The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-09-09

BY CAPTAIN CHARLES KING
Author Of "The Coones Daughter Deserter" ETC.

south end, and another up by the cove,
where old Sanchez camped-near where
they were when the cloudburst struck
them. We We're up there twice only
ten weeks ago." and again Randy's lips
were guivering. though he fought man
fully to hide his grief. I'VE had a reg
ular little cache of stores there-hard-
tack and cheese and frijoles-in case we
ever had to hide there when we were
hunting"
You will make a good frontiersman
one of these days, Randall" said the
bearded chief. calmly glancing at his
watch. l shouldn't be surprised II you
and Leon could teach us thing or two
worth knowing now. Now, Cullen, We
got to push right on for Retribution-
the new post. Well pick up Tanner s
( people on the way and take few OF
Turner's men from here. Thornton ana
| Turner can go on with me, and you ana
Randy take their horses and dozen
men and search the canyon tonight
It's my belief that your little protege
has given both crowds the slip, and that
| if he is in the land Of the living Randy
can find him.
1t was then o'clock of another hot
still, cloudless, starlit night. In ten
minutes, with a few words of encour-
agement to the boys and a cordial
handshake and pat of the shoulder, the
general bade them all good night,
sprang literally into his ambulance, the
aid de camp following, and away it
went escort and all, splashing through
the Sandy. Half an hour later Major
Cullen was once again in saddle among
the old familiar scenes, and followed by
Randy, by Sergeant Kelly, who was
overjoyed to welcome back his old
captain, and by dozen troopers who
had never yet served with him, but
knew him well, as soldiers will, by rep
utation, the major rode on down stream
to where, dark and frowning. the black
gate doomed before them. Randall, ir
his impatience to be off, could hardly
wait for the men to be served with cof-
fee and the horses with a bait of bar
ley before starting on the night ride
through the dim and ghostly chasm.
Old Kelly gave them constant encour-
agement IF he was caught by APP
aches and killed we'd surely have come
upon his body, Masther Randall said
he, land after he fired that beacon,
and Muncey's outfit and the Apaches
run foul of each other, neither party
wanted to be burdened with a boy. But
the Apaches were between him and the
old post. He's had only one place to
run for. and that was the canyon.
Muncey's outfit probably reached it
almost at the same time, and he had
to hide from both. BY this time, it's
my belief, he's stolen out and made his
way back to the old post"
1t was nearly midnight when Cullen,
riding at a brisk walk at the head of
the column, pointed silently to the
huge black bulk of precipice overhang-
ing the Sandy a few yards ahead. 1t
was so dark that only by giving the
horse his head and an occasional prod
with the spurred heel that the leader
could follow the winding trail. We're
within a few rods of Sanchez's camp"
muttered Kelly to the impatient boy.
| The canyon opens out just below
here"
81 know" said Randall, briefly. I'm
wild to signal to Leon now. He knows
my call as well as a bird knows its
mates"
''Ah, but it isn't up there yell find
them, Masther Randall said the old
man striving to prepare the boy for
fetched him this far he'd been working
" and the girls will be 'mazing glad
to see him.
But no sooner had the leader of the
little column passed the base of the
cliff than Randall urged his horse for
ward to his fathers side. II can tell
it in the dark" said he; may I go
ahead?''
Cullen nodded, and the boy spurred
eagerly on. The Sandy roared and
rushed close by the trail as it turned
the point, then more placidly swept
along over some pebbly shadows, where