The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1894-01-18
CONTINUED.

''Yes, SIR was the prompt reply;
several of the men spoke of it. It's
about the most welcome piece of news
they could give to fellows who had four
months pay DUE -
In the isolation of this mountain
scouting business, when, as often hap
pens, one officer is out alone for weeks
with no comrades or associates but his
detachment, it naturally results that
greater freedom Of intercourse and
speech is developed between the COM
mander and some, at least, of his party
than would ever be the case in years
of garrison life; and so it happened that
for the moment Drummond forgot the
commander in the man.
1T is most extraordinary, he said,
"that just when a paymaster is anxious
to keep secret the date and route of his
coming the whole thing is heralded
ahead. We haye.Ro telegraph, and, vet.
three days ago we knew that Major
Plummer was starting on his first trip.
He ought to have been at Ceralvo's
last night. BY Jupiterl suppose he was
and had but a small escortl What
else could that signal fire mean? Here!
get those men out to the front now at
once; we must push ahead for all we're
worth.'
And so at midnight, with steeds
painting and jaded, with the pass and
the Picacho only four miles ahead, the
little detachment was tripping noise
lessly through the darkness, and, all
alert and eager, Drummond was riding
midway between his scouts and the man
body so that no sound close at hand
might distract his attention from halls
or signals farther out. Suddenly he
heard an exclamation ahead, the snort
of a frightened horse, then some muffled
objurgations, rider urging reluctant
steed to approach some suspicious OBJ
ject, and, spurring his own spirited
charger forward, Mr.. Drummond came
presently upon the corporal just dis
mounting in the darkness and striving
to lead his boon companion, whom he
could not drive, up to some dark object
lying on the plain. This, too, failed.
A low whistle, however, brought one of
the other scouts trotting in to the res
cue.
Hold him a minute, Burke" said
the corporal, handing up the reins.
"There's something out here this brute
shied at and can't get him near it
again." With that he pushed out to
the front while the others listened ex-
pectant. A moment later a match was
struck, and presently burned brightly
in sthe black and breathless night.
Then came the startled cry:
my God, lieutenant, it's Corporal
Donovan and his horse-beth dead"
And even there Mr.. Drummond noted
that Bland was about the first of the
column to come hurrying forward to
the scene.
Ten minutes investigation threw but
little light upon the tragedy. Some
stumps of candles were found in the
saddlebags and packs, and with these
the men secured the plain for signs.
Spreading we'll out from the center,
they closely examined the sandy level.
From the north came the trail of two
cavalry horses, shod alike, both at the
lope, both draggy and weary. From
the point where lay Donovan and his
steed there was but one horse track.
Whirling sharply around, the rider had
sent his mount at a laundering gallop
back across the valley; then 100 yards
away, in long curve, he had reined him
to the southeast. The troopers who
followed the hoof marks out about an
eighth of a mile declared that, un-
wounded, both horse and rider were
making the best of their way toward
Moreno's ranch. Farther search, not
80 yards to the front, revealed the fact
that at the edge of little depression
and behind some cactus bushes three