The Redwood gazette., 1894-04-05
SYNOPSIS.
COPYRIGHT, 1888 BY CHARLES KING.

Major Plummer. an army paymaster. is
crossing the plains with safe OF greenbacks
for the garrison troops in Arizona. His cav
airy escort is led by a veteran sergeant
named Feeny; The party halts at Moreno's
his name as Ned Harvey calls at the ranch
and states that himself and small party
are escorting his two sisters across the
plains. Their father. wealthy citizen of
Tucson. At. was to have met them near
Moreno's. bnt has failed to do so,and his
murderous Apaches. Half dozen troopers,
led by Corporal Donovan are sent with the
stranger as protection for his sisters. Later
two of the troopers return grossly intoxicat-
ed and bringing a note signed Ned Harvey"
to the effect that Indians have burned the
Harvey camp and carried off the girls.
Feeny scents ruse to rob the paymaster.
Suddenly. beacon fire is seen at an army
signal station on the crest OF distant range
na warning ne never yer displayed except the
CHAPTER II. = Late that night a
scouting party of United States cavalrymen,
under Lieutenant Drummond, is crossing the
plains from another direction toward Mo-
! reno's. One of the troop is a mysterious re-
| cruit. former stage driver, named Bland.
! trooper, which proves to be Corporal DON
| ovan They descry the tell tale beacon at
the signal station, and shortly after second
| fire lights up the sky around MorenOs.
/ Chapter IlI-Just after dark on theevening
! the beacon was lit at the signal station
| draft wagon and Concord pilOted by the the
real Ned Harvey and conveying his sisters
Ruth and Fanny pass by the station on the
| way to Morenos. The signal officer in charge.
| Sergeant Wing. has met the girls in Yumr,
| and after greeting them and whispering in
young Harvey's ears the rumOrs about Indian
| raids starts to climb the signal hill. He is
| suddenly assaulted. lassOed and dragged to
| tent. bound and gagged. At the same time
/ the signal pile of dry fuel bursts into flames.
At the sight of the signal beacon Ma jor Plum
| mer sends second party of soldiers out to
rescue the Harvey girls leaving only Ser
geant Feeney, the paymaster and his clerk
and the stupefied troopers to guard the safe.
Chapter IV.-Ranchman Moreno is secretly
leagued with the greaser" bandit gang of
one Morales, Ned Harvey and his sisters
reach Moreno's; Next two strangers ride up
| and ask for shelter. Feeny rebuffs them.
| and the fight opens. Major Plummers party
and the Harveys are barricaded it the ranch.
II CHAPTER TE B " N-Moreno openly joins the out
| and Ned Harvey are ambushed. VL-The
| bandits led by man in cavalry uniform
girls and the safe. Drummond S party -arriv-
es. Feeny and Harvey are found. Private
Bland is missing from the ranks. Sergeant
| hot pursuit. The remaining chapters tell the
! story of the pursuit and the romance spring.
Ing from it. Drummond has met the Harvey
| trail leads to Morales mountain cave. The
| troopers overtake the outlaws train and cut
| out the Concord wagon containing the girls.
| Drummond is hurt. and Ruth turns nurse
| Wing leads a party to reSCOver the safe, is
ambushed and wounded, Private Bland is
| Wings uncle and notorious outlaw. The
| Harvey. father and son. rescued. Ruth and
Fanny marry their preservers.
CONTINUED
1T was long before mother could
check the flow of the blood. 1t sobered
him, of course. and made him piteously
weak. For days after that she nursed
and cared for him, but forbade my en-
tering the room. Men came to see him
insisted on seeing him-and she
would send me to the bank for gold and
pay their claims and bid them 60.
At last he was able to walk out with
that awful slash on his thin white
face. Once then he met and cursed
me, but l did not mind-1 had acted
only to save mother. How could l sup
pose that her assailant was her own
brother? Then finally with sobs and
tears she told me the story, how he had
been their mothers darling, how wild
and reckless was his youth, how her
mothers last thought seemed to be for
him, and how on her knees she, my
own mother, promised to take care of
poor Freddie and shield him from every
ill, and this promise she repeated to me.
bidding me help her keepi it and to con-
ceal as far as could her brothers mis-
deeds. For a few months things went
a little better. Uncle Fred got COM
mission in California regiment toward
the close of the war and was sent down
to Arizona. Then came more tears
and trouble. | couldn't understand it
all then, but l do now. Uncle Fred
was gambling again, drawing on her
for means to meet his losses. The old
home went under the hammer, and we
moved down to San Diego, where father
had once invested and had left little
property. And then came the news
that Uncle Fred had been dismissed, all
on account of drink and gam bling and
misappropriation of funds. Miss Har-
vey knows all about this, lieutenant,
for mother told her and had reason to.
And next came forgery, and we were
stranded. We heard that he had gone
after that with a wagon train to Texas.
l got employment on a ranch, and then
mother married again, married a man
who had long befriended us and who
could give her comfortable home.
She is now Mrs. Malcolm Bland of San
Francisco, and Mr.. Bland offered to
take me into his store, but loved the
open air and independence. Mr.. Bland
and Mr.. Harvey had business relations,
and when Uncle Fred was next heard
from he was starving to death, he
said, actually dying He wrote to
mother from Yuma. Mother wired me
to go to him at once, and did. He was
considerably out at elbows, but in no
desperate need yet. just then Mr.. Har-
: vey offered him good salary to take
charge of his freight train. We all