Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-01-05

mond rose and tiptoed to a cleft in the rock through which shone a dim light. It was the entrance to the remote in- ner cave where the Harvey girls were sleeping. Assured that his words could reach there no listening ears, Drum mond returned, kneeling again by the sergeant's side. Just think, man any moment after daybreak the Apaches may be upon us, and, who knows? it may be my last fight. Of course be- lieve that our fellows can stand them off until rescue comes, but bullet may find me any moment, and then who is there to report your conduct and secure the recognition due you, or if the doc tor should be late in coming and fever set in and this wound prove too much for your strength is there nothing that ought to be said to her Tor your"
 Age.n only painful silence. At last Wing spoke.
 ''I understand. I appreciate all you say. But I've got to think it over, lieutenant. Give me an hour or SO. Don ask me to tell you now.''
 "So be it, man. Now rest all you possibly can. It's almost day. The crags are beginning to light up back of us here already. Yes, and the sentry's calling me now. I'll be back by and by. What is it, Patterson?" he whis- pered, going to the mouth of the cave.
 live just come down from the tree up there, sir. You-can see quite ways down the range now, though the light is dim, and what 1 take to Do signal fire leaped up not three miles below us, certainly this side of where Wing was shot. ''
 ''So soon? All right; then get back to the post just as quick as you can. I'll rouse the man who has slept long est. All must be astir in half an hour, but you keep watch there.
 And half an hour later it is that, field glass in hand, the young officer is there by Patterson's side, peering eastward almost into the eye of the sun, search ing with anxiety inexpressible for any sign of dust cloud rising along the trail on which they came, for the sight he has seen down the range. now brilliant in the morning light, has filled his heart with the first real dread it has yet known. In three places, not more than four or five miles apart, down along tho sunlit side of this wild and picturesque mountain chain, signal smokes have been puffing straight up skyward, the nearest only a couple of miles from this lone picket post, but all on the same side of the valley.
 Last evening the answer came from across the broad desert. They have come over, therefore, and are hastening up the chain to join the eager advance here so close to their hiding place. Be- yond a doubt watchful spies are al- ready lurking among those heights to the west, striving to get close enough to peer into the rocky fortress and esti- mate the strength of the garrison. Great they we'll know it cannot be. for did not their keen eyes count nearly 20 chasing those hated brigands far down toward Sonora pass, and of that num- Der how many have returned? Only three. Dld they not see the furry and excitement when that sergeant was shot from ambush? Now, therefore, is the time to strike-now, while the main body is far away. Whatsoever booty there may be obtainable in that rocky canyon 'tis we'll worth the attempt. And so from north to south the puff balls of blue white smoke go sailing upward through the pines. and it all means speed speed!
 At o'clock the little command has had coffee and hearty breakfast No lack of provender here in this hitherto undiscovered robbers roost. Drum mond, cool, confident, has had his men about him where none others could see or hear, has assigned them the stations which they are to take the instant of alarm and has given them their instruc- tions. Walsh it is who is now on look out, and he is peering away down south ward so intently that some comrade is prompted to call up to him in a low tone:
 See anything:'
 To which, without removing the glass from under his hat bIim, the Irish trooper merely shakes his head.
 Any more smokes ?'
 "Sorra a smoke have seen at all.
 Well, then, what in blazes are you staring at:''
 How can tell ye till find out - is the Hibernian reply, and this is enough to send the corporal on a climb. Drum mond at the moment is again kneeling by Wing. who has but just awakened from fittul sleep, Miss Harvey being the first to hear him stir and sigh. Ruth and her sister, too, seem about to withdraw, but Wing, whose voice is woEk now, begs them to remain.
 Has anything been seen yet-back on the trail-of the Stoneman party :" he asks
 ''No, sergeant, replies Drummond, but remember that we can only see some six miles of the trail, after that it is lost in that toTtuous ravine down which we rode OF the chase. Walsh is mp there on lookout. and I'll ask if he can see anything now, ." and calling to one of the men Drummond bids him inquire. All eagerly await the reply. 7
 At last it cones:
 "No dust on the back track, sir, but that looks like it far to the south. We think it may be some of our fellows coming back. but it is too faint and far to make it out yet.
 The corporal is the speaker. his reso- nant voice contrasting strongly with the feeble accents of his immediate supe- rior, the wounded sergeant.
 Then I have something that must be told yoN lieutenant, something Miss Harvey already has an inkling of, for she has met and known my dear moth CT. If this pain continues to increase, and fever sets in, I may be unable to tell it later. Some of the men thought I had enlisted under an alias, lieuten- ant, but they were wrong. Wing is my rightful name. My father was chief officer of the old Flying Cloud in the days when American clipper ships beat the world. The gold fever seized him, though, and he quit sail ing and went to mining in the early days of Sdn Francisco, and there when