The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-02-21

reflective head. Il wish you hadn t
shut your eyes, he drawled at length
"I wouldn't, sir, if I 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 conversa-
ton, neither man noticed that the wood
en- shutter in the adobe wall close at
hand had been noiselessly opened from
within, just sn inch or two. Neither
knew, neither could see that behind it. in
the gathering darkness Of the short sum-
mer evening. shadowy form was
crouching.
Then you think we must stay here,
do you?" queried the paymaster.
''Think? l know it. Why, the range
ahead is alive with Apaches, and we
cant stand 'em off with only half a
dozen men. Your clerks no count,
major %
Old Plummer stood irresolute. His
clerk, consu1nptiye and broken down
relative, was at that moment lying
nerveless on rude bunk within the
ranch, bemoaning the fate that had i'm
PEELED him to seek Arizona in search Of
health. He was indeed of little
"'count, " as the paymaster well knew.
After moments painful thought the
words rose slowly to his lips:
well, perhaps you know best, SO
here we stay till tomorrow night, or at
least until they get back. /"
One could almost hear the whisper
in the deep recess of the retaining wall
-sibilant, gasping. Some one crouch
ing still farther back in the black
depths of the interior did hear.
sSanta Maria!"
But when moment later the propri-
etor of this roadside ranch, this arti-
fetal oasis in land of desolation,
strolled into the big bare room where
half a dozen troopers were doing or
gambling it was with an air of conf
Dental joviality that he whispered to
the corporal in charge:
''Our fren, the major, he rifuse me
sell you aguardiente-mescal. but wait
tonight. .
s:Oh,. .d-n it, Moreno, We'll be half
way to Stoneman by that tine, in
terrupted the trooper quite savagely.
"Who's to know where we got the
stuff? Well make 'em believe Dono-
vans squad brought it in from Ger
alvo's. Give me a drink now anyhow,
you internal grease1 I'm all burnt out
with such day as this. We've got to
start the moment they get back. and
there won't be any time then. .
Hush, caballero; they come not to-
night. You will rest here. y
''Why, how. in blazes do you know?'
"Softly!-I know not. l know
noting; yet, mira!-I know. They talk
long in the corral-the major and that
pig Of sergeant-for him snap my
finger. Look you!" And Moreno
gave flip indicative of combined de-
fance and disdain.
"Don't you count on his not finding
out, Moreno It's all easy enough so
far as the majors concerned, but that
blackguard Feeny's different, tell
you. He'd hear the gurgle of the
spigot if he were 10 miles across the
Gila, and be here to bust things before
you could serve out gill-d-n
him! He's been keen enough to put
that psalm singing Yankee on guard
over your liquor. How are you going
to get at it anyhow
For an answer the Mexican placed
the forefnger of his left hand upon his
lips and with that Of the right hand
pointed signifcantly>to the hard beaten
earthen floor.
"Ah, l have mine, y he whispered.
You will not betray, eh? Shut!
Hush! He comes now.
The gruff voice Of Sergeant Feeny
broke up the 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 men. You
should have been sleeping as | told
you, so as to be ready for work to-
night
s.shure we don't go tonight, ser
geant.
'.who says that?" demanded Feeny
quickly, whirling upon his subordi-
mates. The corporal looked embarrassed
and turned to Moreno for support.
Moreno, profoundly calm, was as pro-
foundly oblivious.
Moreno there, began Murphy,
finding himself compelled to speak.
"I?" gravely, courteously protested
the Mexican, with deprecatory shrug
of his shoulders and upward lift Of eye
brow. 'sI? What know I? do but
say the Corporal Donovan is not come.
How know you go not out tonight"
Neither you nor the likes of you
knows, was Feeny's stern retort.
eve go when we will and no questions
asked. As for you, Murphy, you be
ready, and it's me you'll ask, not any
outsider, when we go. I've had enough