The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-02
was the half hesitant reply.


Well, l need Bland just now.
Put some Of the old hands and older
heads on. and don't let anything escape
theSr notice."
beg pardon, lieutenant, but what's
10 be the line Of directionp When we
started il was understood that we were
TO take the shortest cut for Ceralvo's,
and now we're heading for tho Pi-
cacho."
mo, we make for the pass first;
that's the quickest way to reach the
signal station, then we learn where to
strike for the Indians. Did you ever
hear of their being as far west as the
Maricopa range before?"
"Neyer, sir - the whole time we've
been here, and since the lieutenant
joined they've never been heard of
crossing the Santa Maria valley"
"What on earth could tempt them
out SO far2 There's nothing TO be
gained and every chance of being cut
off by troops from Grant and Bowie,
even if they do succeed in slipping by
us"
That's moro than / can tell, sir.
The men say the paymaster's coming
along this week; they heard it from the
quartermaster's train we passed at the
| Cienega three days ago."
Trooper Bland was riding in silence
on the left OF the detachment COM
mander as he had been directed. The
sergeant had come up on the other
/ flank.
What men heard this?" asked
Drummond, quickly.
why, Patterson told me, sir, and
Lucas and Quinn, and think Bland
here was talking with the train escort
and must have heard it.
did you, Bland ?" asked the lieu
tenant, as he whirled suddenly in his
saddle and faced the trooper.
"Yes, sir" was the prompt reply;
several Of the men spoke of it. It's
about the most welcome piece of news
they could give TO fellows who had four
months pay DUE"
In the isolation of this mountain
scouting business, when, as often hap.
! pens, one officer is out alone for weeks
with no comrades or associateStu mt his
detachment. Ii naturally results that a
greater freedom Ct intercourse and
speech is developed between the COM
mander and some, at least, of his party
than would ever be the case in years
of garrison life; and so it happened that
for the moment Drummond forgot the
commander in the man.
1T is most extraordinary, no said,
THAT just when paymaster is anxious
TO keep secret tho date and route Of his
coming the whole thing is heralded
ahead. We have no telegraph and yet
three days ego we knew that Major
Plummer was starting on his first trip.
He ought 70 have been at Ceralvo's
last night. BY Jupiter! suppose he was
and had but small escort? What
else could that signal fire mean? Here!
get those men out to the front now at
once; we must push ahead for all we're
worth.
And so at midnight, with steeds
painting and jaded, with the pass and
the Picacho only four miles ahead, the
little detachment was tripping noise
lessly through the darkness, and, all
alert and eager. Drummond was riding
midway between his scouts and the main
body so that no sound close at hand
might distract his attention from halls
or signals farther out. Suddenly he
heard an exclamation ahead, the snort
| of q frightened horse, then some muffled
objurgations, a rider urging a reluctant
steed to approach some suspicious OBJ
ject, and, spurring his own spirited
charger forward, Mr.. Drummond came
presently upon the corporal just dis
mounting in the darkness and striving
to lead his boon companion, whom he
could not drive, up to some dark object
lying on the plain. This, too, failed.
A low whistle, however, brought one Of
the other scouts trotting in to the res
/ cue.
Hold him a minute, Burke" said
| the corporal, handing up the reins.
There's something out here this brute
SHE'D at and can't get him near it
again" With that he pushed out to
! the front while the others listened ex-
pectant.. A moment later match was
struck, and presently burned brightly
! in the black and breathless night.
Then came the startled cry:
my God, lieutenant, it's Corporal
Donovan and his horse-both dead"
And even there Mr.. Drummond noted
that Bland was about the first of the
column to come hurrying forward to
the scene.
Ten minutes investigation threw but
little light upon the tragedy. Some
stumps of candles were found in the
saddlebags and packs, and with these
the men secured the plain for signs.
Spreading we'll out from the center,
they closely examined the sandy level.
/ From the north came the trail Of two
cavalry horses, shod alike, both at the
lope, both draggy and weary. From
the point where lay Donovan and his
steed there was but one horse track.
Whirling sharply around, the rider had
sent his mount at laundering gallop