[Transcriber's note: The spelling irregularities of the original have been preserved in this etext.] VANGUARDS OF THE PLAINS [Illustration: I COULD NOT SPEAK THEN, FOR ONE SENTENCE WAS RINGING IN MY EARS--"I WAS ALWAYS THINKING OF YOU"] VANGUARDS OF THE PLAINS A ROMANCE OF THE OLD SANTA FÉ TRAIL BY MARGARET HILL McCARTER AUTHOR OF _The Price of the Prairie_ HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS NEW YORK AND LONDON [Illustration] VANGUARDS OF THE PLAINS 1917, Harper & Brothers Printed in the United States of America DEDICATION This story of the old Santa Fé Trail would do honor to the memory of those stalwart men who defied the desert, who walked the prairies boldly, and who died bravely--_vanguards_ in the building of a firm highway for the commerce of a westward-moving Empire. CONTENTS FOREWORD PART I CLEARING THE TRAIL I. THE BEGINNINGS OF A PLAINSMAN II. A DAUGHTER OF CANAAN III. THE WIDENING HORIZON IV. THE MAN IN THE DARK V. WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST VI. SPYING OUT THE LAND VII. "SANCTUARY" VIII. THE WILDERNESS CROSSROADS PART II BUILDING THE TRAIL IX. IN THE MOON OF THE PEACH BLOSSOM X. THE HANDS THAT CLING XI. "OUR FRIENDS--THE ENEMY" XII. THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE PLAINS XIII. IN THE SHELTER OF SAN MIGUEL XIV. OPENING THE RECORD XV. THE SANCTUARY ROCKS OF SAN CHRISTOBAL XVI. FINISHING TOUCHES XVII. SWEET AND BITTER WATERS PART III DEFENDING THE TRAIL XVIII. WHEN THE SUN WENT DOWN XIX. A MAN'S PART XX. GONE OUT XXI. IN THE SHADOW OF THE INFINITE PART IV REMEMBERING THE TRAIL XXII. THE GOLDEN WEDDING FOREWORD Westward, along the level prairies of a kingdom yet to be, my memory runs, with a clear vision of the days when romance died not and strong hearts never failed. The glamour of the plains is before my eyes; the tingle of courage, danger-born, is in my pulse-beat; the soft hand of love is touching my hand. I live again the drama of life wherein there are no idle actors, no stale, unmeaning lines. And beyond the action, this way _up_ the years, there runs also the forward-gazing vision toward a new Hesperides: Through the veins Of whose vast Empire flows, in strength'ning tides, Trade, the calm health of nations. * * * * * And sometimes I would doubt If statesmen, rocked and dandled into power, Could leave such legacies to kings. I CLEARING THE TRAIL VANGUARDS OF THE PLAINS A ROMANCE OF THE SANTA FÉ TRAIL I THE BEGINNINGS OF A PLAINSMAN There came a time in the law of life When over the nursing sod The shadows broke, and the soul awoke In a strange, dim dream of God. --LANGDON SMITH.