The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-08-05

the veranda or rocking in her big chair.
and the officers of the day, returning
from a tour of the sentry posts, was
Standing on the walk and saying some
Teassuring words when the post COM
snander and his party came along.
81 feel dreadful nervous about that
boy, major" said she. "Of course, it
was all very brave CT him to take such
a risk for Mrs. Downey's sake, but
when Indians have dared to come with
dn a mile of US what's to prevent their
being all along that westward road
now? Souldn't you have sent a few
men?'
Gould, perhaps" said the major, with
an air that betrayed just a little how
much he resented it that any Of the
ladies should question his judgment,
shut there are two reasons why 1 didn't
more than two, in fact. In the first
place. the boy had just come safely in
over the road, and that shows that it is
probably safe for tonight at least. Even
Apaches have to sleep, sometimes you
know. In the second place Captain
Foster has driven ahead of him any In
dams that might have been out here
TO the north-if, indeed, those Mexicans
weren't shooting at spooks We have
aonly their word for it, you know, that
Fehere were any Tontos at all.
They ran off two mules" interposed
AIRS. Foster, impetuously.
"Wait a moment The Mexicans say
they did. but I've known these greasers
ITO lie like Ananias already, and we've
\ yknly been here a few weeks Even if
they had had two mules and a boy,
what was to prevent the mules stamp
eding into the hills on their own ac-
count and hiding in some ravine to the
west of the road, as their owners did to
the east?"
But Captain Foster wouldn't chase
> spooks all night" said the lady, rocking
rapidly and eXcitedly now She was
full Of conviction that the Apaches were
elI around them, and there was no com
Sfrt in being argued out Of the idea
Captain Foster" replied the ma
8 5or~. knows as we'll as we do from Off
Gil reports that the Indians have raid
ed the mines and the Prescott road, and
he is gone now, like the good soldier he
S." added he, systematically, ito warn
or rescue these other parties, if they
really exist, and stir up the Indians if
they get in his way South of that cur
tain of mountains" ne continued, point
ing to the black mass of the Socorro
"a ID behind your husbands skirmish
iiiIe we are free from danger. West of
this post which guards the descent to
the Sandy valley, no Indian is going to
be fool enough to venture unless hes
doubly Tonic, which, I'm told, means
mad. Now my advice to the wife of
my good friend, Captain Foster is that
she go to bed and sleep. That's what 1,
mean to do
''But, major" persisted Mrs. Foster,
suppose Lear Should be cut off-by
anybody. He told me you said his Mex
acan uncle was again here trying to get
! him. Suppose he shouldn't reach the
old post by o'clock or later, how would
you know
NJ All, thought of all that. told him
to start fire under what's left Of that
oN1 stack of condemned hay the moment
IN got in. The sentries out here on
Bhree and Four have already received
ORDERS to watch for fire at the old
past If they don't see it by $3.50 at the
LATEST we'll start a party in search.
Bot that fire'll be there all right. Good
night, Mrs. Foster-now don't worry
But Mrs. Foster did worry. She, wor-
ried about Lecn-eXposed, as she be-
IeVed, to danger from two sources She
worried about her husband, even
though her native common sense told
her that it was not likely so strong a
command as his company would meet
with LApaches that night. IF Apaclhes
<stre in the neighboThOod, they would
De apt TO Keep well out of the way
She worried so that even by 2 o'clock
when she retired to her own room she
could not sleep.
But she worried even less than her
friend, the major who found himself
too uneasy to lie down at ALL Bidding
good night to the three officers, he had
gone to his quarters, and as he took a
final look out over the silent and shad-
owy prairie, thanked goodness Mrs.
Thornton and the children were safe in
the east. Not that they would have
been IN any particular danger at Retri-
button. but because they'd be in the
way just now, and when women and
children will AK questions that are
hard to answer, especially of a post
, commander "Confound the Apaches