San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-10-30
CHAPTER XL.
THE RESCUE.

sand dollars were in the Office safe, with
the commandant and most of the troops
absent, had not disturbed him much.
He exercised great care in his duties, yet
more through stress of habit than from
a sense of insecurity.
So quiet had affairs been of late that
from midnight until sunrise no guard
was usually set. Stirling, however,
placed cot in the Office, and now that
the cOmmandant was away slept there
himself with a revolver under his pillow,
while without several watchful dogs
were expected to announce any unusual
arrival
After finishing his round he sat by the
fire for an hour and then lay down. For
some reason he could not sleep. His
mind was restless, perhaps because Miss
Oberly, some three hours before, had al
last consented to fix the day that should
make him happy, always providing that
the mighty man of war, the admiral, did
not object. This, of course, was a pleas
ing probability, but as contrast his
mind reverted to ArizOny. The interest
she had from the first inspired now rem
dered him pityingly solicitous in view Of
her changed and troubled manner of late.
So wakeful did he continue to be that he
nnally rose. dressed, lighted lamp and
sat down again by the fire.
Presently, to his surprise, there was a
knock upon the Office door. He opened
it and admitted the commandment wife
and Miss Oberly.
I'VE really could not sleep" said the
former lady, Mrs. Tolliver. Hearing
you up, we concluded to come down.
cannot imagine what ails us all. 1t must
be something in the air
do you think, Philip" said Stella,
that there is any danger attached to
our present situation? OF course | don't
know much about these things, but !
should say we were rather unprotected
just now"
Stirling thought of the money in the
safe at the head of his cot and was glad
that the ladies did not yet know of its
arrival OF course there was no real
danger, yet such knowledge might con-
jure up unreal perils in their minds. He
replied in a half jocular, wholly reas-
surfing way, and for sometime they
chatted together upon irrelevant mat
tiers as they sat about the fire until Mrs.
Tolliver declared that it was high time
for her to WOO the drowsy god once
more.
When the ladies got up, Miss Oberly
moved to the window, whittier Philip
followed her at once. A gibbous moon
had Just risen. and over the plain with
out thin haze seemed to be brooding.
Under the scintillating heavens the
gloomy undulations of the prairie looked
unutterably lonely and desolate. As they
stood gazing out in silence the sharp bark
of coyote broke dissonantly upon theil
ears, followed by the depressing and pro
longed wall peculiar to the species. Miss
Oberly shivered, and Philips arm stole
protectingly about her waist
What a dreadfully dreary soundr
she said. AT this hour it seems not I'M
like the moan of a distressed spirit lost
upon these desolate wastes"
Philips reply was a reassuring pres
sure of his arms Mrs. TOlliver was
waiting patiently, with her hand upon
the doorknob. She had not forgotten
her own counting experiences. At that
moment dim form passed before the
window so swiftly that Stella's unearthly
smile appeared to have suddenly mate
rallied. She turned and looked at
Stirling He, too, seemed to be puzzled.
Then clamor of the dogs arose without
and other forms farther out upon the
prairie appeared as if from nothing and
seemed to scatter rapidly.
While Stirling still hesitated, hardly
knowing what to make of it all, an outer
door was heard to open and close softly.
Then the bolts were violently shot. Philip
started toward the Office door, when il
was suddenly opened, and Arizony, pale,
disheveled, staggered into the room, hel
dark hair glistening with dew and in hel
eyes wild, unnatural light. She came
at once to Stirling, noticing the other
two, and seized his hand.
Thank God-Fm here!' she ex.
claimed in a suppressed, quivering tone.
"But they're a-comiIi, they're a-cominl
You saved my mother once, leftenant,
and haven't forgot. CalLyour men up
there's trouble a-comin, tell you! They
come all round ketchin me"
While she paused, struggling fol-
breath, Stirling pressed button upon
the wall sharply and repeatedly.
"That alarm will bring my men here.
But what does this mean, Arizony? VIII
are you here?