The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-03-07

en-, 1sbegln to believe II 8 DOth.
And now with gloomy face the ser
geant returned tor where he had left
Major Plummer watching the westward
trail. A brief word at the doorway as
sured him the clerk Wa still alert and
ready. A pause under the open window,
high above the ground, Of the room
where slept Moreno's wife and daugh-
ter, if they slept at all, told him that
all was silence there, if not slumber,
and then he joined lis superior.
That fellow was of the right sort,
sergeant, - said Plummer. II wish we
had one or two like him.
II wish we had, sir. Those greas-
ers are worse than no guards at ali.
They II sit there in the corral and smoke
papelitos by the hour and brag about
how they fought their way through the
Apaches with Harvey's mules, but for
our purpose they worse than useless.
At the first sign Of an attack they'd be
stamp ling out into the darkness. and
that :; no last we'd see of them. Heard
anything further out this way, sir:'
''Why. confound it, yes. I try to
convince myself it's only imagination,
but two or three times, far out there
toward the Picacho, I've heard that
whip cracking. I have felt sure there
was a ham1nering sound, as though
some one were pounding on wagon
tire. Once I was sure I heard horse
snort That was in measure expect
ing. If those fellows mean to attack,
they'll come mounted, of course, but
what wagon would they have?''
"Cne Of Ceralvo' sperhaps, to cart off
the safe in, if they couldn't burst into
it. here
''Therel Hark now, sergeant! Didn't
you hear?" suddenly spoke the major,
throwing up 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 in that black ex-
panse of desert, plainly and distinctly,
there rose the measured sound Of iron
or stone beating on iron. Whether it
were tire Or linchpin, hame or brake,
something ;netallic about wagon or
blackboard was being pounded into
place or shape.
cts them, sir, muttered the ger
geant Its that bloody gang, for
there's 10 stage due tonight, and if it
was Harvey's ambulance, recaptured.
tits 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:''
mot likely, sir. Shure, there'd be
squad Of the troops and half dozen
old hands with 'em if it was Harvey's.
This has come from the pass, and it
won't be long before they'll be coming
ahead. You'll need your carbine then.
D-n that man Mullan! Can't I 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, It's loaded. sir.
and here's more cartridges. .
Then again both men listened in
tently.
No sound now. The halnmering had
ceased. One. two minutes they wait
ed, then nearer at hand than before,
clear, sharp and distinct, out from the
darkness came the unmistakable crack
of a whip. At the sound Feeny knelt.
Click, click! went the hammer of his
carbine to full cock Another moment
of breathless silence. Then the muffled
sound of hoofs, the creak of wagon
springs, then voice:
1T can't be far away. Ride ahead
and see if you can't rout somebody
out. -
And then Feeny's challenge again
rars out on the still night air, followed
instantly by mufied sound of stir and
excitement in the ranch behind them.
WHO comes there::''
Hello! What's that? Who's that?
Is that Moreno?''
"who comes there, Isay? 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 Harvey's daughters of Tue
son. I'm his son. -
.'God be praised!!'' shouted Feeny,
springing to his feet and rushing for
ward. Are they all safe-unharmed? ?
Where did you overtake them:'
sOvertake whom: What in blazes
are you talking about::" queried tall,
slender fellow, bending down from MS
saddle. WHO are you:
Sergeant Feeny Of the cavalry, and
here's the major just back OF me-
Major who?''
Major Plummer-him you was talk
ing with this morning when you came
for help answered Feeny, his voice
tremulous with excitement. Already
he was beginning to see light.