The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-04-04
fogynaAL 1888 0HARl.E5 KING

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The head Of the column, moving at the
moment at a walk to rest the painting
horses, had just turned a rocky knoll
and was following the trail into q
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 a
gentle ascent and disappeared over q
spur 400 yards ahead. Here Lee had
suddenly flung himself from his horse,
thrown the reins to Patterson, and,
crouching behind bowlder. was gazing
eagerly to the front, while with hat in
hand he was signalling. "Slow; keep
down" Upwent Drummond's gaunt-
let in the well known cavalry signal
"Halt." Then, bidding Meinecke dis
mount the men and reset blankets and
saddles, the young officer gave Ches-
ter rein and was soon kneeling by the
side Of his trusty subordinate.
Lee said no word at all. simply point
ed ahead.
And here was 4 sight to make a sol
dier's pulses bound. Not q quarter
mile away the rocky, desolate gorge
which they had been following since
dawn opened out into a wide valley,
bounded at the west by q range Of rug
ged heights whose sides were beard
ed with a 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 horsemen
on flank and front and rear, dimly
seen through the hot dust cloud rising
in their wake, were the three wagons.
The foremost, with its white canvas top,
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. It was
what was left of the notorious Morales
gang, speeding with its plumber to some
refuge in the rocky range across the
farther valley.
Somewhere in the few evenings
Drummond had sperft in the garrisons
of Lowell, Bowie OF Stoneman he had
heard mention of a mysterious hiding
place in the Cababi mountains whittier,
when pressed by sherifffs' posses, Pas
quail Morales had been wont to flee with
his chosen followers and there bid de-
fance to pursuit. And now the young
soldier saw at a glance that the chase
was heading along a fairly well defined
track straight for a clark, frowning
gorge in the mountains some three or
four miles ahead Of them. If allowed
to gain that refuge, it might be possible
for Morales to successfully resist at
tack. With quick decision Drummond
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 we'll take the
gallop as soon as the troop comes up"
cts the only way, I believe, SIR"
answered Lee, his eyes hndling, his
lips quivering with pent up excitement.
"Most Of them will stampede, I reckon,
if we strike them in the open. But
once they get among the rocks we'd
have no chance at all"
Drummond merely nodded. Field
glasses in hand, he was closely study
ing the receding party. moving now at
leisurely gait as though 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, but 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
chanacter-the rescue of imperiled
beauty from marauding foe. Butnever
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 paymaster's
stolen funds were not to be considered.
jim Drummond hardly gave a 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.
BE would marshal his men behind the
low ridge on which he lay, form line,
then move forward at the lope. No
matter how noiseless might be the adj
vance, or how wearied or absorbed their
quarry, some one in the outlaw gang
would surely see them long before they
could come within close range. Then
he felt sure that q portion at least