St. Landry democrat., 1884-07-05
THE PERRY GANG.

Il
The sun never shone more brightly and
the air was never more clear and brac-
ing than when Sinclair helped his wife
Oft the train at Pawnee Junction. The
station-master' 5 face fell as he saw the
lady, but he saluted the engineer with
as easy an air as he could assume, and
watched for an opportunity to speak to
him alone. Sinclair read the dispatches
with an unmoved co1ntenance, and,
after few minutes reflection, simply
said: Gail right. Be sure and keep
the matter perfectly quiet. At break
fast he was distrait-so much so that
his wife asked him what was the matter;
Taking her aside, he at once showed her
the tciegrams.
. You see my duty" he said. My
only thought is about You, my dear
child. Will you stay here?"
She simply replied, looking into his
face without a tremor:
My place is with you" Then the
conductor called 'AlI aboard, " and the
train once more started.
Sinclair asked Foster to JON him in
the smoking compartment and tell a
StptNB WhiCu GuC ulu'
A former rescue as Barker's, he frankly
and gratefully said, had been the turn
ing point in his life. In brief, he had
etsworn off, from gambling and drink
ing, aud had found honest employment,
and was doing well.
t.Iye two things to do now, Major, "
he added; first, must show my
gratitude to you; and next" he
heSitatcd little-'I want to find that
poor girl that I left behind at Barker's.
She WAS engaged to marry me, and
when | came to think of it, and what q
life I'd have made her lead, hadp' Il
the hearr till now to look for her; but,
seeing ! m on the right track, I'm
going to find her, and get her tC come
with me. Her fathers an old scoundrel.
but that amt her iault, and ain going
60 marry him.
g Foster quietly asked Sinclair,
edo you know the Perry gang?"
The mans brow darkened.
"Know 'them?" said he. 81 know
them much too well. Perry is as I'M
.godly cut-throat as ever killed an
oemiorant in cold blood, and he's got in
his gang nearly all those hounds that
tried to hang me. Why do you ask,
NIa;orP''
Sinclair handed him the dispatches.
%tYon are the only man on the train to
whom have shown them, = said he.
Foster read them slowly, his eyes
lighting up as he did so. ''Looks as if
it was true, said he. '.Let me see.
Fort -. Yes, that's the -th Infantry.
Two of theiy boys were killed at Sydney
last summer by some of the same gang,
and the regiments sworn VENGEANCE.
MAJOR, if this story's on the square.
that crowd s goose is cooked, and dom
YOU forget it! I say, you must give me
u hand in il.
fsFoster, said Sinclair, 81 am going to
put the resp onsihiity on your shoulders
/ have no doubt that, ii we be attacked,
the soldiers will dispose of the gang;
jbut must take all possible precautions
for the safety of the passengers. We
must not alarm them. They can be
made to think that the troops are going
on q scout, and only q certain number
of resolHte men need be told of what
I'VE expect. Can you, late this after
moon, so through the cars and pick
them out? l will then put you in
charge of the passenger cars, and you
can post your men on the platforms to
act in case Of need. My place will be
ahead.
Major, you can depend on me, was
Rosters reply. ''l'll 60 through the
train ard have my eye on some boys of
abe right sort, and that's got their
.shooting-irons with them. = 49,
Through the hours Of that day on
rolled the train, still over the crisp buff
faIo grass, across the welI-worn buffalo
arails, past the prairie-dog villages.
The passengers chatted, dozed, played
cards, read, all unconscious, with the
exception Of three, Of the coming con
tiict between the good and evil forces
bearing on their fate; Of the fell prep
STATIONS making for their disaster; of
che grim preparations making to avert
Sl1eh disaster; of all OF which the little
wires alongside of them had been talk
inc back and forth Watkins had tele-
sgaaphed that he still saw no reason to
doubt the good faith of his warning, and
sinclair had reported his receipt Of au-
shorty and his acceptance thereof.
Meanwhile, also, there had been set in
motion measure of that power to
xxhieh appeal is SO reluctantly made in
.GEane Of peace. AT Fort 49,, a lonely
asaat on the plains, the orders had thst