20 SADDLE AND CAMP 



"And, damn him, he showed the deuce and 



won ' : 



Huning later disposed of the land in small 

 parcels to Mormon settlers, and the hamlet grew 

 up around the old ranchhouse. It is now a post- 

 office, on the mail stage route to Fort Apache, 

 the latter ninety miles from Holbrook, the near- 

 est railway point. 



The sun beat down with an intense heat and 

 the sand through which the horses plodded fet- 

 lock-deep reflected the rays with dazzling 

 brightness. Chameleons scurried away into the 

 sage brush as we passed, and now and again a 

 frightened jack rabbit scampered across the 

 trail. We halted to eat our luncheon under the 

 shade of a small tree by the muddy waters of 

 an irrigation ditch in Show Low, and, our 

 horses and ourselves refreshed, rode forward on 

 a steadily rising grade, presently to enter the 

 great pine forests higher up. 



Here was delightful contrast to the sandy, 

 parched desert through which we had been pass- 

 ing. The trees stood tall and straight, reaching 

 up toward the blue and cloudless heavens and 

 casting a grateful shade. Beneath lay an even 

 carpet of pine needles, unobstructed by brush 

 or thicket, and the atmosphere was sweet with 

 forest perfumes. Innumerable gray squirrels 



