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

J y&
The taller horsenons held out has hand.
aotieh Wi1eg shook eotth cordial fervor.
off detachment toward the Gila this
morning, and sent one of my two men
back to Ceralvo's to inquire. You
must have met him. y
s.No, we made circuit-came by
the old trail around the head of the
slough. We haven't passed anybody,
have we. Tony?'' ne asked of the 81
lent horseman by his side.
None, senior: but there were many
hoof trails leading to Ceralvos, was
the answer, in the Spanish tongue.
ssThen you'll need water here, Mr..
Harvey. It's a 10 mile pull across to
Moreno's, said Wing, as the four mule
team came laboring up to the spot and
willingly halted, the lantern at the for
ward axle slowly settling into inertia
from its pendulumlike swing.
where are we, Ned ?'' hailed
blithe young voice. Sweet and silvery
it sounded to the troopers un::ccus-
toned ears. Surely not at Moreno's
yet?''
mot yet, paquita mia. Is Ruth
awake? Tell her to poke that curly
pate of hers out Of the door. / want
you to know Mr.. Wing. Sergeant Wing,
who has charge of the signal station
here.
Almost instantly slender hand, hold
ing little brass hurricane lantern, ap-
peared at the Opening, followed by
sweet, smiling face, while just behind
it peered another, only tride older and
more serious, yet every whit as pretty.
Wing raised his old felt hat and mentally
cursed the luck that had sent him down
there in his ragged shirt sleeves. Pike,
the cynic. busted himself in getting
the buckets from underneath the stout
spring wagon, and bumped his head
sayagely against the trunk laden boot as
he emerged.
Il never dreamed OF seeing ladies
tonight, y laughed the sergeant. cts
the rarest sight in all the world here,
but l remember you well when you
came to Yuma last year. That was
when you were going to school at San
Francisco. / believe. y
That was when 1 was In short
dresses and a long face, sergeant, y
merrily answered the younger girl. 81
hated the idea of going there to school.
Fan, here. was willing enough, but l
had never know anything but Arizona
and Mexico All could think of was
that was leaving home.
"She was soon reconciled, Mr..
Wing" said Miss Harvey; there were
some very pleasant people on the steam
err
.'Oh, very pleasant for you, Fan, but
what did they care for Il chit of ID:
You had lovely times, of course. .
80 did you, Ruth, from the very
day Nh. Drummond helped you to catch
your dolphin
..Ah! we were more than half way to
San Francisco then,' protested Miss
Ruth promptly, land nobody had
taken any notice of me whatever up to
that minute.
well, Mr.. Drummond made up for
lost time from that on, laughed the
elder sister. II never told Of her, Ned
wasn't good:-but Ruth lost her
young hear: to a cavalry cadet not a
year cut of the Point.
lis it our Lieutenant Drummond
who was with you?" queried Wing.
ooh, yes: why, to be sure, he is of
your regiment. He was going back to
testify before some court at the pre-
sidio, and-wasn't madame mean?-
she wouldn't t allow him to call on Ruth
at the school, even when l promised to
play chaperon and insure strict pro-
priety and no flirting
Ruth Harvey had, with quick move
ment, upl;fted little hand to silence
her sister. but the hand dropped,
startled, and the color rushed to her
face at Wings next words:
Then you're almost sure to meet the
lieutenant tonight or tomorrow. He's
been scouting the Santa Maria and the
Christobal and is due along here at this
very moment.
And now Miss Harvey had the field
to herself, for the younger sister drew
back into the dark depths of the Gov
cred wagon and spoke no more. In 10
minutes the team was rafting down
the eastward slope, and Sergeant Wing
4,,,-,,o; .,,;+), q sip1, as at last even the