410 MR. LEATON AND THE DOCTOR. Book II. 
the Doctor in the act of putting on a fresh cap. " Doctor, 
let that be," said Leaton with imperturbable coolness, 
pointing his revolver at him. The Doctor obeyed. "Put 
down your rifle;" the Doctor obeyed again. "Now come 
out;" again the Doctor obeyed. "So, so, Doctor," said 
Leaton, taking hold of his ear, "you wanted to shoot Mr. 
Leaton, did you ? Don't try that again : you are too 
clumsy for that. But now Doctor come with me ; you shall 
be my guest." Thereupon, with his revolver in his right 
hand, he led the would-be murderer into his court-yard, 
where he bound him to a post with a chain, and kept him 
several days in this position. Every day he brought him 
his breakfast, dinner, and supper, when he always tor- 
mented him with the following kind of sarcastic jokes : 
"So, so, Doctor, you meant to shoot Mr. Leaton, but your 
powder was not dry. Mr. Leaton, however, is a good man 
and regales you with the best. How does his cooking please 
you ?" After mocking him several days in this manner, he 
let the poor wretch go with a suitable admonition. 
During the night we had several alarms in our camp. 
First, one of the watch fired — more in joke I think than 
in earnest — upon a human figure which immediately took 
to flight, and was followed by several others who appeared 
to rise out of the ground : some other shots were fired ; 
but they proved to be some common Mexican women, who 
had visited our drivers during the night. A few hours 
later there was another shot again upon a human figure, 
but this time a more dangerous one. A regular chace 
ensued, and wherever a shadow was seen among the bushes 
it was fired at. I can only hope that no harmless passer-by 
was injured. 
On the 22nd of May we were again in motion. The road 
we took from hence is known as Connelly's Trail, after a 
