The Lifted Trail

The Lifted Trail: The White Apache

A tale of the mid-ranges by Edward Willett, published by Beadle and Adams. The narrative follows Lieutenant Charles Collins commanding a small military party—four soldiers, two teamsters, two Texas rangers, two trappers, and a Shawnee—camping in a canyon near the San Juan River with supply wagons. Collins encounters Sandy Bill, a vengeful Texas ranger who captures a young, famished Pueblo Indian named Coroa. When Bill attempts to kill his prisoner, Collins intervenes at gunpoint, asserting his authority and forcing Bill to release the boy. After feeding Coroa, the party hears galloping hooves. Rather than the anticipated Apaches, a striking young white woman named Emilie De Manville arrives on horseback, claiming she has fled Apache pursuers. Collins moves wagons and secures livestock while preparing defenses. The Pueblo youth, Coroa, volunteers to fight, revealing he has combat experience against Apaches.