The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-01-07
Every hour you halt

y
is clear gain to them. and hero you We
simply got to stay 81 hours all along
of u cock and bull story about some
stageload Of frightened women Is miles
back at ella Bend. It's plant. ma
jor; that's what believe"
Old Plummer kicked the toe of his
shoe into tho sandy soil and hung Il
reflective head. II wish you hadn't
shut your eyes, " he drawlcd mt length.
g wouldn't, sir, If hadn't thought
you'd keep yours open. You slept all
night, sir, you and Mr.. Dawes, while
| rode alongside with finger on trigger
every minute"
Absorbed in their gloomy convcrsa-
ton, neither man noticed that the wood
en- shutter in the adobe wall close ut
hand had been noisclcssly opened from
within, just an inch or two. Neither
knew, neither could see that behind it. in
the gathering darkness OF the short sum
MGR evening. ii shadowy form was
crouching.
Then YOU think wo must stay here,
do your quericd the paymastcr.
Think? know it, Why, the range
ahead is alive with Apachcs, and we
can't stand 'em oft with only half Il
dozen men. Your clerks no count.
major"
Old Plummer stood irresolute. His
clerk, a consumptivo and broken down
relative, WAS 1T that moment living
ncrvcless on rude bunk within the
ranch, bcmoaning the fate that had inn
PEELED him to seek Arizona in search of
Ia
count, as the paymastcr well knew.
After Il moments painful thought the
words rose slowly to his lips:
We'll, perhaps You know best, so
here we stay till tomorrow night, or at
least until they get back. -
Ono could almost hear the whisner
III the deep recess of the retaining wall
-sibilant, gasping. Some ono crouch
ing still further back in the black
depths Of the interior did hear.
Santa Marital"
But when Il moment later the propri
etor of this roadside ranch, this arti-
fetal oasis i'll Il land of desolation,
strolled into the big bare room where
half dozen troopers We're doing or
gambling it was with an air of conf
Dental joviality that he whispered TO
the corporal in charge:
Our tren, the major, he riffuse me
sell YOU mescal, but wait
tonight. "
"Oh, d-n it, Moreno, We'll be half
way to Stoneman by that time, ;" in
terrupted the trooper quite savagely
Who's 10 know where we got the
stuff: Wen make 'cm believe Dono-
vans squad brought it in from Ger
alvo's. Give me ii drink now anyhow,
you Internal greascr; I'm all burnt out
with such Il day as this. We've got to
start tho moment they get back, and
there won't be any time then
Hush, caballcro; they come not to-
night. You will rest here"
Why, how III blazcs do you know"
"Softly!-l know not. know
noting; yet, mira!-I know. They talk
long i'll the corral-thc major and that
pig of Il scrgeant-for him snap nv
finger. Look you!' And Moreno
gave Il flip indicative of combined de-
fiancc and disdain.
Don't You count on his not finding
ont, Moreno. It's all easy enough so
far as the majors concerned, but that
blackgnard l'"cny's different, tell
you. He'd hear the glryle Of the
spigot If lie We're 10 miles across the
ella, and be here To bust things before
yon could serve out gill-d-n
him. Hes been keen enough to nut
that psalm singing Yankee on guard
over Your liquor. How are you going
To get ut il aMVhow:'
For IN answer the Mexican placed
the forciingcr OF his left hand upon his
lips and with that OF the right hand
pointed significantly to the hard beaten,
rarthcn floor
IN. have IL mine, he whispered
You viii not bctray, ell: Shu-u!
Hush lie comes now
The gruii voice Of Sergeant Focny
broke mp Tie colloquy.
Corporal Murphy, take what men
you have here and groom at once. Feed
and water too. Moreno, | want sup
per cooked for eight in 80 minutes
Drop those cards now, you mon. You
should have been sleeping as told
You. so as to DO ready for work to-
night.
"shnro we don, go tonight, SER
gcant
"Who says that" demanded Feeny
quickly whirlims upon his subordi-
mates. The corporal looked embarrassed
and turned to Moreno for support
Moreno, profoundly calm. was as pro-
fonndlv ohlivions
Moreno there, began Murphy.
finding himself compelled to speak.
~ gravnly, cautiously protested
tho Mexican, with dcprccatory shrug
of his shoulders and upward lift of eye
brow. ~ What know /? do but