Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-12-26


 least done one thing warned Moreno not to sell drop of his fiery mescal to any one of the men, and when the Mexican expressed entire willingness to acquiesce Feeny's suspicious were redoubied and he picked out Trooper Latham, New Englander whom some strange and untoward fate had led into the ranks, and stationed him in the bullet scared barroom of the ranch, with strict orders to allow not a drop to be drawn or served to any one with out the sanction of Sergeant Feeny or his superior officer, the major. Even the humiliation of this proceeding had in no wise disturbed Moreno's suavity. "All possess is at your feet" he had said to the major, with Castilian grace and gravity, Take or withhold it as you will.
 "Infernal old hypocrite!'' swore Fee ny, between his strong, set teeth. "l believe he'd like nothing better than to get the escort drunk and turn us over bag and baggage to the Morales gang. :"
 Thrice during the hot afternoon had Feeny secuted the premises and striven to find what number and manner of men Moreno might have in concealment there. Questioning was of little use. Moreno was ready to answer to any thing and was never known to halt at lie. Old Miguel, the half breed. who did odd jobs about the well and the corral, expressed profound ignorance both of the situation and Feeny's Eng fish. The Mexican boy had but one answer to all queries, "No sa-a-abe.
 Other occupants there were, but these even Feeny's sense of duty could not prompt him to disturb. Somewhere in the depths of the doinestlc portion of the ranch, where the brush on the flat roof was piled most heavily and the walls were jealously thick, all scouting parties or escorts we'll knew that Moreno's wife and daughter wero hidden from prying eyes, and rumor had it that often there were moro than two feminine occupants; that these were sometimes joined by three or four others-wives or sweethearts of out lawed men who rode with Pasqual Mo rales-and all Arizona knew that Pas qual Morales had little more Mexican blood in his veins than had Feeny himself. He was an Americana, a cursed gringo for whom long years ago the sheriffs of California and Nevada had chased in vain, who had sought refuge and a mate in Sonora and whose swarthy features found no difficulty in masquerading under Mexican name when the language of love had made him familiar with the Mexican tongue.
 Slow to action, slow of speech as was the paymaster, he was not slow to see that Sergeant Feeny was anxious and i'll at ease, and if veteran trooper, whom his captain had pronounced the coolest, pluckiest and most reliable man in the regiment, could be so disturbed over the indications, it was high time to take precaution. What was the threatened danger? Apaches? They would never assault the ranch with its guard of soldiers, whatsoever they might do in the canyons in the range beyond. Outlaws? They had not been heard of for months. He had inquired into all this at Yuma, at the stage sta- tions, by mail of tho commanding officers at Lowell and Bowie and Grant. Not for six months had stage been "held up" or blackboard jumped" south of the turbid Gila.
  lessncss among the miners at Castle Dome and the customary shooting scrape at Ehrenberg and La Paz, but these were river towns, far behind him now as he looked back over the desert trail and aloft into the star studded, cloud less sky.
 Nothing could be more placid, noth- ing less prophetic of peril or ambush than this exquisite summer night. Somewhere within the forbidden region of Moreno's harem a guitar was begin ming to tinkle softly. That was all very well, but then a woman's voice, anything but soft, took up a strange, monotonous refrain. Line after line, verse after verse. it ran, harsh, change less. He could not distinguish the Eords-he did not wish to; the music was bad enough in all conscience, what soever it might become when sung by youth or beauty. As it fell from the lips of Sonora Moreno the air was a succession of vocal nasal disharmonies, high pitched, strident, nerve racking. Unable to listen after the third repe- dtion, Hummer slowly retired from | the corral and once moro appeared at the front, just in time for sensation Two troopers, two of tho men who had ridden back with Donovan, came lurch- ing into the lighted space before the main entrance. At sight of the pay master ono of them stiffened up and with preternatural gravity of mien ex- ecured the salute. The other, with an en, velope in his hand, reeled out of the sad jle, failed to catch his balance, plunged | heavily into the sand and lay there. Corporal Murphy sprang eagerly for ward, the first man to reach him, and turned the prostrate trooper over on his back.
 Whats the matter?" queried Plum mer. 'Is he sick?"
 Sick, is it?" was tho quick rctort, as the corporal sniffed at tho tainted breath of the sufferer. "Bo the pow CTS, I only wish I had half his dis ayse."
 And then came Feeny, glaring, wrath | full.
 Come down off the top of that horse, Mullan," he ordered, fiercely. "How-how'd ye get herep Which way'd ye come? Where's the rest2"
 With the ponderous dignity of in ebriety, Mullan slowly pointed up the desert under the spot where the pole star glowed in the northern skies.
 "Sarsh mt" he hiccoughed, "we're we're too late; 'Paches got there first.
 "HwatI hwatI" thundered Feeny. Dye mean there were women-that it wasn't plant? ?'
 Pack.
 "Hware's your dispatches, you drunken lout? How dare you dhrink when there was fight ahead? Hware's l