The times., 1894-08-03


him appealingly.
Senior Teniente, pray you loose
me and let me help. The Apache is
our common enemy" he pleads.
An idea comes to Drummond. Wings
carbine can be utilized. He can post
Moreno down the gorge at the second
bend to command that approach and
put little MoGuffy, the recruit, at the
next bend to command Moreno and
send bullet through him If he shirk or
swerve.
II declare believe I will, you old
scoundrel, he says. Here, McGuffy,
unite this fellow. I've got to look
around minute"
Into the depth of the fissure where
Moreno's women are praying and rock
ing he peers moment. One of the
wounded bandits is now past praying
for. The other, painfully shot but
plucky, begs to be given a chance to
fight for his life.
"You are too badly hurt now. We
couldn't get you up there, is the an
swer.
well, then, put me on with Moreno,
wherever you're going to assign him.
Surely if you can trust a greaser you
can a white man. I'm only fit to
hang perhaps, but d-n me if / want to
lie here when there's an Indian fight
going on"
And so he, too, is loosed and lifted
to his feet. Leaning on McGuffy's
shoulder and supported by his arm, the
pale faced stranger, preceded by Mo-
reno, who goes limping and swearing
soto voce down the rocky way, is led
100 yards along the canyon where it
makes a second bend. Here they can
see nearly 150yards more ahead of them,
and here some loose powders are hur-
riedly showed or rolled to form rifle
pit, and these volunteer allies are placed
in position.
1--WE cover the approaches above so
that they can't sneak up and heave
rocks down upon you. All you've got
to do now is to plug every Apache that
shows his nose around that bend be-
low," says Drummond. 'McGuffy,
you take post at the point behind.
Watch the overhanging cliffs and sup
port as best you can" And Little
Mack" as the men call him, gets fur
ther instructions as he takes his posi-
tion, instructions which would give
small comfort to Moreno could he only
hear them. Then back goes the lieu
tenant to where Wing is lying, Miss
Harvey bending anxiously over him,
her beautiful eyes filling with tears at
sight of Drummond's brave but hag-
gard young face. Ruth is crouching
by her sisters side, but rises quickly as
Drummond enters, her fears lessening,
her hopes gaining.
"Any news? Anything in sight-of
ours?' is Miss Harvey's eager query.
"Not yet, but they're bound to be
along almost any minute now. Some
Apaches whom 1 could see coming
across from the east have wounded
man with them. 1t makes me hope our
fellows have met and fought them and
are following close on their trail.
How's Wing?"
She can only shake her head.
iLO ONNlhO tNClv hON anu
then, perhaps only because Of so much
mental excitement and suffering. He
is doing now."
Gallant fellow! What would we
have done without him? / only wish
we had more like him. Think how all
my detachment has become scattered.
If we had them here now, l could push
o,,1 I,;x- 1,o I-,1,p,, 4x, 1,o
and far beyond all possibility of annoy
ing you with their racket. OF course
you are safe from their missiles down
here"
eyes, we are, but you and your sol
diers, Mr.. Drummondl Every shot
made me fear you were HIT" cries
poor little Ruth, her eyes filling, her
lips quivering. Then, just as Durm-
mond is holding forth hand, perhaps
it is an arm, too, she points up to the
rock above where Walsh is evidently
exercised about something. He has
dropped his gun, picked up the glasses
and is gazing down the range to the
south.
Perhaps he sees some of our fellows
coming Tor good this time. -Four OF
them tried it awhile ago, but were prob
ably attacked some miles below here
and fell back on the main body. They'll
be along before a great while, and
won't it be glorious if they bring back
the safe and all?" He says this by
way of keeping up their spirits, then,
once more wearily, but full of pluck
and purpose, he climbs the rugged path
and creeps to Walsh's side.
"Is it any of our men you seer" he
whispers.
"Divil wan, sir! It's more of thin
internal Apaches.
Drummond takes the glass and stud
les the dim and distant group with the
utmost care. Apaches beyond doubt.
a dozen, and coming this way, and
these, too, have couple of horses. Can
they have overpowered his men, am
bushed and murdered them, then Sc
cured their mounts? Is the whole CHR
icahua tribe, re-enforced by swarm
from the Sierra Blanca. concentrating
on him now? The silence about him is
ominous. Not an Indian has shown him
self along the range for half an hour,
and now these fellows to the cast are