Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-27

to Chamber up the mountains at the back Of the
| fort and to stretch himself on the ledge OF
rock that commanded the valley from Eagle
Pass to the warm spring; and there he lay,
droning.
He didn't see the messengers ride into camp
and of course didn't hear the hustle they created
away down there in that little cluster OF aooDe
houses. But he did hear the bugle call and ne
reused to study the situation. He saw com
motion extending from the adjutant's Office
clear down 10 the stables and he knew that
trim dark figure standing alone by the 8uaro
house was 1.-THE old man" sometimes called the
| colonel
Whether it was simply exercise-one OF those
| freaks commission sometimes develops 10 ca'cn
the soldier napping-or whether raid In
earnest the slim warrior up there on tne iecge
could not determine. But he comforted him.
self with the reflection that "a good soidler
never does anything unless commanded, ana
| so composed himself again and watched the
movement. =,
There was a cluster Of men about the ord
Must be cartridges" said Buck Lewis,
pleasantly. "But that may be a part OF the
old mans play. I hate these mock affairs.
There thew 90 to the COMMUNICATING ra-
| tions. reckon. Well, they are making it look
like business, anyway. Don't know as ever
had the entire force Of the fort in review be-
fore Position has its advantages, too. Now,
| for instance. would rather lie here with my
chin in my hands and my elbows on cushion Of
moss and leaves than go sweating around that
bloody old fort or ride like Tam OShanter out
OF it."
HIS saw the swift forming of the line. knew
without hearing it that the men were"counting
fours," noted the trot through the government
gate and the gallop as soon as the valley was
reached. But win at caught his especial atten-
ton was the size of the command. Surely
every available man in the fort must be
81 Ir;I Iovr thara ~, he 1ar'd
dust-carbine in boot. saber at side and a hav-
ersack of crackers and dried beef on the sad
die.
peace be with you he said, softly, releas-
ing one of his hands and waiting a salute down
toward them.
He watched them turn into the Warm Spring
canyon, greeted the pillar OF dust that told
they had struck the plain beyond, then started
at sight of another pillar of dust just drifting
into Apache Pass.
1t was another party, and it was coming up
the valley.
''Indians-by the Lordl'' he calculated, and
sat upright as his trained eye told him some
marauding band had given 1.-THE old man.
slip, and was riding straight at the defenseless
fort. That was serious enough. But an instant
later he chilled with something very like fear
For, true a target shot. clear as bugle call,
came to his soul the assurance that this
1.-The Kid"
Not another Injun in Arizone would
dare" he began. and was on his feet be-
fore he knew it.
He looked down there in the fort and saw
the lieutenant's wife come tripping down her
veranda steps and hurry along the walk to
the captains house.
.'She doesn't know" said Buck Lewis. But
his speech was lost in impetuous action. Down
slopes so steep that coyotes could not climb
them, across stretches of rock and arid sand,
through chaparral that strove to hold him. till
he gained the boundary of the reservation.
The pillar of dust had advanced from Apache
Pass, had left the sheep ranch far to the right.
had marked trail across the hay land and had
stopped there just at the edge of the old
corral.
1T will take them ten minutes to loot the
cook house." said Buck Lewis, as he crept on
hands and knees to the cover Of the outer
buildings.
Hurried steps were coming toward him. He
had no arms. and he groaned as he realized the
sandy ground produced no missile stones. But
he ran to the edge of the building. determined
to pounce on the first savage who thrust his
uncoEbed head into view. The shadow
served notice. He bounded out, launched like
a catamount, and landed-on the sergeant of
the guard,
That sight angered him.
Are you fellows running away?" he de-
manded.
Its The Kid and his band" gasped SOL
der, tossing one fragment of frightened look
over his shoulder, then diving into the sage
brush again.
do you know the women are down there
alone?" he pursued He was growing percepti-
bly calmer In the added demand for fighting
men his spirits lifted and he trod on the bor
ders of gayety. I'm going in there to take
care of them. If you fellers are white, you'll"
But his words were lost in the sultry air, and
he went on alone.
'Gay young people" he muttered. "and the
government pays them S13 month"; That
reminded him of the barrack room ballad, and
he tried his voice, finding it good:
Yes. 1 think You'd make a soldier;
Yes, / think you'd make a soldier
In the year Of jubilee!"
and it brought back his spirit Of daring.
As he passed the open space between the bar
racks and the orderly room smoke pushed
through the roof Of the cook house. and he
at the post surgeons quarters told they had
crossed the parade ground and were on a tour
Of plumber.
He struck into an area at the side of the cap
tain's house. hammered on door and informed
all auditors that he knew a bank-he knew a bank
he knew a bank whereon the wild thyme
grew.
The women were there in an inner room, and
they blessed every hair of his sunny head as he
strobe through the hall with laugh in his eye
and word of good cheer and hope.
He fingered the arms that hung in the hall.
There gun that he ioyed to handle. with a
magazine full and every rivet shining. There was
a sword that was fit for a king. and he buckled
it on him. announcing in a steady tone and au
dible:
1T is a swork of Spain. the icebrook's tenn
per" then swung wide the front door and strobe
out on the porch.
They saw him. They were clustered-more
than a dozen strong-or the surgeons veranda,
watching the fire on his sitting room floor and
fearing the curtains and books would not burn.
They saw him and charged. Two went down.
but the rest came on. They knew the strength
of the foit, and they had seen it go galloping
away.
Fire seen rising from the roof of the cook
house. red fame showing in the surgeons
windows. and chatte=ing frantic band of
Apahes upon him.
How he fought there alone against them,
how he guarded that door and the women be-
hind it, how he laughed when his gun was
empty and nothing but steel was between him
and them, what magic hedged him about and
turned their bullets away-all these are the
wonders of the Rio Verde even unto this day.
The sergeant of the guard didn't know-poor.
shamed, recovered hero. Through the tears
OF his rage. as he rounded the house. he could
only see Buck Lewis, alone and in need of
succor: could only rush like demon ut the
head of his men; couId only follow with oaths
that beaten band as it fed to tn. hay corral for
its horses-fed into the OF the furions
captain, who had dashed US lighter men across
the valley straight at that double column of
flame.