As soon as Apache recognized an old…
source date: 1891
availability: public-domain

ened to espy an old acquain- tance in the crowd by the name of Apache George to whom he had extended some kind- ness at some previous time. As soon as Apache recognized an old friend in one of us he took us under his protec- tion and gave the crowd to understand in the most pointed and emphatic language that we were his friends and any insult offered us would be attended to with very unpleasant results to the one who presumed to act contrary to his orders. I have been in some very close places in my life and have more than once looked into the business end of a shooting iron but don’t think I never had such a longing for home as I did that day. The fact is I was “rattled” for a little while, the whole affair was absolutely different to anything I had previously ex- perienced. As soon as Apache George took us under his wing I felt easier and began to get my “second wind” as it were, so that I was able to look at the situation in a little more rational manner. Now the reader by this time I have no doubt has come to the conclusion that I was a tenderfoot and a badly scared tenderfoot at that and that the terrible crowd of ruffians were merely a crowd of honest miners as harmless as kittens. Wait, my friends, wait till I get through before you form an opinion.