that　cowardice　is　not　optional　with　me。
  In　this　instance　I　was；　of　course；　positive　that　Powell　was
  the　center　of　attraction；　but　whether　I　thought　or　acted　first
  I　do　not　know；　but　within　an　instant　from　the　moment　the
  scene　broke　upon　my　view　I　had　whipped　out　my　revolvers
  and　was　charging　down　upon　the　entire　army　of　warriors；
  shooting　rapidly；　and　whooping　at　the　top　of　my　lungs。
  Singlehanded；　I　could　not　have　pursued　better　tactics；　for
  the　red　men；　convinced　by　sudden　surprise　that　not　less
  than　a　regiment　of　regulars　was　upon　them；　turned　and　fled
  in　every　direction　for　their　bows；　arrows；　and　rifles。
  The　view　which　their　hurried　routing　disclosed　filled　me
  with　apprehension　and　with　rage。　　Under　the　clear　rays　of　the
  Arizona　moon　lay　Powell；　his　body　fairly　bristling　with　the
  hostile　arrows　of　the　braves。　　That　he　was　already　dead　I
  could　not　but　be　convinced；　and　yet　I　would　have　saved　his
  body　from　mutilation　at　the　hands　of　the　Apaches　as
  quickly　as　I　would　have　saved　the　man　himself　from　death。
  Riding　close　to　him　I　reached　down　from　the　saddle；
  and　grasping　his　cartridge　belt　drew　him　up　across　the　withers
  of　my　mount。　　A　backward　glance　convinced　me　that　to
  return　by　the　way　I　had　come　would　be　more　hazardous
  than　to　continue　across　the　plateau；　so；　putting　spurs　to　my
  poor　beast；　I　made　a　dash　for　the　opening　to　the　pass　which
  I　could　distinguish　on　the　far　side　of　the　table　land。
  The　Indians　had　by　this　time　discovered　that　I　was　alone
  and　I　was　pursued　with　imprecations；　arrows；　and　rifle　balls。
  The　fact　that　it　is　difficult　to　aim　anything　but　imprecations
  accurately　by　moonlight；　that　they　were　upset　by　the　sudden
  and　unexpected　manner　of　my　advent；　and　that　I　was　a
  rather　rapidly　moving　target　saved　me　from　the　various
  deadly　projectiles　of　the　enemy　and　permitted　me　to　reach
  the　shadows　of　the　surrounding　peaks　before　an　orderly
  pursuit　could　be　organized。
  My　horse　was　traveling　practically　unguided　as　I　knew
  that　I　had　probably　less　knowledge　of　the　exact　location　of
  the　trail　to　the　pass　than　he；　and　thus　it　happened　that　he
  entered　a　defile　which　led　to　the　summit　of　the　range　and　not
  to　the　pass　which　I　had　hoped　would　carry　me　to　the
  valley　and　to　safety。　　It　is　probable；　however；　that　to　this
  fact　I　owe　my　life　and　the　remarkable　experiences　and
  adventures　which　befell　me　during　the　following　ten　years。
  My　first　knowledge　that　I　was　on　the　wrong　trail　came
  when　I　heard　the　yells　of　the　pursuing　savages　suddenly
  grow　fainter　and　fainter　far　off　to　my　left。
  I　knew　then　that　they　had　passed　to　the　left　of　the　jagged
  rock　formation　at　the　edge　of　the　plateau；　to　the　right　of
  which　my　horse　had　borne　me　and　the　body　of　Powell。
  I　drew　rein　on　a　little　level　promontory　overlooking　the
  trail　below　and　to　my　left；　and　saw　the　party　of　pursuing
  savages　disappearing　around　the　point　of　a　neighboring　peak。
  I　knew　the　Indians　would　soon　discover　that　they　were
  on　the　wrong　trail　and　that　the　search　for　me　would　be　renewed
  in　the　right　direction　as　soon　as　they　located　my　tracks。
  I　had　gone　but　a　short　distance　further　when　what
  seemed　to　be　an　excellent　trail　opened　up　around　the　face　of
  a　high　cliff。　　The　trail　was　level　and　quite　broad　and　led　upward
  and　in　the　general　direction　I　wished　to　go。　　The　cliff
  arose　for　several　hundred　feet　on　my　right；　and　on　my　left
  was　an　equal　and　nearly　perpendicular　drop　to　the　bottom
  of　a　rocky　ravine。
  I　had　followed　this　trail　for　perhaps　a　hundred　yards
  when　a　sharp　turn　to　the　right　brought　me　to　the　mouth　of
  a　large　cave。　　The　opening　was　about　four　feet　in　height　and
  three　to　four　feet　wide；　and　at　this　opening　the　trail　ended。
  It　was　now　morning；　and；　with　the　customary　lack　of　dawn
  which　is　a　startling　characteristic　of　Arizona；　it　had　become
  daylight　almost　without　warning。
  Dismounting；　I　laid　Powell　upon　the　ground；　but　the　most
  painstaking　examination　failed　to　reveal　the　faintest　spark
  of　life。　　I　forced　water　from　my　canteen　between　his　dead
  lips；　bathed　his　face　and　rubbed　his　hands；　working　over　him
  continuously　for　the　better　part　of　an　hour　in　the　face　of
  the　fact　that　I　knew　him　to　be　dead。
  I　was　very　fond　of　Powell；　he　was　thoroughly　a　man　in
  every　respect；　a　polished　southern　gentleman；　a　staunch　and
  true　friend；　and　it　was　with　a　feeling　of　the　deepest　grief　that
  I　finally　gave　up　my　crude　endeavors　at　resuscitation。
  Leaving　Powell's　body　where　it　lay　on　the　ledge　I　crept
  into　the　cave　to　reconnoiter。　　I　found　a　large　chamber；
  possibly　a　hundred　feet　in　diameter　and　thirty　or　forty　feet
  in　height；　a　smooth　and　well…worn　floor；　and　many　other
  evidences　that　the　cave　had；　at　some　remote　period；　been　inhabited。
  The　back　of　the　cave　was　so　lost　in　dense　shadow　that　I　could　not
  distinguish　whether　there　were　openings　into　other　apartments　or　not。
  As　I　was　continuing　my　examination　I　commenced　to　feel
  a　pleasant　drowsiness　creeping　over　me　which　I　attributed
  to　the　fatigue　of　my　long　and　strenuous　ride；　and　the　reaction
  from　the　excitement　of　the　fight　and　the　pursuit。　　I　felt
  comparatively　safe　in　my　present　location　as　I　knew　that
  one　man　could　defend　the　trail　to　the　cave　against　an　army。
  I　soon　became　so　drowsy　that　I　could　scarcely　resist　the
  strong　desire　to　throw　myself　on　the　floor　of　the　cave　for
  a　few　moments'　rest；　but　I　knew　that　this　would　never　do；　as
  it　would　mean　certain　death　at　the　hands　of　my　red　friends；
  who　might　be　upon　me　at　any　moment。　　With　an　effort　I
  started　toward　the　opening　of　the　cave　only　to　reel　drunkenly
  against　a　side　wall；　and　from　there　slip　prone　upon　the　floor。
  CHAPTER　II
  THE　ESCAPE　OF　THE　DEAD
  A　sense　of　delicious　dreaminess　overcame　me；　my　muscles
  relaxed；　and　I　was　on　the　point　of　giving　way　to　my　desire
  to　sleep　when　the　sound　of　approaching　horses　reached　my
  ears。　　I　attempted　to　spring　to　my　feet　but　was　horrified　to
  discover　that　my　muscles　refused　to　respond　to　my　will。　　I　was
  now　thoroughly　awake；　but　as　unable　to　move　a　muscle　as
  though　turned　to　stone。　　It　was　then；　for　the　first　time；　that　I
  noticed　a　slight　vapor　filling　the　cave。　　It　was　extremely
  tenuous　and　only　noticeable　against　the　opening　which　led　to
  daylight。　　There　also　came　to　my　nostrils　a　faintly　pungent
  odor；　and　I　could　only　assume　that　I　had　been　overcome　by
  some　poisonous　gas；　but　why　I　should　retain　my　mental
  faculties　and　yet　be　unable　to　move　I　could　not　fathom。
  I　lay　facing　the　opening　of　the　cave　and　where　I　could　see
  the　short　stretch　of　trail　which　lay　between　the　cave　and　the
  turn　of　the　cliff　around　which　the　trail　led。　　The　noise　of　the
  approaching　horses　had　ceased；　and　I　judged　the　Indians　were
  creeping　stealthily　upon　me　along　the　little　ledge　which　led　to
  my　living　tomb。　　I　remember　that　I　hoped　they　would　make
  short　work　of　me　as　I　did　not　particularly　relish　the　thought
  of　the　innumerable　things　they　might　do　to　me　if　the　spirit
  prompted　them。
  I　had　not　long　to　wait　before　a　stealthy　sound　apprised　me
  of　their　nearness；　and　then　a　war…bonneted；　paint…streaked
  face　was　thrust　cautiously　around　the　shoulder　of　the　cliff；　and
  savage　eyes　looked　into　mine。　　That　he　could　see　me　in　the
  dim　light　of　the　cave　I　was　sure　for　the　early　morning　sun　was
  falling　full　upon　me　through　the　opening。
  The　fellow；　instead　of　approaching；　merely　stood　and　stared；
  his　eyes　bulging　and　his　jaw　dropped。　　And　then　another
  savage　face　appeared；　and　a　third　and　fourth　and　fifth；　craning
  their　necks　over　the　shoulders　of　their　fellows　whom　they
  could　not　pass　upon　the　narrow　ledge。　　Each　face　was　the
  picture　of　awe　and　fear；　but　for　what　reason　I　did　not　know；
  nor　did　I　learn　until　ten　years　later。　　That　there　were　still
  other　braves　behind　those　who　regarded　me　was　apparent　from
  the　fact　that　the　leaders　passed　back　whispered　word　to　those
  behind　them。
  Suddenly　a　low　but　distinct　moaning　sound　issued　from　the
  recesses　of　the　cave　behind　me；　and；　as　it　reached　the　ears　of
  the　Indians；　they　turned　and　fled　in　terror；　panic…stricken。　　So
  frantic　were　their　efforts　to　escape　from　the　unseen　thing
  behind　me　that　one　of　the　braves　was　hurled　headlong　from
  the　cliff　to　the　rocks　below。　　Their　wild　cries　echoed　in　the
  canyon　for　a　short　time；　and　then　all　was　still　once　more。
  The　sound　which　had　frightened　them　was　not　repeated；　but
  it　had　been　sufficient　as　it　was　to　start　me　speculating　on　the
  possible　horror　which　lurked　in　the　shadows　at　my　back。　　Fear
  is　a　relative　term　and　so　I　can　only　measure　my　feelings　at
  that　time　by　what　I　had　experienced　in　previous　positions　of
  danger　and　by　those　that　I　have　passed　through　since；　but　I　can
  say　without　shame　that　if　the　sensations　I　endured　during　the
  next　few　minutes　were　fear；　then　may　God　help　the　coward；
  for　cowardice　is　of　a　surety　its　own　punishment。