The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-09-05


munitioA and to draw more rations, the
troop fastened away toward the rail-
road by way Of Graham, and at the sta
ton, just at dawn, Lane sent brief dis
patch to the commanding general saying
that he was pushing with all speed to
head the Indians off via San Simon pass.
He had then forty-five men and horses,
in fair condition. X troop would reach
Graham that evening, and he urged that
they be sent at once to re-enforce him.
This dispatch ''the chief" received with
an emphatic slap Of his thigh and an ex-
preston of delight: "Bless that fellow
Lanei he is always in the nick of time.
had not hoped for an instant that either
ID or X would be available, and now
look" he said to his aid-de-camp, The
has started for San Simon pass, and will
probably throw himself across their
front. Only wish he had more men,"
''Shall | wire to Graham to have X
rush after him, sir9"
"Yes. Order them to start the instant
they can refit, and not to take more than
an hour in doing that. They have been
having easy work ON their scout-prob-
ably taking it leisurely all the time;
they ought to be in first rate trim. d,
on the contrary, has been making long
and rapid marches to get down from the
| Upper Gila. Where was X at last ac-
counts?"
"Couriers had gone to the Upper Pei
oncillo for them several days ago, and,
rs Lane says, they are expected at Ora
ham this evening. Lane himself rode
after his own men two hours after he
got to the post from the east, and Noel,
who is KS new captain, is due at Ora
ham station tonight"
"Then send him orders to lead his
troop instantly, follow and support
Lane. Tell him not to lose moment
on the way. Everything may depend
upon his promptness and zeal"
And so it happened that when Capt.
Noel stepped from the train that after
noon at the old station the telegraph
messenger came forward to meet him,
touching his cap and saying, "This dis
patch has been awaiting you, sir, since
| II o'clock this morning. have just had
| dispatch from the post, and X Troop
| got in two hours ago and is already start
ing. Lieut.. Mason says an orderly is
coming ahead with horse and the cap
tain's field kit. Shall Iwire for anything
slse?'
Noel opened the dispatch that had been
handed him, and read it with an express
sion that plainly indicated perturbation,
| If not dismay. He had not been in sad
| die for an entire year.
"Why, 1 must go out to the postv he
said to the operator. 81 am not at all
ready to take the field. Let them know
that have arrived, and will come out
there without delay. Better have the
troop unsaddled and wait for my COM
ing"
"Will the captain pardon me9' said
the operator; ''the orders from the de-
partment commander that went through
this morning were that the troop should
not take more than an hour in reftting
at the post and should start at once. /
| thought could see them coming over
the divide just as the whistle blew"
The captain gave no sign of enthu-
siasm as he received this news. He was
still bordering over the contents of his
dispatch from the commanding general
its tone was so like that of his order
from the war department-so utterly
unlike what his admiring circle of rela-
tives and friends would have expected.
Stepping into the telegraph Office he
took some blanks and strove to compose
a dispatch that would convince the gen.
eral that he was wild with eagerness to
ride all night to the support of Lane,
and yet that would explain how abso-
lutely necessary it was that he should
first go eat to the post. But the fates
were against him. Even as he was
gnawing the pencil and cudgeling his
brains the operator called out:
"Here come some of 'em now, SIR"
And, looking nervously from the win
dow, Noel saw three horsemen galloping
in to the station. Foremost came lieu
tenant Of infantry, who sprang to the
ground and tossed the reins to his order
ly the instant he neared the platform.
One of the men had led horse, COM
pletely equipped for the field, with blan-
kets, saddle bags, carbine, canteen and
haversack; and Noels quick intuition
left him no room to believe that the
steed was intended for any one but him.
The infantryman came bounding in:
"Is this Capt. Noel? am Mr., Renshaw,
post adjutant, sir, and / had hoped to
get here in time to meet you on your ar.
rival, but we were all busy getting the
troop ready. You've got your orders,
sir, haven't you? My God! captain, can't
You wire to the fort and beg the major
to let me go with you? I'll be your
slave for lifetime. I've never had a
chance to do a bit of real campaigning
yet, and no man could ask butler
chance than this. Excuse me, sir,
know you want to get right into scout
ing rig-Mr. Mason said his extras
would fit you exactly; but if you could
take fne along-you're bound to get there
just in time for the thick of it." And
the gallant little fellow looked, all eager
ness, into Noel's unresponsive face.
What wouldn't the hero of the Queen
City club have given to turn the whole
thing over to this ambitious young SOL
der and let him take his chances of
"glory or the gravew A4Ai