Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-12-27
BY cAPT cnAa4es Klws, U.SA.
cpyuan II. y uppuco Co.. ARRANoaAsr

ton, surrounded by q knot Of excited
ranchmen and settlers were Mai.
Graves and his clerk, but all they had
TO show wss the telegram. II read
plainly enough;
"Mupu STATION June s. t.0 .. m. Maj
Graves. o. g. army. on No. 4, Pawnee station.
Bridge down 1t Alkaii Cannot cross Mini Ska.
Come On 70 Ainden; escort meet you there.
"RDwAnDs, Lieutenant Commanding
Never suspecting anything wrong,
Maj. Graves sent his clerk TO notify the
conductor and show him the dispatch.
The porter made them coffee and
. light breakfast at the buffet,
20 Is TO enable them TO start at
once for the longer ride that their go
Ing on 10 Minden would necessltate.
They were met ~ they jumped off the
car BY > couple Of troopers In over
coats, thimble belts and the SLOUGH hat
then much affected by the cavalry on
campaigns "This why, SIR said one;
"the lieutenant says the escorts ready
TO start the moment the major Is" lie
made move to take the valise, but in
stinctively the major held on. The
train pulled out as they stepped around
TO the rear Of the depot. Graves could
nee q little knot OF horscmen close to
the stream. THE boys will be glad to
sec you, sir, and we've long ride
ahead OF u.s." said his conductor, and
In another moment Graves was tripped,
thrown heavily to the ground, bound
and gagged, and there he lay helpless,
while hts clerk was similarly handled,
ana away went tho valisc with It's
precious tnousands' ne mad no Idea
whitner lie saw only three or four
men In all put they were all In cav
airy overcoats' ana the horses and
equipments 90 inr as nc could judge in
'ne ,isht ana Instance lookcdilke those
OF inc reguiars-not cowboys or road
ageh's' ihey vani9hed IN the twink
ing OF an eye ana not until they had
oeen gone niteen minutes or more did
thc station agent discover the plight
OF the paymastcr and release him.
Mcan''me inc wires mad been cut. Pur-
sun was useless NO ono knew who
INC Foopers were, or which way they
naa gone aiter crossing the bridge.
bo. On early pird around the station
salu ne 10" tw0soiuicrs galloping west
aionR .he norm oank OF the stream,
IN" nj hiiiueh--what there was OF IT.
was READY 10 swear thnt soldiers were
az inc poeeo" OF 'ho wholc nltu'r'
II was ten o'clock before they could
send dispatch to Butte. II was bnrc
ly 4;fj when the robbery took place.
II was noon, as we have neen, when the
news reached the fort and one o'clock
when the sheriff got there.
"Cowboys' Road-agents" said he,
Indignantly, mo, Sir We hung the
last 81 them two months ago, There
Isn't road-agent left In Iutimer
county. Those robbers were soldiers
eavalrymcn, dcscrtcrs from Col. Win
'hrop's command. Fisk, the operator
u Minden, Will swear to their identity,
t least OF the two who came in with
he dispatch, OF course he sent it when
nc saw Lieut.. Edwards name signed
md they told him SO straight Il story.
Yon send couriers after Col, Winthrop,
IND out who arc absent from the bat
alton, and you'll know who your rob
hers nre. Then | can do something,
"Did you pass my Of our ilca on
our way out Of town. asked Rhett,
flera moments pause,
"Your men? Sol licrs? Nothing but
he ordnance sergeant and som'
Wagons. Who were they, and whcrc'l
hey Eog'
i don't know that they didgo-thal
jay' at least Two courierScame with