The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1894-03-15

narrow canyon the nrst oplecr To meeu
his gaze rs he arose was Moreno. reclin-
ing there bound and helpless. while al
hand soldier had thrown himself on
his saddle blanket and was sound asleep.
The plash of the waters in the brook.
dancing and tumbling down the chasm.
made sweet. browsing music for his
ears. lulling. soothing sound that ex-
planned perhaps the deep slunlber OF
his trooper friend.
II heard Mr.. Wing tell that man to
lie down and sleep, said Miss Harvey
as the young officers eyes seemed tc
darken with menace at the sight of a
sentry sleeping on guard. Moreno is
securely tied. and both Patterson up
there and here are now his keepers.
The sonora and her daughter are in the
other cave, forbidden to go near him
CHANGING up at the stunted cedar
where Patterson stood faithful to his
trust. Drummond saw that he was
peering steadily southwark through the
black fieldglasses.
What do you see. Patterson he
hailed. Where is Wing? Any of the
men coming back
Wing has gone on down the valley.
cir. Some OF our fellows. two or three
only, Were coming back, but they
didn t come fast enough to suit him.
The ambulance will be here in minute
or two-it's just below us down the
canyon now"
Indeed almost at the moment the
click of iron shod hoofs was heard. anG
the detected mule team came into view
around jutting point, the dingy vel.
low ambulance jolting after them. one
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 Jus,
beyond, but l want that safe unloadeC
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, reckon. sup
posed ypu 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 moment Drummond stood as
founded.
MAN alive!" he at last exclaimed
why was l not told of this? Get me
q horse at once, Walsh,' he ordered
"1'll take Patterson's. You two re-
main here and see that that old scoun.
drel don't get Moreno there-and
that no harm befalls the ladies' III
ride down after Wing"
''Oh, Mr.. Drummond, you must not
think of going" exclaimed Miss aar.
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; air
doctor now that he is away. Obey ms
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 rider
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
maidenhood was forgotten. Ruth had
seized and clasped the long. brown I'm
gers, and Drummond 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 difficult matter, Judging
from the expression in Drummond' e
face, but for a sudden hail from Patter-