The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1893-05-18

WELL, PIKEY, ARE YOU WISHING
YOU WERE BACK IN 'FRIsCof"
rock, elbows on knees and CHR
deep buried in his brown and hairy
hands, who seemed brooding over
the desolation Of his surroundings.
Watching him in silence mo
ment, quiet smile of amusement
on his lips, Sergeant Wing sauntered
over and placed a friendly hand on
the broad, blue shoulder.
"Well, Pikey, are you wishing
yourself back in Friscoi"
"I'm wishing myself in Tophet,
sergeant; it may be hotter, but il
isn't as lonely as this internal
hole"
"No, it's populous enough, prob
ably" was the response, "and. "
added he, with whimsical smile,
"no doubt you've 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.
Pm 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 a
funeral. jackson, now, rides in as
blithe as a May morning. May
morning out of Arizona, | mean.
They never get the best of him.
The only trouble is he stays too
long; he ought to be back here
now"
"Humphl he'll be apt to como
back in hurry with Pat Donovan
and those 'C' troop fellows spend
ing their money like water at Ceral-
vo's."
"You still insist they're over
there, do you, Pikei l think they re
not. tagged old Feeny half an
hour ago that they hadn't come
rough here"
"Who was that fellow who rode
back here with the notei" asked
Pike.
81 don't know his name. 'Dutehy'
they call him in 'C' troop. He's on
his second enlistment"
"More fool he The man who
re-enists in this territory must be
either drunk or Dutch" And Pike
relapsed into gloomy silence again,
his eyes fixed upon the faint flicker
or the bar lights at CeIalvo's miles
away, but Wing only laughed again,
and, still putting away at his pipe,
went on down the winding trail to
where in the deep shelter of the
rocky walls a pool of water lay
cleaning. Here he threw himself
fat, and laying aside his precious
pipe, drank long and eagerly; then
with sudden plunge doused his hot
face in the cooling food and came
up dripping.
'Thank the Lord, | have no
desert march to make to-day-all on
a wild goose chase" was his pious
ejaculation. "What on earth could
have induced the paymaster to send
. detachment over to the Gila9"
He took from his pocket a pen
cilled note and twisted it
in his fingers. 1t was too dark TO
read, but in its soldierly brevity he
almost knew it by heart. 1.-THE
major sent Donovan with half the
escort back to the ella on an Apache
scare this morning. They will
return your way, empty
handed. Signal if they have passed.
Latham knows your code and we
laye a good glass. Send man to
Jeralvo's with orders for them to
DIN at once if they haven't come,
md flag or torch when they pass
,ou It's my belief they've gone
here" This was signed by Feeny,
md over and again had Wiz g been
as to what it all meant.
When the escort with the ana bulance
md paymaster went through before
he dawn Feeny bad reused him to