The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-09


not0 stiited cdrcdSs Of poor Dick.
ward the barrel over the now stilled
carcass of poor Dick, and peered eagerly
up the ravine in search of some foe at
whom to aim. Blindly he searched
for dusky Apache skulking from rock
to rock. There was no moving thing
in sight. But what was this-this OBJ
ject that suddenly shot out from behind
little ledge, and turning sharply TO the
left went Gathering into the depths of a
dark and frowning gorge? Could he
believe his eyes? Did the Chiricahuas.
then, have horses and wear trooper
hats? Bending low over his steed and
spurring him TO the uttermost oxertion,
tall, even soldIerly, form had darted
one instant into view and then gone
laundering out of sight. Up to this
moment Wing never had lost full con-
troll of his faculties. Now his brain
reeled. Before his eyes rose dense
cloud of mist rushing forth from the
mountain side. Bowlders, near at
hand, took to- waltzing solemnly with
their neighbors, and when at last the
foremost trooper flung himself from
his horse and crept to the sergeant's s
side, while his comrades rode on, keep
ing vigilant watch against the appear
ance of other foes, Sergeant Wing was
found lying beside his dead horse. He
had swooned utterly away.
BY and by, with anxious face and
bandaged head and arm, Lieutenant
Drummond came galloping down. Wing
was then submitting to the rude BAN
daging of his leg and lying limp and
weak, his head resting on Dicks stiff
ening shoulder. But Wings eyes were
covered by his gauntleted hand and
he never looked up at his young com
mandeE, though he heard his anxious
queries.
lis he much hurt? Were there many
Of them?"
"Shot through the leg here, sir" an
wered the sturdy corporal, and was
h n dead faint when we got to him.
! don't know how many there was of
hem, lieutenant; they skipped off the
moment we opened fire."
They couldn't have seen us coming,
lieutenant, y eagerly spoke young re.
rruit. They must have thought the
sergeant was alone, for when we charged
they just lit out for all they were
Sorth. didn't they, Mixer" he eagerly
asked his comrade, an older trooper.
"Oh, shut up, Billy. There's nothing
I'm Apache doesn't see, but we were too
far off 10 tell tfUw many there was.
only saw ono as ho lept away. Shure
the sergeantwas nearer-he could have
een."
Sergeant Wing, il is I, Lieutenant
Drummond. Look up moment if you
,an. You were close TO them; how
many did you see?"
"How many Indians, sir?" asked
Wing family.
Eyes, how many?"
A pause. Then at last:
IL didn't SEQ one, SIR"
CHAPTER X.
Another day dawned and another pa
tient was added to Miss Harvey's hos
pital list ut tho caves. The original
plan of starting on the return soon aft
er daybreak had now to be abandoned,
as Drummond explained, because here
was q man who could not stand the
journey. Surely there would not be
many hours before the relief party from
Stoneman, following their trail, would
como speeding, to the rescue, bringing
TO the wounded the needed surgical
skill and attention, bringing to the
Harvey girls their devoted father. The
only question in the young lieutenant S
mind as the sun rose. q burning, daz-
zling disk, over the distant mountains
to the east was, Which will be first to
reach MS, friends or foes?
Wearied and shattered though he was
and replete as the night had been with
anxiety and vigil, Drummond climbed
the goat track that led to tho sentry s
perch feeling full of hope and pluck and
fight. He and his men had divided
the night into watches, one being awake
and astir, not even permitting himself
to sit moment, while the others slept.
The fact that he was able to send back
to the caves, have an ambulance hitch
ed i'm and driven down TO where Wing
lay wounded, and TO bear him slowly,
carefully, back TO shelter, reaching the
caves without further molestation be-
fore darkness set in. had served TO con-
vince the young commander that he
could count on reasonable security for
the night. Unless they know their prey
70 be puny and well nigh defenseless,
Apaches make no assault in the dark
ness. and SO. with the coming of the
dawn, be had about him fit for service
a squad of seven troopers, most of
them seasoned mountain fighters. His
main anxiety now was for Wing, whose
wound was severe. tho bullet having
gone clear through, just grazing the
bone, and who, despite the fact that
Fanny Harvey early in the night had
a.o.,. sao.xr and fhor. cxo..t saoinolonnl.. i.,