The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-04-11

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peering steadily southwark through the
black feldglasses.
"What do you see, Patterson {" he
hailed. Where is Wing? Any Of the
men coming back?'
ewing has gone On down the valley,
sir. Some of our fellows. two or three
only, were coming back, but they
didn't come fast enough to suit him.
TIE ambulance will be here in a minute
or two-it's just below IS down the
canyon now"
Indeed almost at the moment the
click of iron shod hoofs was heard. and
the detected mule team came into view
around a jutting point, the dingy yell
low ambulance joltin" after them. II
soldier in the drivers seat handling the
reins, the other riding behind and lead
ing his comrades horse.
Come up here to the mouth Of the
cave, Merrill" called the lieutenant.
"You can unhitch and unharness just
beyond, but I want that safe unloaded
and put in here"
1.-The safes gone, sir"
"What:"
1.-The safes gone, sir. We never got
it. That's what took Sergeant Wing
off down the valley, I reckon. l sup
posed you knew it, sir, and him, too.
but he didn't. Those Morales fellows
got away with it on burro back while
we were chasing the white wagon"
For a moment Drummond stood as
founded.
"Man alive!" be at last exclaimed,
why was 7 not told of this? Get me
a horse at once, Walsh" he ordered.
"I'll take Patterson's. You two re-
main here and see that that old scoun-
drel don t get loose-Moren there-and
that no harm befalls the ladies. III
ride down after Wing"
"Oh, Mr.. Drummond, you must not
think of going" exclaimed Miss Har-
vey. You're far too seriously hurt.
far too weak, to attempt such a thing.
Please lie down again. Surely Mr..
Wing Will do all that any man could
do to recover the safe. All the others
are in pursuit. They must have over
taken them by this time. Come; I am
doctor now that he is away. Obey me
and lie STILL"
Drummond's one available hand
found itself clasped by warm, slender
fingers. He would have drawn it away
and striven to carry out his design, but
a glance at his two troopers told him
that they plainly and earnestly advo-
Gated Miss Harvey's view Of the case.
He was in no condition to make the at
tempt. And at the moment, too, even
as he strove to release his hand, another
voice was heard, almost imploring:
"Oh, don't let him go. Fan. Don't
let him try to ride!"
And turning suddenly at the sound
Mr.. Drummond found Ruth Harvey
standing close behind her sister, her
eyes suffused, her cheeks blushing red.
It was the first time he had seen her to
speak to since they landed at the old
wharf at San Francisco a year gone by,
and for the moment he forgot the safe,
the funds, the crippled arm, the band
aged head and every other item that
should have occupied his thoughts.
why, Ruthie, is this you? How
you have grown"
And then the imprisoned hand was
released only to be transferred to the
clasp and keeping Of another. In her
fear that her knight, her soldier, would
leave them, and wounded though he
was insist on attempting to follow his
men in their pursuit, the shyness of
m%aidenhood was forgotten. Ruth had
seized and clasped the long, brown fin
gers. and Dru,n1nond forgot for the mo-
ment all thought of quitting her pres
ence for the field.
And then having-as she supposed
won her point, and having caught the
new light in his admiring eyes, it be-
came necessary to struggle for the re-
lease Of the hand she had so unhesitat-
ingly used to detain him. This might
have proved a difficult matter, Judging
from the expression in Drummond's
face, but for a sudden hail from Patter-
SON:
.'Can the lieutenant come up here a
moment? There's something going on
down there l can't understand.
Old Moreno, whose bonds could not
restrain his shifting, glittering eyes,
glanced quickly upward. Then, as he
caught a menacing lookin the sunburn-
ed face Of the Irish trooper Walsh, he
became as suddenly o5livicus to all
earthly matters beyond the pale Of his
OWL physical woes. And now it was
Ruth's hand that would retain its
clasp and Drummond's that was again
struggling for release. In q moment
the lieutenant stood under Patterson's
perch.
What did you see? What was it
like? How far away:'
''Six or seven miles, sir. The valley
is broad and open, and three Of our fell
lows were riding slowly back On the
west side, while Wing was galloping
as though to meet them, and when they