very name
of Indians scares women and children, and if they should come down this
river, we must keep in the open and avoid ambush, as that is an Indian's
forte."

All the women and children at the outlying ranchitas were brought into
headquarters, the men being left to look after the houses and their
stock and flocks. In the interim, Father Norquin and the masons had
arrived and the chapel was daily taking shape. But the rumors of the
Indian raid thickened. Reports came in of shepherds shot with their
flocks over near Espontos Lake and along the Leona River, and Las
Palomas took on the air of an armed camp. Though we never ceased to ride
the range wherever duty called, we went always in squads of four or
five.

The first abatement of the scare took place when one evening a cavalcade
of Texas Rangers reached our ranch from DeWitt County. They consisted of
fifteen mounted men under Lieutenant Frank Barr, with a commissary of
four pack mules. The detachment was from one of the crack companies of
the state, and had with them several half-blood trailers, though every
man in the squad was more or less of an expert in that line. They were
traveling light, and had covered over a hundred miles during the day and
a half preceding their arrival at headquarters. The hospitality of Las
Palomas was theirs to command, and as their most urgent need was mounts,
they were made welcome to the pick of every horse under herd. Sunrise
saw our ranger guests on their way, leaving the high tension relaxed and
every one on the ranch breathing easier. But the Indian scare did not
prove an ill wind to the plans of Father Norquin. With the concentration
of people from the ranchitas and those belonging at the home ranch, the
chapel building went on by leaps and bounds. A native carpenter had been
secured from Santa Maria, and the enthusiastic padre, laying aside his
vestments, worked with his hands as a common laborer. The energy with
which he inspired the natives made him a valuable overseer. From
assisting the carpenter in hewing the rafters, to advising the masons in
laying a keystone, or with his own hands mixing the mortar and tamping
the earth to give firm foundation to the cement floor, he was the
directing spirit. Very little lumber was used in the construction of
buildings at Las Palomas. The houses were thatched with a coarse salt
grass, called by the natives _zacahuiste_. Every year in the overflowed
portions of the valley, great quan