The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-07-13

mann uclo ttAlt occ Liub tiiat olu nSOuu-
drel don get loose Moreno there--and
that no harm befalls the ladies. III
ride down after Wing.
"Oh, Mr.. Drummond, you must not
think of going, exclaimed Miss Har-
vey. You're far too seriously hurt,
far too weak, to attempt such thing.
Please lie down again. Surely Mr..
Wing will do all that any man could
do to recover the safe. All the others
are in pursuit. They must have over
taken them by this time. Come; am
doctor now that he is away. Obey me
and lie still"
Drummond's one available hand
found itself clasped by warm, slender
fingers. He would have drawn it away
and striven to carry out his design, but
glance at his two troopers told him
that they plainly and earnestly advo-
Gated Miss Harvey's view of the case.
He was in no condition to make the at
tempt. And at the moment, too, even
as he strove to release his hand, another
voice was heard, almost imploring:
"Oh, don't let him go, Fan. Don't
let him try to ride!"
And turning suddenly at the sound
Mr.. Drummond found Ruth Harvey
standing close behind her sister, her
eyes suffused, her cheeks blushing red.
1t was the first time he had seen her to
speak to since they landed at the old
wharf at San Francisco year gone by,
and for the moment he forgot the safe,
the funds, the crippled arm, the band
aged head and every other item that
should have occupied his thoughts.
why, Ruthie, is this you? How
you have grown!"
And then the imprisoned hand was
released only to be transferred to the
clasp and keeping of another. In her
fear that her knight her soldier, would
leave them, and wounded though he
was insist on attempting to follow his
men in their pursuit, the shyness of
maidenhood was forgotten. Ruth had
seized and clasped the long, brown fin
gers, and Drummond forgot for the mo-
ment all thought of quitting her pres
ence for the field.
And then having-as she supposed
won her point, and having caught the
new light in his admiring eyes, it be.
came necessary to struggle for the re-
lease of the hand she had so unhesitat-
ingly used to detain him. This might
have proved difficult matter, Judging
from the expression in Drummond' S
face, but for sudden hail from Patter-
son:
Can the lieutenant come up here a
moment? There's something going on
down there i can't understand.
Old Moreno, whose bonds could not
restrain his shifting, glittering eyes,
glanced quickly upward. Then, as he
caught menacing look in the sunburn.
ed face of the Irish trooper Walsh, he
became as suddenly oblivious to al
earthly matters beyond the pale of his
own physical woes. And now it was
Ruths hand that would retain its
clasp and Drummond's that was again
struggling for release. In moment
| the lieutenant stood under Patterson
perch.
"What did you see? What was il
like? How far away"
"Six or seven miles, sir. The valley
is broad and open, and three of our fel
lows were riding slowly back on The
west side, while Wing was gallopine
as though to meet them. and when they
weren't more than mile apart Wings
horse went down-looks no bigger thar
a black speclz-and tho other three
sheered off away from the rocks OF
this side and seemed 10 be scattering
apart.
The words were low spoken so rs t.
reach only his ear. Now it was nj
easy scramble for man in Drummond' I
condition to make, but it took him only
little time to Chamber to Patterson ::
side.
"There's something back of all this
and you know it, Patterson. Wha
Apache sign have you SEEM"
"Smoke, sir, on both sides. But We
agreed, the sergeant and /, that thu
young ladies mustn't be alarmed MOI
you aroused. Then he rode away tt
hurry in any of our fellows who were
in sight and warn them to keep out
from the rocks. What I'm afraid of j.
that they've been ambushed, or ut leas
that the Indians have ambushed him.
His horse is down, and those others yor
see are away out on the plain now
They're working around toward the
horse as though he were lying behind
it, and they appear to be firing mount
ed"
What was Drummond to dor Tt
leave his charges here, unprotected, was
out of the question. Fail to go OF
send to Wings relief he could not
Decide he must and decide quickly.
Patterson, that party of Apache'
can't be over dozen strong. or they
would have rushed out of their cover
by this time, yet they are too strong ant
too securely posted to be driven by
that little squad, especially if Wing il
wounded. / can't shoot now, but
can ride and direct. Every man who
can shoot may be needed here. Yor
have four now and can stand off Al
Apaches-Tonto or Chiricahua-ir
such position as this, so / leave yor
in charge. You have everything K