Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-03-31

To avert this he gave orders to be Iass-
cd back along the column to fire no shot
until they had closed with the band.
and then to be most careful to aim wide
'Of the wagons. Every man in the little
troop well knew how much was at
stake, and men, all mercy to their
beasts at other times, were now PLYING
the cruel spur.
Five, O'Clock had come and gone.
The chase was still ont of sight ahead.
yet every moment seemed to bring them
closer upon their heels. At every bend
of the tortuous trail the leaders eye
was strained to see the dust cloud ris-
ing ahead. But iutting point and roll
ing shoulder of bluff or hillside ever in
terposed. Drummond had just glanced
at his watch for perhaps the twentieth
time since daybTeak and was replacing
it in his pocket when an exclamation
from Sergeant Meineeke startled him.
Look at Lee.''
The head of the column, moving at the
moment at walk 10 rest the pointing
horses, had just turned d rocky knoll
and was following the trail into
broader reach OF the canyon. which now
seemed opening out to the west. In
stead of keeping in the bottom as here
tofore, the wagon track now followed n
gentle ascent aud disappeared over n
spur 400 yards ahead. Hero Leo had
suddenly flung himself from his horse.
thrown tho reins TO Patterson. and,
crouching behind a bowlder. was gazing
eagerly TO the front, whilo with hat III
hand he was signalling. SLOW: keep
down" Up went Drummond's gaunt-
let in the well known cavalry signal
Halt" Then, biddin. Meinccke dis
mount the men and rest blankets and
saddles, the young officer gave Ches-
ter rein aud was soon llnesliug by the
side Of his trrlsty subordilS5e.
Lee said no word at ali, simply point
ed ahead
And here was a sight to mako a sol
dier's pulses bound. Not quarter
milo away the rocky, desolate gorge
which they had been following since
dawn opened out into wide valley,
bounded at the west by range Of rug
ged heights whose sides were beard
ed with dark growth of stunted pine
or cedar. On each side Of their path a
tall, PERCEPTIONS rock stood sentry over
the entrance and framed the view of
the valley beyond. For full a mile
ahead the trail swept straight away.
descending gently TO the valley level,
and there, just pushing forth upon the
wide expanse. with dots of horsenen
on flank and front and rear. dirly
seen through the hot dust cloud rising
in their wake. were the three wagons.
The foremost, with its white canvas ton.
was undoubtedly The new Concord; the
second, a dingy mustard yellow, the
battered old ambulance of the paymas-
ter; the third and last. with no cover
at all, Moreno's blackboard. 1t was
what was left Of the notorious Morales
gang, speeding with It's plundcr to some
refuge in the rocky range across the
farther valley.
Somewhere in the few evenings
/. Drummond had spent in the garrisons
of Lowell, Bowie CT Stonoman he haG
. heard mention Of = mysterious hiding
place IN the CaEabi mountains whittier,
when pressed by sherifs' posses, Pas
quail Morales had been wont to fee with
his chosen followers and there bid de-
fiance to pursuit. And now the Young
soldier saw at a glance that the chase
was heading along fairly well defined
track straight Cor dark. frowning
gorge in the mountains some three or
four miles ahead of them. IL allowed
| to gam that refuge. it might be possible
/ for Morales TO successfully resist at
| tack. With quick decision Drumnond
turned to the men still seated in sad
die.
"Dismount where you are. you two
( Reset all four saddles. We mount
again here, sergeant, and wei take the
Gallop as soon as the troop comes up.
Its The only way, believe. sir, -
answered Lee, his eyes kindling, his
lips quivering with pent up excitement.
Most of them will stampede. l reckon.
Ii we strike them il the open. But
once they get among the rocks We d
| have no chance at all
DruInmCnd merely nodded. Field
! glasses in hand, he was closely study
! IN; the receding party. moving now at
Z 'N-SNiSly Saib as InOugn assured OF
safety. His heart was beating hard: his
blood was bounding in his veins. He
/ had had some lively brushes with the
! Indian foe, bat no such scrimmage as
this promised TO be. Never once had
there been at stake anything to COM
: pare with what lay here before his eyes.
! Sometimes in boyish day dreams he had
pictured to himself adventures Of this
4 characteristic rescue of imperiled
beauty from marauding foe. But never
had he thought it possible that it would
be his fortune TO stand first in the field,
! riding to the rescue Of the fair daugh-
tiers of one Of the Oldest and most re-
! spected citizens of the territory. In
: view OF their peril the paynaster' S
! stolen funds were not to be considered.
Jim Drummond hardly gave single
thought to the recapture of the safe.
So far as he could judge the forces
were about equally matched. Some
saddle horses led along after the wagons
seemed TO Indicate that their usual rid
ers Were perhaps with others of the
band, resting in the wagons themselves.
Surprise now was out of the question.
Z 10 I