Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-01-08

IN q snDagc irdrri0r
Not an instant too soon, although he
had ridden hard since earliest dawn, has
Lane reached the rocky pass. North and
south the Pcloncillos are shroudel in the
gloom of coming night, and all over the
arid plain to the eastward darkness has
settled down. In previous scouts he had
learned the country well, and be knows
just where to turn for tanks" of cool
water for horses, mules and men-the cav
airy order of precedence when creature
comforts are to be d0iel out He knows
just where TO conceal his little force in che
recesses of the rocks, and let them build
tiny fires aud make their coffee and then
get such rest as is possible before the com
ing day: but there is no rest for him. TAX
ing two veteran soldiers with him, and
leaving the troop to the command Of his
lieutenant, an enthusiastic young soldier
only year out Of the cadet gray, the cap
tain rides westward through the cleaning
He must determine at once whether the
indians are coming toward the pass by
which the San Simon makes its burst
through the range, or whether, having
made wide detour around the little post at
Bowie among the Chiricahua mountains,
they are now bending southwark again and
taking the shortest line to the border be-
fore seeking to regain once more their old
trail along the San Bernardino. How often
have their war parties gone to and fro
along those rocky banks, unmOlested, un-
pursued
And now, secure in the belief that they
have thrown all the cavalry far to the rear
in the stern chase which no Apache
breads, well knowing how easily he can
distance his hampered pursuers, the rene
g;.des. joined by gang II the utterly "un.
reeonstrgctedn Chiricahuas, are taking
things easily and making raids on the help
less ranches that lie to the right or left of
their line of march. Fortunately for the
records these are few in number; had there
been dozens more they would only have
served to swell the list of butchered men,
OF plundercd ranches, of burning stacks
and corrals, of women and children borne
off to be the sport of their leisure hours
when once secure in the businesses OF the
Sierra Madres far south of the line. Death
could not come too soon to the relief of
these poor creatures, and Lane and all his
men had been spurred to the utmost effort
by the story of the railway hands that they
had plainly seen several women and chill
dren bound to the spare animals the rene
gades drove along across the iron track
Among the passengers in the piilaged
stage coach were the wife and daughter OF
an Indian agent, who had only recently
come to tAis arid territory and knew little
of the ways of its indigenous people
Nothing had since been seen or heard of
them. Capt. Rawlins and two soldiers
going up as witnesses before a court mar
tial at Grant, were found hacked almost
beyond recognition, and the driver too.
who seemed to have crawled out among
the rocks to die Verify the Apaches had
good reason to revel in their SUGGEST They
had hoodwinked the bureau. lodged the
cavalry, plunGered right and LETT until
they We're rich with spoil, and now well to
the south Of the railway, with choice of
either east or west side of the range, their
main body and prisoners are halted to rest
the animals, while miles to the rear their
faithful vedettes keep watch against pur-
suers, and miles out 10 the west the most
active young warriors are CRYING havoc at
the ranch of Tres Hermanos 1t is the red
glare of the flame toward the sunset hori-
zon that tells Lane the Apaches cannot be
far away. The instant be and his com
rades issue from the gorge and peer eau
tiously to the right and left not only do
they see the blaze across the wide valley,
but northward, not more than half a mile
away, there rises upon the night wind
sound they cannot mistake-the war chant
of the Chiricahuas.
Thank God, cries Lane, Eve are here
ahead OF them!''
Half an hours Reconnaissance reveals to /
him their position. Far up among the
powders Of the range, where pursuing
horse.nen cannot rush upon them in the
night, they have made their bivouac. and
are having revel and feast while await