Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-03-15

morning visitor the awful news con
tanned IN the penciled note brought in
by Mullan were considerations too po-
tent to be sighted.
In vain did Feeny point out TO him
that if Apaches were really in the
neighborhood Wing would not be CON
tent with starting the fire, but would
surely signal whittier to 20 in search
of them, and that no vestige of signal
torch had appeared Old PluInmer
vowed he could never again know
moment of peace if he neglected to do
anything or everything i'll his power
to save the girls. Most reluctantly he
agreed that Feeny should remain in
charge of the safe and the two drugged
and helpless men. Murphy and all the
others were ordered ont forthwith to
march rapidly northeastward until they
struck the trail of the pursuit and then
to follow that. In 10 minutes, with
| four pack mules ambling behind, away
they went into the darkness, and all
| that was left to man the ranch and de-
fend the government treasury against
all Corners was the phlcgmatic but de-
termined paymaster, his physically
wrecked but devoted clerk, Sergeant
Fceny, raging at heart, but full OF
! fight, and half breed packer named
| Pedro. The two senseless and drunken
troopers were of course of no use TO any
body.
Even as tho detachment mounted.
Latham with it, old Moreno appeared
at the doorway shroudcd III his serape
Approaching Murphy by the side far
thest from Plummcr and the sergeant,
| he slipped fat canteen from under his
cloak and thrust it into the corporal's
ready hand. "Hush-h-no words, "
he whispered "All is well. | keep
my promise" And so saying he had
skunk away, but FeenY was on the off
side quick as "A shot, quicker than the
corporal could stow the bulky vessel
in his saddle bags. Wrestling it from
the nerveess hand of his junior, Feenv
/ Mexican's retreating FORM 1t struck
Moreno square III the back of the neck
and sent him pitching heavily forward.
Only by catching at a horse post did
he save himself from fall, but, as lie
Strengthened up, his face was one not TO
be looked at without a shudder; grind
ing teeth, swapping, flashing eyes venge-
full contortions Of brow and jaw. hate,
fury and revenge, all were quivering
with the muscles under that swarthy
skin, and the cleaning knife was
clasped in his appraised hand az, driv-
ing into the ranch and ont of sight of
the hated "gringos, he burst into
the room where sat his wife and
daughter, and raging aloud, through
that he leaped like a panther to another
door, fastened ON the farther side,
where one instant he stood before add
mission could be gained. and through a
panel III which there warily peered a
bearded face, swarthy A. his own. And
then Sonora Moreno hurriedly banged
the shutter and took up her guitar.
Something had to be done TO hush tho
uproar Of blasphemy and imprecation
mingling with the shout Of exultation
that instantly followed her lord 5 ed
mission TO the den.
Nine o'clock came. Murphy and his
party were gone. The beacon still
blazed at the westward pass. The twang
of the guitar had ceased. Silence
reigned about the ranch. Old Plummer
with anxious face ploddcd slowly up
and down the open space in front Of
the deserted bar. Feeny, with three
loaded Carbines close at hand and his
belt bristling with rcvollers, was di-
viding his attention between the safe
.sti 81,
mce in a while he would station the
major at the safe, which had been
hauled into the easternmoSt of the
rooms that opened to the front instead
Of on the corral, and, revolver III hand
would patrol the premises, never fail
ing to stop at "A certain window behind
which he believed Moreno to be lurking
to warn that impulsive greaser not to
show his head outside his room if he
didn't want it blown off his shoulders
never failing on his return to stir up
both recumbent forms with angry foot
and then to shower in equal portions
cold water and hot imprecations upon
them.
To Pedro he had intrusted the duty
of caring for the horses of his PROSTATE
comrades. Every faculty he possessed
was ON the alert, watching for the
faiEtest sign of treachery or hostility
from within, listening with dread but
stern determination for the first sound
of hoof beats from without. 1t must
have been about 10 o'clock when. leav-
ing Mr.. Dawes, the clerk, seated III the
dark interior beside the safe. Fconv
stepped forth to make another round,
stopped to lool, at Mullan and his part
ner, now beginning to twitch uneasily
and moan and toss III their drunken
sleep, and then turned to seek the pay
master.
Whatever lights Moreno had been
accustomed to burn by way of lure OF
encouragement to belatod travellers. all
was gloom tonight. The bar was 81
lenco and darkness. The bare east room
adjoining the corral was tenanted now
only by the clerk and the precious iron
box of "greenbacks. No glinmer OF
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