Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-12-28
FOES IN AMBUSH.
By Capt. CHARLES KING, U. s. A.
tcOpyright. 1893, by charie. King.l
CHAPTER III.

 a battered brier root pipe. Southward and few hundred feet below his perch the Yuma road came twisting through the pass, and then disappeared in the gathering darkness across the desert plain that stretched between them and the distant Santa Maria. Over to the east the loftiest crags of the Christobal were still faintly tinged by the last touch of departed day. Southward still, beyond the narrow and tortuous pass, the range rose high and precipi- tous. covered and fringed with black masses of cedar, stunted pine and juni- per.
 North of west, on the line of the now invisible road and far out toward the Gila, a faint light was just twinkling.
 There lay Ceralvo's, and nowhere else, save where the embers of the cook fire still Slowed in a deep crevice among the rocks. was there light of any kind to be seen. A lonely spot was this in which to spend ones days, yet the sol dier in charge seemed in no wise up- pressed with sense of isolation. It was his comrade, sitting moodily on a convenient rock, elbows on knees and chin deep buried in his brown and hairy hands. who seemed brooding over the dcsolation of his surroundings.
 Watching him in silence nom ent, a quiet smile of amusement on his lips, Sergeant Wing sauntered over and placed q friendly hand on the broad blue shoulder.
 Well, Pikey, are you wishing your self back in Frisco:''
 I'm wishing myself in Tophet, ser geant; it may be hotter, but it isn't as lonely as this internal hole.
 No, its populous enough probably" " was the response; and, added he, with whimsical smile. mo doubt you we lots of friends there. Pike. .''
 Maybe have. and maybe haven't. At all events. I've none here. Why in thunder couldn't you let me look into that business over at Ceralvo's instead of Jackson: He gets everything worth having. I'm shelved for his sake day after day.
 Couldn't send you, Pike. on any such quest as that. Those greasers have sharp eyes. and one look at your face would convince them that we'd lost our grip or were in for funeral Jackson, now. rides in as blithe as a May morning q May morning out of Arizona, I mean. They never get the best of him. The only trouble is he stays to,, long: he ought to he back here now
 "Hulmph, ell be apt to come back iii a hurry with Pat Donovan and those C troop fellows spending their money like water at Ceralvo's.
 "You still insist they're over there, do you. Pike: 1 think they re not. I tiaEgcd old Freny half an hour ago that they hadn | come through here. "
 Who V;.S that fellow who rode back here with the nute:" asked Pike
 Il don't know his name. DutChy' they call him in c troop. He's on his seccud .nliStment.
 More fool he! The man who re-en- lists in this territory must bo either drunk or Dutch. And Pike relapsed into gloomy silence again. his eyes fixed upon lhe faint flicker of the bar lights at Ceralvo's miles away. but Wing only laughed again and still pufhng away at bis pipe went on down the winding trail to where in the deep shelter of the rocky walls a pool of water lay gleaming- Here he threw himself flat, and lying aside his pre- cious pipe drank long and eagerly; then with sudden plunge he abused his hot face in the cooling flood and came up dripping.
 Thank the Lord I have no desert march to make today-all on a wild goose chase. was his pious cjacula- tion. What on earth could have in duced the paymaster to send detach- ment over to the Gila: :" He took from his pocket penCilcd note and slowly twisted 1t in his fingers. It was too dark to read. but in its soldierly hrevity he almost knew 1t by heart.
 The major sent Donovan with half the escort back to the Gila on an Apache scare this morning. They will prob ably return your way. empty handed Signal if they have passed. Latham knows your code and We have good glass. Send man 10 Ceralvo's with orders for them to join at once if they haven come, and flag or torch when they pass you. It's my belief they've gone there.
 This was signed by Feeny and over and again had Wing been speculating as to what it all meoLt When the es- cort with the ambulance and paymaster went through before the dawn. Feony had reused him to ask if anything had been heard of Indians on the warpath between them and the Sonora line, and the answer was both prompt and posi- ! tive. " No. As for their being north or north of west of his station. and up l toward the Gila. Wing secuted the Sug- 1 gestion. He wished. however. that 1 Jackson were back with such tidings as he had picked up at Ceralvo's. It was 1 always best to be prepared, even though this was some distance away from the customary raiding ground of the tribe. Just then there came hail from aloft. Pikey was shouting.
 All right, answered Wing cheer ily; be there in a minute. and then he went springing up the trail as though the climb of 400 feet were a mere bag atelle.
 Whats up: Jackson here?'' ht asked. short of breath. as he reached tho little nook ill which their brush covered tents were pitched. There was no re ply.
 Pike! O Pike! Where are you:' he called
 And presently, faint and far, some where down in the dark canyon to thu south, volce replied:
 Down hyar. Something's coming up the road.
 Surely enough. Probably quartel mile away dim light as of a swing ing lantern could be seen following tn, winding of the rough and rock ribbed road. Then came the click of ironsho( hoofs, the crack of the long mule whip and a resonant imprecation in Spanisl leveled at the invisible draft ami