The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-02-28


clear cut; his eyes dark hazel, with
heavy curling lashes and bushy. low
arched brows; his complexion, naturally
dark, was bronzed by sun and sand
storm to hue almost Mexican. He
shaved clean all but the heavy mus
tache that dropped over his firm lips,
and the sprinkling Of gray about the
brows, temples and 1nustache was
most becoming to his peculiar style.
One prominent mark had he which
the descriptive book Of his company
referred to simply as "saber scar on
right jaw" but it deserved mention
more extended, for the whitish streak
ran like groove from just below the
ear tip to the angle of the square, reso-
lutte chin. It looked as though in some
desperate fray mad sweep had been
made with vengeful blade straight for
the jugular, and, just missing that,
had laid open the jaw for full four
inches.
but, said Feeny, what could he
have been doing, and in what position
could he have been, sitting or standing,
to get saber stroke like that? Where
was his guard? A bowie knife, now
and there the suggestion ended.
But it was the SCARED side Of Bland's
soldierly face that young Lieutenant
Drummond was so closely studying as
they rode oct into the starlit Arizona
night. He, too, had heard the camp
chat about this apparently frank, open
hearted trooper, and had found himself
more than once speculating as to his
real past, not the past Of his imagina-
ton or of his easy ofhand description.
By this time, in perfect silence save for
the occasional clink of canteen, the
gurgle of imprisoned water, or, once in
while, the click of irorshod hoof, the
troop was marching in shadowy col
umn of twos we'll out beyond the falda
and over the almost dead level of the
plain. Far ahead the beacon still
blazed brightly and beckoned them on.
It was time for precaution.
Sergeant, said Drummond, "send
corporal and four men forward. Let
them spread out across the front and
keep 800 or 400 yards ahead Of us.
Better take those with the freshest
horses, as want them to scout thor
oughly and to be on the alert for the
faintest sound. Any Of our men who
Know this valley well %
None better than Bland here, sir, -
was the half hesitant reply.
"W-e-l-l, I need Bland just now.
Put some Of the old hands and older
heads on, and don't let anything escape
their notice.
;Beg pardon, lieutenant, but what's
to be the line Of direction? When we
started it was understood that we were
to take the shortest cut for Ceralvo's,
and now we're heading for the Pi-
cacho.
"No, we make for the pass first;
that's the quickest way to reach the
signal station, then we learn where to
strike for the Indians. Did you ever
uCctT VI LuCll CC1u$, cso Ac1A ''Soo e~Ao oA!S
Maricopa range before?''
Never, sir, in the whole time we've
been here, and since the lieutenant
Joined they've never been heard Of
crossing the Santa Maria valley
s'What on earth could tempt them
out so far? There's nothing to be
gained and every chance Of being cut
off by troops from Grant and Bowie,
even if they do succeed in slipping by
u.s.
'.That's more than l can tell, sir.
The men say the paymaster's coming
along this week; they heard it from the
quartermaster train we passed at the
Cienega three days ago.
Trooper Bland was riding in silence
on the left Of the detachment COM
mander as he had been directed. The
sergeant had come up on the other
flank.
What men heard this?'' asked
Drummond, quickly.
why, Patterson told me, sir, and
Lucas and Quinn, and I think Bland
here was talking with the train escort
and must have heard it.
Did You, Bland?" asked the lieu
tenant, as he whirled suddenly in his
saddle and faced the trooper.
Eyes, sir, " was the prompt reply;
several Of the men spoke of it. It's
about the most welcome piece of news
they could give to fellows who had four
months pay due.
In the isolation of this mountain
scouting business, when, as often hap
pens, one officer is out alone for weeks
with no comrades or associates but his
detachment, it naturally results that a
greater freedom cf intercourse and
speech is developed between the com
mander and some, at least, of his party
than would ever be the case in years
of garrison life; and SO it happened that
for the moment Drummond forgot the
commander in the man.
"It is most extraordinary" he said,
"that just when paymaster is anxious
to keep secret the date and route of his
coming the whole thing is heralded
ahead. We have no telegraph and yet
I