The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-13
@yya,oAI 1893 By oAAKLE5 MAd,

wharfl Poor little mother! She has
never given mp tho hope Of seeing that
scapegracs of an uncle Of mine again. :"
Has she ever heard how he tried TO
murder his nsphswf" queries Drum
mond grimly.
Never. Nor have we the faintest
trace OF him since tho break up Of the
old Morales gang at Fronteras. They
went all to pieces after their encounter
with you and G troop. What chain
of disasters! Lost their leaders and
three Of their best men, lost their rem
devious at Loreno's, lost horses and
mules-for what our men didn't get
the Apacbes djd--and won absolutely
nothing except tho "a hour possession
Of a safe they hadn't time to open.
Whereas got my commission and my
wife; Feeny, honorable wounds and
mention and the chevrons Of first SER
geant; Costigan got his sergeant's
stripes and the medal OF honor, Murphy
his sergeantcy, Walsh and Latham med
ais and corporalships, and the only fell
low who didn't get blessed thing but
scars was the commanding lieutenant
your worthy self-thanks to wiseacres
at Washington who soy Indian fighting
isn't war. "
Didn't get letter Of thanks from
the department. commander7" grins
Drummond. What else could ex-
pecti" "
What else?" is Wings impulsive
rejoinder. Then, as though mindful
Of some adnonition, quietlng at once
and speaking in tone less suggestive,
well, in your case / suppose you can
be content with nothing. but bless me
il / could" Then, suddenly rising and
respectfully touching his weather beat
en- hat, he salutes q stoutly built, SOL
dierly looking man IN rough scouting
dress, whose only badge Of rank is the
tarnished shoulder strap with the sill
yer leaf on the shabbiest old fatigue
coat TO be found in the battalion, most
OF whose members, however, wear no
coat at all.
"Hullo. Wing-didn't mean to dis
turb your sieste-Drummond here?"
says the commander in his offhand
way, and at sound OF the we'll known
voice Drummond, too, is on his feet in
twinkling.
Seen the papers that came in to-
dsy," queries the colonel, obliterating
from his sentences all verbal euperflui-
ties.
mot yet, sir; any news,'
HI to pay in Chicago, 20 far as
heard from. The railway strike has
taken firm hold there. Police and mi
litis both seem unable to do anything
against the mob, and the authorities
are stampeded. Your home. isn't it?"
ut was once, sir, but that was many
. long year ago.
'W-e-ell, says the colonel reflect
lively, stroking his griLxled beard, ''it's
my belief thors il worse to come. 1t
isn't the striking railway hands that
will do the mischief, but every time
there's n strike all the thieves and
thugs and blackguards in the commu-
nifty turn out. That's what happened
in Pittsburg-that' what's the matter
in Chicago. It1ooks TO me as though
the plea for regula. troops would have
to be granted.
Think wa can get there, sir?" asks
Wing eagerly.
Can'tsay. We're supposed to have
our hands full covering this section Of
Nebraska, though haven't heard Of a
hostile Sioux this summer. Besides,
they have full regiments of infantry at
Omaha and along the lakes. Doesn't
Mrs. Wing say anything about the
trouble?"
Her letter is four days old, sir, and
only says her father looks upon the sit
uation as one of much gravity, but
women rarely see troubles Of this kind
until they como to their DOORS
well. this is The Times of two days
ago. 1t reached Sidney at breakfast
hms this morning. and Hatton brought
two or three copies out when he came
with the mail. Thought you two might
be interested" And with that the
colonel goes strolling along down the
bank OF the stream, pausing hero and
there 10 chat with some officers or give
some order relative to the grazing of
the horses---one of his especial "fads."
Ard this evening, just ss the sun dis
appears over the low bluf lying 10 tho
west and the horses are being picketed
for tho night, while from score of cook
fires the appetiEing SAVIOR Of antelope
steak and the aroma Of soldier coffee"
rise upon the air, little dust cloud
sweeps out from the rsvine into which
disappears the Sidney road and comes
floating out across tho prairie. Keen
eyed troopers quickly note the speed
with which il travels toward them.
Officers and men, who have just been
looking to the security Of their steeds, |
pause now on their way to supper and |
stand gazing through the cleaning at !
the coming cloud. In five minutes the
cause is apparent-two swift riders,
urg'ng their horses to full speed. racing
for the ford. Five minutes more ard |
fbo foraynosf fhrov,a bi,naalf fro,,, tha