glassware, sash and doors. Miss Jean had beenimportuning the padre daily to know when the dedication would takeplace, as she was planning to invite the countryside."Ah, my daughter," replied the priest, "we must learn to cultivatepatience. All things that abide are of slow but steady growth, and mywork is for eternity. Therefore I must be an earnest servant, so thatwhen my life's duty ends, it can be said in truth, 'Well done, thou goodand faithful servant.' But I am as anxious to consecrate this buildingto the Master's service as any one. My good woman, if I only had a fewparishioners like you, we would work wonders among these natives."On the return of the mule teams, the completion of the building could bedetermined, and the padre announced the twenty-first of February as thedate of dedication. On reaching this decision, the ranch was set inorder for an occasion of more than ordinary moment. Fidel and Juana wereimpatient to be married, and the master and mistress had decided thatthe ceremony should be performed the day after the dedication, and allthe guests of the ranch should remain for the festivities. The padre,still in command, dispatched a vaquero to the Mission, announcing thecompletion of the chapel, and asking for a brother priest to bring outcertain vestments and assist in the dedicatory exercises. The Indianscare was subsiding, and as no word had come from the rangers confidencegrew that the worst was over, so we scattered in every directioninviting guests. From the Booths on the Frio to the Wilsons of Ramirena,and along the home river as far as Lagarto, our friends were bidden inthe name of the master and mistress of Las Palomas.On my return from taking the invitations to the ranches north, thechapel was just receiving the finishing touches. The cross crowning thefront glistened in fresh paint, while on the interior walls shone cheaplithographs of the Madonna and Christ. The old padre, proud and jealousas a bridegroom over his bride, directed the young friar here and there,himself standing aloof and studying with an artist's eye every effectin color and drapery. The only discordant note in the interior was therough benches, in the building of which Father Norquin himself hadworked, thus following, as he repeatedly admonished us, in the footstepsof his Master, the carpenter of Galilee.The ceremony of dedication was to be followed by mass at high noon. DonMateo Gonzales of Santa Maria sent his regrets, as did likewise DonAlejandro Travino of the Mission, but the other invited guests cameearly and stayed late. The women and children of the outlying ranchitashad not yet returned to their homes, and with our invited guests made anassembly of nearly a hundred and fifty persons. Unexpectedly, and withintwo hours of the appointed time for the service to commence, a cavalcadewas sighted approaching the ranch from the west. As they turned intowards headquarters, some one recognized the horses, and a shout ofwelcome greeted our ranger guests of over two weeks before. Uncle Lancemet them as if they had been expected, and invited the lieutenant andhis men to dismount and remain a few days as guests of Las Palomas. Whenthey urged the importance of continuing on their journey to report tothe governor, the host replied:--"Lieutenant Barr, that don't go here. Fall out of your saddles andborrow all the razors and white shirts on the ranch, for we need youfor the dedication of a chapel to-day, and for a wedding and infare forto-morrow. We don't see you along this river as often as we'd like to,and when you do happen along in time for a peaceful duty, you can'tget away so easily. If you have any special report to make to yoursuperiors, why, write her out, and I'll send a vaquero with it toOakville this afternoon, and it'll go north on the stage to-morrow. But,lieutenant, you mustn't think you can ride right past Las Palomas whenyou're not under emergency orders. Now, fall off those horses and spruceup a little, for I intend to introduce you to some as nice girls as youever met. You may want to quit rangering some day, and I may need a manabout your size, and I'm getting tired of single ones."Lieutenant Barr surrendered. Saddles were stripped from horses, packswere unlashed from mules, and every animal was sent to our remudasunder herd. The accoutrements were stacked inside the gate likehaycocks, with slickers thrown over them; the carbines were thrown onthe gallery, and from every nail, peg, or hook on the wall belts andsix-shooters hung in groups. These rangers were just ordinary lookingmen, and might have been mistaken for an outfit of cow hands. In agethey ranged from a smiling youth of twenty to grizzled men of forty,yet in every countenance was written a resolute determination. Allthe razors on the ranch were brought into immediate use, while everypresentable shirt, collar, and tie in the house was unearthed and placedat their disposal. While arranging hasty toilets, the men informed usthat when they reached Espontos Lake the redskins had left, and thatthey had trailed them south until the Indians had crossed the Rio Grandeinto Mexico several days in advance of their arrival. The usual numberof isolated sheepherders killed, and of horses stolen, were the featuresof the raid.The guests had been arriving all morning. The Booths had reached theranch the night before, and the last to put in an appearance was thecontingent from the Frio and San Miguel. Before the appearance of therangers, they had been sighted across the river, and they rode up withPierre Vaux, like a captain of the Old Guard, in the lead."Ah, Don Lance," he cried, "vat you tink? Dey say Don Pierre no ridefas' goin' to church. Dese youngsters laff all time and say I never gethere unless de dogs is 'long. Sacre! Act all time lak I vas von ol' man.Humbre, keep away from dis horse; he allow nobody but me to lay vonhan' on him--keep away, I tol' you!"I helped the girls to dismount, Miss Jean kissing them right and left,and bustling them off into the house to tidy up as fast as possible; forthe hour was almost at hand. On catching sight of Mrs. Annear, fresh andcharming in her widow's weeds, Uncle Lance brushed Don Pierre aside andcordially greeted her. Vaqueros took the horses, and as I strolled upthe pathway with Esther, I noticed an upper window full of ranger facespeering down on the girls. Before this last contingent had had time tospruce up, Pasquale's eldest boy rode around all the jacals, ringinga small handbell to summon the population to the dedication. Outside ofour home crowd, we had forty white guests, not including the two Boothchildren and the priests. As fast as the rangers were made presentable,the master and mistress introduced them to all the girls present. Ofcourse, there were a few who could not be enticed near a woman, butQuayle and Happersett, like kindred spirits, took the backward onesunder their wing, and the procession started for the chapel.The audience was typical of the Texas frontier at the close of the'70's. Two priests of European birth conducted the services. Pioneercowmen of various nationalities and their families intermingled andoccupied central seats. By the side of his host, a veteran of '36, whenMexican rule was driven from the land, sat Lieutenant Barr, then engagedin accomplishing a second redemption of the state from crime andlawlessless. Lovable and esteemed men were present, who had followed thefortunes of war until the Southern flag, to which they had rallied, wentdown in defeat. The younger generation of men were stalwart in physique,while the girls were modest in their rustic beauty. Sitting on thecement floor on three sides of us were the natives of the ranch,civilized but with little improvement over their Aztec ancestors.The dedicatory exercises were brief and simple. Every one was invited toremain for the celebration of the first mass in the newly consecratedbuilding. Many who were not communicants accepted, but noticing themistress and my sweetheart taking their leave, I joined them andassisted in arranging the tables so that all our guests could be seatedat two sittings. At the conclusion of the services, dinner was waiting,and Father Norquin and Mr. Nate Wilson were asked to carve at one table,while the young friar and Lieutenant Barr, in a similar capacity,officiated at the other. There was so much volunteer help in the kitchenthat I was soon excused, and joined the younger people on the gallery.As to whom Cotton and Gallup were monopolizing there was no doubt, but Ihad a curiosity to notice what Scales would do when placed between twofires. But not for nothing had he cultivated the acquaintance of asandy-mustached young ranger, who was at that moment entertainingSuzanne Vaux in an alcove at the farther end of the veranda. Aaron, whenreturning from the chapel with Susie Wilson, had succeeded in getting nonearer the house than a clump of oak trees which sheltered an old rusticsettee. And when the young folks were called in to dinner, the vagabondScales and Miss Wilson of Ramirena had to be called the second time.In seating the younger generation, Miss Jean showed her finesse. Nearlyall the rangers had dined at the first tables, but the widow Annearwaited for the second one--why, only a privileged few of us could guess.Artfully and with seeming unconsciousness on the part of every one,Deweese was placed beside the charming widow, though I had a suspicionthat June was the only innocent party in the company. Captain Byler andI were carving at the same table at which our foreman and the widow wereseated, and, being in the secret, I noted step by step the progress ofthe widow, and the signs of gradual surrender of the corporal segundo.I had a distinct recollection of having once smashed some earnestresolves, and of having capitulated under similar circumstances, and nowbeing happily in love, I secretly wished success to the little god Cupidin the case in hand. And all during the afternoon and evening, it wasclearly apparent to any one who cared to notice that success was verylikely.The evening was a memorable one at Las Palomas. Never before in myknowledge had the ranch had so many and such amiable guests. The rangerstook kindly to our hospitality, and Father Norquin waddled about,God-blessing every one, old and young, frivolous and sedate. Owingto the nature of the services of the day, the evening was spent inconversation among the elders, while the younger element promenaded thespacious gallery, or occupied alcoves, nooks, and corners about thegrounds. On retiring for the night, the men yielded the house to thewomen guests, sleeping on the upper and lower verandas, while the rangercontingent, scorning beds or shelter, unrolled their blankets under thespreading live-oaks in the yard.But the real interest centred in the marriage of Fidel and Juana, whichtook place at six o'clock the following evening. Every one, includingthe native element, repaired to the new chapel to attend the wedding.Uncle Lance and his sister had rivaled each other as to whether man ormaid should have the better outfit. Fidel was physically far above theaverage of the natives, slightly bow-legged, stolid, and the coolestperson in the church. The bride was in quite a flutter, but having beencoached and rehearsed daily by her mistress, managed to get through theordeal. The young priest performed the ceremony, using his own nativetongue, the rich, silvery accents of Spanish. At the conclusion of theservice, every one congratulated the happy couple, the women and girlsin tears, the sterner sex without demonstration of feeling. When we wereoutside the chapel, and waiting for our sweethearts to dry their tearsand join us, Uncle Lance came swaggering' over to John Cotton and me,and, slapping us both on the back, said:--"Boys, that rascal of a Fidel has a splendid nerve. Did you notice howhe faced the guns without a tremor; never batted an eye but took hismedicine like a little man. I hope both of you boys will show equallygood nerve when your turn comes. Why, I doubt if there was a ranger inthe whole squad, unless it was that red-headed rascal who kissed thebride, who would have stood the test like that vaquero--without ashiver. And it's something you can't get used to. Now, as you all know,I've been married three times. The first two times I was as cool asmost, but the third whirl I trembled all over. Quavers ran through me,my tongue was palsied, my teeth chattered, my knees knocked together,and I felt like a man that was sent for and couldn't go. Now, mind you,it was the third time and I was only forty-five."What a night that was! The contents of the warehouse had been shifted,native musicians had come up from Santa Maria, and every one aboutthe home ranch who could strum a guitar was pressed into service. Thestoreroom was given over to the natives, and after honoring the occasionwith their presence as patrons, the master and mistress, after theopening dance, withdrew in company with their guests. The night hadthen barely commenced. Claiming two guitarists, we soon had our guestswaltzing on veranda, hall, and spacious dining-room to the music of myfiddle. Several of the rangers could play, and by taking turns every onehad a joyous time, including the two priests. Among the Mexicans thedancing continued until daybreak. Shortly after midnight our guestsretired, and the next morning found all, including the priests,preparing to take their departure. As was customary, we rode a shortdistance with our guests, bidding them again to Las Palomas andreceiving similar invitations in return. With the exception of CaptainByler, the rangers were the last to take their leave. When the muleswere packed and their mounts saddled, the old ranchero extended them awelcome whenever they came that way again."Well, now, Mr. Lovelace," said Lieutenant Barr, "you had better notpress that invitation too far. The good time we have had with youdiscounts rangering for the State of Texas. Rest assured, sir, that wewill not soon forget the hospitality of Las Palomas, nor its abilityto entertain. Push on with the packs, boys, and I'll take leave of themistress in behalf of you all, and overtake the squad before it reachesthe river."