The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-04-18

the bandaged arm, and Ruth Harvey's
pretty face. two big tears trickling
down her cheeks, is looking up in his.
"You. zoo, will be i'll, Mr.. Drum
mond. Oh, why can't you go and lie
down and rest? What will we do if
both of you are down at once with
fever?"
She is younger by over two years
than her brave sister. Tall though she
has grown, Ruth is but a child, and
now in all her excitement and anxiety:
worn out with the long strain, she be-
gins to cry. She strives to hide it,
strives to control the weakness, and
failing in both strives to turn away.
All to no purpose. An arm IN a
sling is OF little avail at such a mo-
,nsnt. Whirling quickly about, Drum
mpnd brings his other into action. Be-
fore the weeping little maid is we'll
aware what is happening her waist is
encircled by the strong arm in the dark
blue sleeve, and how can she see that
she is drawn to his breast, since now
her face is buried in both her hands and
those hands in the flannel Of his hunt
ing shirt-just as high as his heart?
Small wonder is it that Corporal Cos
tigan, hurrying in at the mouth Of the
cave, stops short at sight Of this pic
turesque partie carree. Any other time
he would have sense enough to face
about and tiptoe whence he came, but
now there's no room left for sentiment.
Tableaux vivants are lovely in their
way, even in a cave lighted dimly by a
hurricane lamp, but sterner scenes are
on the curtain. Drummond's voice is
murmuring soothing, yes, caressing'
words to his sobbing captive. Drum
mond's bearded lips, unrebuked, are
actually pressing a kiss upon that child
ish brow when Costigan, with a prelim-
mary clearing of his throat that sounds
like a landslide and makes the rock
walls ring again, startles Ruth from
her blissful woe and brings Drummond
leaping to the mouth Of the cave.
Lieutenant, there's something COM
ing out over u trail"
"Thank God!" signs Wing, as he
raises his eyes to those of his fair nurse.
Thank God, for your sakes!"
Thank God, Ruthn cries Fanny,
extending one hand to her sister while
the other is unaccountably detained.
.'Thank God! it's father and the Stone
man party and Dr.. Gray"
And Ruth, throwing herself upon
her knees by her sisters side, buries
her head upon her shoulder and sobs
anew for very Joy.
And then comes sudden start. All
in an instant there rings, echoing down
the canyon, the sharp, spiteful crack Of
rifles. answered by shrieks of terror
from the ave where lie the Moreno
women and by other shots out along
the range. Three faces bianch with
sudden fear, though Wing looks instant
~ up to say:
"'They can't harm you, and our men
will be here in less than no time"
Out in TIE gorge men are springing
to their fee, and Selling their ready
arms; horses are snoring and stamp
ing, mules braying in wild terror. Two
of the ambulance mules, breaking loose
from their fastenings, come charging
down the r~esou1ding rock, nearly an
Initiating Moreno, who. bound and
helpless, praying and cursing by turns,
has rolled himself out Of his nook and
lies squarely in the way Of everything
and everybody. But above all the
clamor, the ring of carbine, the hiss
and spat Of lead aattening upon the
rocks, Drummond's voice is heard clear
and commanding, serene and confident.
every man to his post now. Re-
member your orders.
Gazing out into the canyon with di-
lated eyes, Ruth sees him nimbly clam
Der up the opposite side toward the
point where Walsh is kneeling behind
q rock-Walsh with his Irish mug ex-
panded in a grin of delight, the smoke
Just drifting from the muzzle Of his
carbine as he points with his left hand
somewhere out along the cliffs. She
sees her soldier boy, c%rouching low,
draw himself to Walsh's side, sees him
glancing eagerly over the rocks, then
signaling to some one On their own
side, pointing here and there along the
wooded slope beyond her vision; sees
him now, with fierce light in his eyes,
suddenly clutch Walsh's sleeve and nod
toward some invisible object to the
N~/o