The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-04

yelllng Tor nclp Wnen nclp was miles
beyond range of his ringing voice Ser
goant Wing was jerked violently to
earth, dragged into tent, strapped to a
cot. deftly gagged and then left to him.
self. An instant later the Picacho was
lighted up with a lurid, unearthly
glare, the huge column of sparks went
whtrling and Kissing up on high, and
fas and near the great beacon was
warning all seers that the fierce Apache
was out in force and raiding tho Yuma
road.
Away ont across the desert its red
glare chased the Concord wagon where
in, all unconscious Of tho danger signal,
tho sisters were now chatting in low
tone.
"Drivo your best" had Harvey NUT
tered to his Mexican jehu, as no leaned
out of the saddle to reach his ear
"Not word to alarm the girls, he
cautioned his companion, "but be ready
for anything"
Far out beyond the swaying, bound
ing vehicle; far out across the blistered
plain, the glare and gleam fell full
upon the brown adobe walls at Mo-
reno's, and glittering eyes and swarthy
faces peered through the westward
aperture, while out in the corral the
night lights were dancing to and fro,
and Feeny, sore perplexed, but obedi-
ent to orders, was hurrying the prepa-
rations of his men.
Murphy's wild announcement had
parried conviction to the majors soul,
Sespite all Feeny's pleadings, and the
sight of that beacon furiously burning,
the thought of those helpless women
being borne off into the horrors Of cap
tivity among the Indians, had conspired
to rouse the paymaster to unlocked for
assertion of himself and his authority.
In vain had Feeny begged him to think
of his money, to remember that out
laws would resort to any trick to rob
him of his guard and might have even
overpowered Wing and his party and
then lighted the beacon. The chain of
evidence, the straight story told by his
morning visitor, the awful news con-
tanned In the penciled note brought in
by Mullan, We're considerations too po-
tent to be slighted.
In vain did Feeny point out to him
that If Apaches were really in tho
neighborhood Wing would not be con-
tent with starting the fire, but would
surely signal whittier to go in search
Of them, and that no vestige of signal
torch had appeared. Old Plulnmer
Ia orros,, 1v,nNxx, IN
moment of peace If he neglected to do
anything or everything in his power
TO save the girls. Most reluctantly he
agreed that Feeny should remain in
charge Of tho safe and the two drugged
and helpless men. Murphy and all the
others were ordered out forthwith to
march rapidly northeastwerd until they
struck the trail of the pursuit and then
to follow that. In Is minutes, with
four pack mules ambling behind, away
they went into the darkness, and all
that was left to man the ranch and de-
fend the government treasury against
all comers was the phlegmatic but de-
termined paymaster, his physically
wrecked but devoted clerk, Sergeant
Feeny, raging at heart, but full of
fight, and half breed packer named
Pedro. The two senseless and drunken
troopers were of course of no use to any
body.
Even as the detachment mounted,
Latham with it, old Moreno appeared
at the doorway shrouded in his serape.
Approaching Murphy by the side far
thest from Plummer and the sergeant,
he slipped fat canteen from under his
cloak and thrust it into the corrora's
ready hand. Hush-h--no words"
he whispered. "All is well. l keep
my promise" And so saying he had
skunk away, but Feeny was on the off
side quick as shot, quicker than the
corporal could stow the bulky vessel
in his saddle bags. Wrestling it from
the nerveless hand of his junior, Feeny
hurled it with all his force after the
Mexican's retreating form. 1t struck
Moreno square in the back of the neck
and sent him pitching heavily forward.
Only by catching at horse post did
he save himself from fall, but as he
Strengthened MP. his face was one not TO
bo looked at without shudder; grind
ing teeth, swapping, flashing eyes, venge-
ful contortions of brow and jaw, hate,
fury and revenge, all were quivering
with the muscles under that swarthy
skin, and the cleaning knife was
clasped in his upraised hand as, driv-
ing into the ranch and out Of sight of
tho hated "gringos, he burst into
tho room where sat his wifo and
daughter, and raging aloud. through
that he loaped like panther to another
door, fastened on the farther side,
whero one instant he stood before ad-
mission could be gained, and through q
panel in which there warily peered n
bearded face, swarthy rs his own. And
then Sonora Moreno hurriedly banged
the shutter and took up her guitar.
Something had TO be done TO hush the
uproar of blasphemy and imprccation
mingling with the shout of exultation
that instantly followed her lords adj