Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-02-24

said ne holly, but I've no use for that
sort of credentials. Who can vouch
for his goiugs and comings hereabouts
before he joined us? think Mnrphy 8
right. and if l was stationed at Lowell
and belonged to his troop you bet Id
watch him close
Now, in all the command it would
have been a hard matter to find SOL
der in whose favor appearances were
so unanimously allied. Tall, erect.
sinewy and active, he rode or walked
with an easy grace that none could fail
to mark. His features were fine and
clear cut; his eyes a dark hazel. with
heavy curling lashes and bushy. low
arched brovs; his complexion, naturally
dark, was bronzed Ly sun and sand
storm to hue almost Mexican. He
shaved clean all but the heavy mus
tache that dropped over his firm lips,
and the sprinkling of gray about the
brows, temples and mustache was.
| most becoming to his peculiar st>-le.
One prominent mark had he which
the descriptive book OF his company
referred TO simply as 'ssaber scar on
right jaw" but it deserved mention
more extended, FOR the whitish streak
ran like y groove from just below the
ear Tip TO the angle OF the square, reso-
Lutte chin. 1t looked as though in some
desperate fray "a mad sweep had been
made with vengeful blade straight for
the jugular, and, just missing that,
had laid open the jaw for full four
, inches.
But" said Feeny, "what could he
have been doing, and lii what position
could he have been, sitting or standing,
to get sabcr stroke like that. Where
was his guard? A bowie knife, now
and there the suggestion ended.
But it was the SCARED side of Bland s
soldierly face that young Lieutenant
Drumuond was so closely studying as
they rode out into the starlit Arizona
night. He, too. had heard the camp
chat about this apparently frank, OPEN
hearted trooper. ;ind had found himself
more than once specializing as TO his
real past. not the pasu1of mis- magma
ton or of his easy otfhand description.
BY this time. in perfect silence save for
| the occasional clink of canteen, the
gurgle of imprisoned water, Or. once in
q while. the click OF ironshod hoof, the
troop was marching in sladow-y col
ur,n OF twos well ont beyond the falds
and over the almost dead level of the
plain. Far ahead the beacon still
blazed brightly and beckoned them on.
1t was time for precaution.
Sergeant, +" said Drumlnond, "send
a corporal and four men forward. Let
them spread ont across the front and
keep 300 or 400 yards ahead of us
Better take those with the freshest
horses, rs I want them TO scout thor
oughly ana to be on the alert for the
faintest sound. Any of our men who
know this valley WELL"
None better than Bland here, SIR
was the half hesitant reply.
| Well. l need Eland Just now.
Put some of the old hands and older
heads on. and don t let anything escape
their notice.
Beg pardon lieutenant, hut what's
to lie the line OF direction? When we
started 1t was understood that we wero
TO take the shortest cut for Ceralvos,
and now we're heading for the Pi-
cacho.''
mo, we make for the pass first +;
that's the quickest way 10 reach the
signal station, then we learn where TO
strike for the Indians. Did you ever
hear OK their being as far west as the
Maricopa range before:'
Never, sir, il the whole time we've
| fnnf, lta1.o ci,,.a q. =
Joined they've never been heard OF
crossing the Santa Maria valley"
What on earth could tempt them
out so fer? There's nothing to be
gained and every chance of being cut
of by troops from Grant and Bowie.
even If they do succeed in slipping by
u.s.
That's more than / can tell, sir.
The men soy the paymaster's coming
along this week; they heard it from the
quartermaster' train we passed at the
Cienega three days ago.
Trooper Bland WAS riding in silence
on the left of the detachment com
mander as he had been directed. The
sergeant had come up on the other
flank.
What men heard this?" asked
Druminond. quickly.
Why, Patterson told me, sir. and
Lucas and Quinn, and think Bland
here was talking with the train escort
and must have heard it,
Did You, Bland?' asked the lieu
tenant, as me wiiirled suddenly in his
saddle and faced the trooper.
Yes, SIR" was the prompt reply:
several of the men spoke of it. Ii S
about the most welcome piece of news
they could give iofellows who had four
months pay due
In the isolation of this mountain
scouting business. when. as often hap
pens, one officer is out alone for weeks
with NO comrades OF associates hut his
detachment. it naturally results that a
greater freedom Ct intercourse and
speech Is developed hetween the COM
mander and some. at least, Of his party
than would ever he the case III years
OF garrison life; and so it happened that
. -. II.