Burnham
came out of it a quiet, manly, gentleman. In those fifteen years he
roved the West from the Great Divide to Mexico. He fought the
Apache Indians for the possession of waterholes, he guarded
bullion on stage-coaches, for days rode in pursuit of Mexican
bandits and American horse thieves, took part in county-seat
fights, in rustler wars, in cattle wars; he was cowboy, miner,
deputy-sheriff, and in time throughout the the name of "Fred"
Burnham became significant and familiar.
During this period Burnham was true to his boyhood ideal of
becoming a scout. It was not enough that by merely living the life
around him he was being educated for it. He daily practised and
rehearsed those things which some day might mean to himself and
others the difference between life and death. To improve his sense
of smell he gave up smoking, of which he was extremely fond, nor,
for the same reason, does he to this day use tobacco. He
accustomed himself also to go with little sleep, and to subsist on
the least possible quantity of food. As a deputy-sheriff this
educated faculty of not requiring sleep aided him in many
important captures. Sometimes he would not strike the trail of the
bandit or "bad man" until the other had several days the start of
him. But the end was the same; for, while the murderer snatched a
few hours' rest by the trail, Burnham, awake and in the saddle,
would be closing up the miles between them.
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