The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-01-17

and then he joined his superior.
THAT fellow was of the right sort,
sergeant" said Plummer. II wish we
had one or two like him."
Il wish we had, sir. Those greas-
ers arc worse than no guards ut all.
They IL sit there in the corral and smoke
papelitos by the hour and brag about
how they fought their way through the
Apachcs with Harvcy's mules, hut for
our purpose they re worse than useless.
At the first sign of an attack they d be
stampcdng out into the darkness. and
that's the last we'd sec of them. Heard
anything further out this way, sir?"
why. confound it, yes. l try to
convince myself it's only imagination,
but two or three times, far out there
toward the Picacho, Two heard that
whip cracking. have felt sure there
was hammering sound, rs though
some ono were pounding on wagon
tire. Once | was sure i heard horse
snort. That was i'll measure expect
ing. If those fellows mean to attack,
they'll como mounted, of course but
what wagon would they have:"
"One of Ccralvo S perhaps, to cart off
the safe in, if they couldn't burst into
it here.
"Thercl Hark now, sergeant! Didn't
you hear?" suddenly spoke the major,
throwing mp IL warning hand.
Both men held their breath. listening
intently. For moment nothing but
the beating of their own hearts served
to give the faintest sound. Then out to
the west, under the starlit vault Of the
heavens, somewhere i'll that black eX-
pansc of desert, plainly and distinctly,
there rose tho measured sound of iron
or stone beating on iron. Whether it
were tire or linchpin, hanH or brake,
something metallic about wagon or
blackboard was being pounded into
place or shape.
Its them, SIR" muttercd the SER
geant. Its that bloody gang, for
there's no stage due tonight, and if it
was Harvey's ambulance, recaptured,
it's from the northeast it would be com
ing.
"Mightn't they have missed the trail
in the darkness and having no ranch
lights to guide them got lost somewhere
out there"
Not likely, sir. Shure, there'd be
squad of the troops AMI half dozen
old hands with 'em if it was Harvey's. ,
This has come from the pass, and it,
won't he long before they'll be coming
ahead. You II need your carbine then.
D-n that man Mullan, Can't | wake,
him YETI"
Apparently not Even the well di-
rected KICK only evoked groan. TAX
ing couple of carbines, Feeny returned
to the major, silently handing him one
OF the weapons, saying" S loaded, sir,
and here's more cartridges y
Then again both men listened i'll
tcntly.
No sound now. The hammcrins had
ceased. One, two minutes they wait
cd, then nearer ut hand than before,
clear, sharp and distinct, out from the
darkness came the unmistakable crack
of whip. At the sound Fceny knclt.
Click, click! went the hammer of his
carbine to full cock. Another moment
of breathless silence. Then the muifled
sound of hoofs, the creai of wagon
springs, then Il voice:
:" 1t can't he far away Ride ahead
and see if you can't rout somebody
out
And then Feeny's challenge again
rang out on the still night air, followed
instantly by mufilcd sound of stir and
excitement i'll the ranch behind them.
WHO comes therc:''
Hello! What's that? Who's that?
Is that Moreno?"
WHO comes there, say? Halt! or
I'll fire."
For Gods sake, don't fire. man.
We've got ladies' here
What ladies? Who are you any
how: Quick"
George Harvcy's daughters of Tue
SON. I'm his son.
God be praiscd!'' shouted Fccny,
springing to his feet ana rushing for
ward. Arc they all safe unframed?
Where did you ovcrtakc thcm:''
"Ovortalc whom? What in blazes
are You talking ahout:' qucricd IL tall,
slender fellow, bending down from his
saddle. WHO arc YOU -
Sergeant Fccny OF the cavalry, and
here's the major Just back of me- "
Major who:'
Major Plummcr-him you was talk
ing with this morning when you camo
for help, answered Fccny, his voice
trcmnlons with excitement. Already
he was beginning TO see light.
why, I've never seen Major Plum
mer nor any other major today. The
only troops | net We're Sergeant Wing
and his guard at the pass Just after
nightfall Have You met the Apachcs?
You saw the signal of course.
Signal, yes, but devil an Apache.
Tell nc nov, wasn't it you was here
at Alorcno's this morning begging for
troops to go and fetch Your ladies' down