Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-03-10

all was silence there, if not siumber,
and then he joined his superior.
THAT fellow was of the right sort,
sergeant, said Plummer. II wish we
had one or two like him"
Il wish we had, sir. Those greas-
ers are worse than no guards ut all.
They IL sit there in the corral and smoke
'papelitos by the hour and brag about
how they fought their way through the
Apaches with. Harvey's mules, but for
cur purpose they're worse than useless.
At the first sign of an attack they'd be
stanpeding out into the darkness. and
that the last we'd see of them. Heard
anything further out this way. SIR"
why, confound it, yes. / try to
convince myself it's only imagination,
but two or three times, far ont there
toward the Picacho. I've heard that
whip cracking. l have felt sure there
was hanmering. sound, as though
some one were pounding on wagon
tire. Once was sure 1 heard n horse
snort. That was in measure expect
ing. 1t those fellows mean TO attack,
they ii come mounted. of course, but
'Ono of Ceralvo S perhaps, TO cart off
the safe In, If they couldn't burst into
it here"
There! Hark now, sergeant! Didn't
you hear:' suddenly spoke the major,
throwing up Il warning hand.
Both men held their breath, listening
intently. For moment nothing but
the beating OF their own hearts served
TO give the faintest sound. Then, out to
the west, under the starlit vault Of the
heavens, somewhere in that black eS-
panse OF desert, plainly and distinctly,
there rose tho measured sound of iron
or stone beating on iron. Whether it
were tire or Hnchpin, ha,ne or brake,
something metallic about q wagon or
buckboard was being pounded into
place or shape.
Its them. sir, " muttered the seq
reant. Its that bloody gang, for
there's no stage due tonight, and if it
was Harveys ambulance. recapturcd
It's from the northeast it would be COM
ing"
"Mightr't they have missed the trail
in the darkness, and having no ranch
lights to guide them got lost somewhere
out there. -
Not likely, sir. Shure, there'd be
squad of the troops and half a dozen
old hands with EN- if it was Harvey s.
This has come from the pass, and it
won't be long before they'll be coming
ahead. You'll need your carbine then.
On that man Mullan Can't wake
him yot:"
Apparently not. Even the well di-
rected tIcl; only evoked a groan. TAX
ing u couple of carblnes, Feeny returned
TO the major, silently handing him one
of the weapons. saying 1t $ loaded, sir,
and here's more cartridges.
Then again both men listened in
tently.
No sound now. The hanmering had
ceased. One, two minutes they wait
ed. then nearer at Hand than before,
clear. sharp and distinct, out from the
darkness came the unmistakable crack
OF q whip. At the sound Feeny ,1nelt.
Click, click, went the hammer of his
carbinc to full cock. Another moment
of breathless silence. Then the muffied
sound of hoofs, the creak OF wagon
springs, then Il voice:
1T cant be far away. Ride ahead
and see if you can't rout somebody
out"
And then Feeny's challenge again
rang oft on the still night air. followed
instantly by mufiied sound of stir and
excitement in the ranch behind them.
"Who comes there?"
Hello! Whats that? Who's that !?
Is that Moreno
"Who comes there, say? Haiti or
III fret
For Gods sake. don't fire, man!
We've rot ladies here"
What ladies. Who are you any
how? Quick"
George Harvey's daughters of Tue
son. I'm his son.
God be praised!'' shouted Feeny.
springing to his feet and rushing for
ward. Are they all safe-unharmed {?
Where did you overtake them?'
"Overtake whom? What in blazes
are YOU talking aboutf" queried Il tail.
slender fellow, bending down from his
saddle. who are you:"
Sergeant Feeny Of the cavalry, and
here S tho major just back of me-
Major who!'
Major Plummer-him Sou was talk
ing with this morning when you came
for help" answered Feeny, his voice
tremulous with excitement. Already
he was beginning to see light.
"Why, I've never seen Major Plum
mcr nor any other major today. The
only troops l met were Sergeant Wing
and his guard mt the pass Just after
nishtfall. Have you met the Apaches
You saw the signal of course"
Signal, yes, but devil an Apache.
Tell me now, wasn't it you was here
at Moreno's this morning begging for
troops to 20 and fetch your ladies down
from the CHA? Wasn't it You sent the
note SAYING they was run off by In
dians?" And us was the case when
ever excited, Feeny's grammar ran to
seed.
Not bit of it. Ny sisters are here,
safe and sound. We'd have been here
an hour ago but for slipping tire.
Is father here?"