Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-03-03
ume very pleasant people on the steam.

"Ch. very pleasant for you, Fan, but
what did they care for q chit of l4f
You had lovely times. of course"
so did You. Ruth, from the yerv
day Mr.. Drnmmoud helped yen to catch
your dolphin"
All! we were more than half wav to
San Francisco thcn." protested Miss
Ruth promptly. and nobody had
taken any notice Of me whatever up to
that minute"
well. Mr.. Drummond made I'M for
lost time from that on, laughed the
elder sister. Il never told of her, Ned
wasn't good but Ruth lost her
Young heart TO n cavalry cadet not
year out of the Point"
is it our Lieutenant Drummoud
who was with your" queried Wing.
"Oh. yes: why, to be sure. he is of
yonr regiment. He was going back to
testify before some court at the pre-
sidio. and-wasn't madame mean? p
she wouldn't allow him to call ON Ruth
at the school, even when promised to
play chaperon and insure strict pro-
priety and no flirting"
Ruth Harvey had. with quick move
ment upliitcd little Hand to silence
her sister. but the hand dropped.
startled. ana the color rushed to her
face 1T Wings next words:
Then you re almost sure to meet the
lieutenant tonight or tomorrow. Hes
been scouting the Santa Maria and tie
Christoba! and is due along here at this
very moment.
And now Miss Harvey had the field
TO herself, for the younger sister drew
back into the dark depths of the COW
cred wagon and spoke no more. In 10
minutes the team was rafting down
the eastward slope, and Sergeant Wing
turned with a sigh as at last even the
sound of hoof and wheel had died away.
Slowly he climbed the steep and
crooked trail to their aerie at the peak.
No sign of jackson yet, no message
RON the ranch, no signal fires ut Mo-
feno's or beyond.
Yet was he right in telling Harvey
with such precioas freight to push on
across that open plain when there was
even rumors of Apaches in the air? The
-,
faces. the pretty white teeth flashing III
the lantern light, the soft. silvery, girl
ish voices, the kindly, cordial handclasp
vouchsafed him by the elder as they
rolled away-thcse were things TO STIR
the heart of any man long exiled in this
desert land. Ii had been his custom
TO spend an hour in chat with his COM
Inf.1rs -1r-- IN, 60 hr -.
but wi:h Jackson still away and Pike
still plunged in glooIn-with, moreover.
new and stirring emotions 10 investi-
gate and aaalyze-Wing strolled off by
himself. passed around the rocky but
tress ut the point and came to tine broad
ledge overlooking the eastward way to
the distant range.
Here mass CT finder. dry baked bv
weeks exposure TO the burning SIM
shine, stood in n pyramid Of arewooa
ready 10 butts; in fame at fTst touch
OF the torch. Close z: hand were the
stacks Of reserve fuel. Never light
this until you know the Indians are
raidirg west of the Christobal." were
his orders. But well he knew that once
ignited II could be seen for many a
league. Here again he filed his faithful
pipe. ana moving safe distance away
lighted its charge and tossed the match
stump among the Jagged rocks below.
He saw the sparl. 20 sailing down
ward, rrwafted from its course by faint
est breath of air. Then he heard Pixies
growl or something like it and called
TO him TO ask if ne heard Jackson. No
answer. Sure that he had heard the
sru.f though inarticulate voice Of his
coInrade, he hailed again more loudly
than before, and Sill there came no re-
ply. Surprised. he stepped quickly
back around the rocky point TO where
the tents Icy under the sheltering cliff
, and came face to face with three dark,
shadowy forms, whose Inoccasined foot
steps gave no sound. whose masked and
blackened faces detied recognition,
whose cooked reviewers were thrust into
his very face before lariat settled over
. his shoulders, snapped into place; and
yelling for help when help WIS miles
, beyond range of his ringing voice Ser
geant Wing was jerised violently to
earth. dragged into a tent. strapped to 3
l cOl, CSltiS SGr-ti siiil tt-SH itit W iill.-
self An instant later the Picacho WIS
lighted up with lurid, unearthiy
glare; the huge column of sparks went
whirliry and kissing up on high, and
| far and near the great beacon was
warning all seers that the fierce Apache
WIS out il force and raiding the Yuma
road.
Away out across the desert its red
| glare chased the Concord wagon where
| in. all unconscious of the danger signal,
! the sisters were now chatting in low
tone.
Drive your best. had Harvey NUT.
tered to his Mexican jehu, as he leaned
out of the saddle to reach his car.
Not n word to alarm the girls" he
rantioned his companion. but be ready
for anything"
Far out beyond the swaying. bound.
ing vehicle; far out across the blistered
plain, the glare and CLEAN fell full
upon the brown adobe walls at Mo-
reno's. and glittering eyes and swarthy
faces peered through the westward