The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-02-21

And now in the gathering shades of
night, as he stood in silence watching
the brisk process of grooming, and
noted how thorough and businesslike
even though sharp and stern, was Fee
ny, the paymaster was wishing he had
not ventured to disregard the caution
of so skilled a veteran.
And yet the paymaster, having hu-
man heart in his breast, had been sorely
tried, for the appeal that came for help
was one he could not well resist Pass
ing Ceralvo's at midnight and pushing
relentlessly ahead instead of halting
there as the men had hoped, the party
was challenged in the Mexican tongue
"Que viene %
To which unlocked for and uncalled
for demand the leading trooper, scorn-
ing greaser interference in American
territory, promptly answered:
eco to h-lr'
All the same he heard the click of
lock and was prompt to draw his own
Colt, as did likewise the little squad
riding ahead of the creaking ambu-
lance. The two leaders of the mules
whirled instantly about and became
tangled up with the wheel team, and
the paymaster was pitched out Of a
dream into doubled up mass on the
opposite seat. To his startled questions
the driver could only make reply that
he didn't know what was the matter:
the sergeant had gone ahead to see.
Presently Feeny shouted Forward
and on they went again, and not until
Ceralvo's was mile behind could the
major learn the cause of the detention.
"Some of Ceralvo's people, . answered
Feeny; "d-n their impudence!
They thought to stop us and turn US in
there by stories of Indian raids just
below us-three prospectors murdered
"a miles this side of the Sonora line.
Cochises people never came this far
west of the Chiricahua range. It's
white cutthroats maybe, and We'll need
our whole command. >
And yet in the glaring sunshine OF
that May morning, after they had un-
saddled at Moreno's, and the sergeant,
wearied with the vigils of two success
sive nights, had gone to sleep in the
coolest shade he could find, there came
riding across the sunbaked, cactus
dotted plain at the west young man
who had the features Of the American
and the grave. courteous bearing of the
Mexican.
MY name is Harvey" said he.
My sisters, who have been in San
Francisco at school, are with me On
the way to visit our parents in Tucson.
Father was to have met us at the Bend
with relays of mules. We have waited
48 hours and can wait no longer. For
Gods sake let half dozen of your men
ride out and escort them down here.
There is no doubt in the world the
Apaches are in the mountains On both
sides, and I'm trembling for fear they've
already found our camp. None Of my
party dared make the ride. so had to
come.
What was Plummer to do? He didn't
want to rouse the sergeant. This wasn't
going back to Ceralvo's, but riding
northward to the rescue of imperiled
beauty. He simply couldn't refuse,
especially when Donovan and others
were eager to go. From Mr.. Harvey
he learned tuat his father had married
into an old Spanish Mexican family at
Havana, had been induced by them to
take charge Of certain business in Mat
amoras, and that long afterward he
had removed to Guaymas and thence
to Tucson. The children had been ed
ucated at San Francisco, and the Sis
tiers, now l. and Is years of age re-
spectively, were soon to go to Cuba to
visit relatives Of their mother, but were
determined once more to see the quaint
old home at Tucson before so doing;
hence this journey under his charge.
The story seemed straight enough
Plummer had never yet been to Tucson,
but at Drum Barracks and Wilmington
he had often heard of the Harveys, and
Donovan swore he knew them all by
sight, especially the old man.
The matter was settled before Plum
mer really knew whether to take the
responsibility or not, and the cavalry
corporal with FIVE men rode back into
the fiery heat of the Arizona day and
was miles away toward the ella before
Feeny woke to a realizing sense Of what
had happened. Then he came out and
blasphemed. There in that wretched
little green safe were locked up thou
sands enough of dollars to tempt all
the outlawry of the occident to any
deed Of desperation that might lead to
the capture of the booty, and with Don
ovan and his party away Feeny saw he
had but half a dozen men for defense.
At his interposition the major had at
least done one thing-warned Moreno
not to sell drop of his fiery mescal to
any one Of the men, and when the
Mexican expressed entire willingness to
acquiesce Feeny's suspicious were
redoubled and he picked out Trooper
Latham, New Englander whom some
1-l Go4o LoJ 1oS s,,fo