The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-07-29


way of saying that the eX-Sentry was
to be relieved for good as untrustwor-
| thy-his arms and equipments turned
over to his first sergeant and he him
| self turned over to the charge OF his
lfellow-members of the guard, pr1s-
oner awaiting trial by court martial
for neglect of duty as sentry. Every
body felt sorry for Casey, who had lost
a good reputation, but sorrier for Fer
i guSon, who had lost what was conSid-
cred of even greater worth in the old
frontier days a fine horse. Even as
Casey was ruefully slipping out of his
carbine sling and waistbelt, Ferguson
and others. with lanterns, were trac-
ing the hoof prints of the beautiful
roam. Out from the corral gate,
around by the south wall, they fol-
lowed them in the soft, dusty soil, but
! they were soon lost along the slope.
No one believed for moment Muncey
had ridden eastward any distance,
however. That was the quarter from
which the Apaches had come. West
ward. along the south face of the So
zorro. was his probable course, for II
| CardoZa had slipped through from the
Springs toward the old post, as now
seemed possible, they could meet at
the fords of the Sandy, not a mile from
where the dim lights were twinkl1ng
there at old Retribution, earlier in the
evening-not half a mile from the base
of Signal Butte, and barely short rifle
shot from old Sergeant Kelly's ranch.
And now the question arose, Where
were the Apaches? The miners and
prospectors who had fled from the
Santa Anita said they fairly SWarmed
in that valley, fifty miles to the east.
The dispatches from department head
quarters represented them to have al
ready, at three different points, Swooped
down upon the Prescott road, both east
and west Of the Sandy; but, so far as
heard from they had not ventured into
the valley south of the Socorro range,
a cluster of rough, rocky, pine crested
upheavals that bulged gut eastward
from the main range, jutting like some
| huge promontory into the Tonic Basin.
| 1t was through rift in this clump
! from the Ration springs to the site of
Old Retribution that ran the Tonic
train of past generations, and through
another, still further to the west, a deep
jagged fissure in the bed rock, that the
Sandy foamed and chafed and tore
the i'll favored Apache canyon. Fifty
miles north of the Socorro, on the banks
of the same stream, and in the very
heart of the Apache country, was a
malitary post somewhat larger than
Retribution-old Camp Sandy-and
there were stationed the headquarters
and four strong troops of the new reg
| iment that had replaced the Eleventh
cavalry, all commanded by Colonel
| Pelham. ThoFnton, at Retdibution,
felt well assured that by this time
Pelham would be pushingout his scout
ing parties after the Tonic raiders,
and that between Sandy and Ret1ibu-
ltion they could make it very lively for
the Indians in day or two, but mean
time should they work around into the
Sandy valley, south of the old post,
just as Captain Raymond said, ''Hea-
Ven help the scattered settlers therep'
IF they reach the lower Sandy by
night or day." were the majors orders
to Lieutenant Crane, who commanded
the guard at the old site, don't wait
an instant. Fire the beacon on Signal
butte"
Ano now, 1 o'clock of the hot June
night had come. There had ben skir-
mishing to the north, a chase to the
northwest, signal fires ablaze to the
east, across the broad basin. Cour-
terS had ben pushed out northwest
ward after Foster with the news of
Muncey's bolt and the information as
to the Cardoza party. Ferguson and
two Misunderstanding fellows, well armed
and mounted-had just left the post
determined to ride westward in the
hopes of overhauling Muncey, and
well, hanging was the horse thief's
penalty in those days. The troops of
the garison-arms and equipments
close at hand were sprawled about
! the verandaS of the new quarters,
eager for the order to saddle, and the
major had just dispatched a messen-
ger to say to the captain that the men
might just as well turn in for the
night, when once again there came the
clear ringing sumons for the corporal
| of the guard-thiS time from the west
ward bluff. Those who happened to be
nearest that side Of the garrison had
already before the cry heard the sharp,
stern challenge, ''Who goes there ?''
Even before the majors little party
could reach the north side the trim fig
ure of corporal Lynch came bounding
back up the slope. what was the
matter corporal?'' hailed the post
commander and Lynch hating short
brought his carbine to the carry and
his gloved left hand to the salute, re-
plying with soldierly brevity:
It's MacDuff. siE."
"MacDuff? You mean little Leon?"
Eyes sir, with a note for the doctor.
He stopped to water Sergeant Kellys
bronco at the spring
Another minute and riding brisl1ly
up from the dark, low ground to the
! west of the Mesa came the 1.-THE.
young courier himself. He refined in
the instant he heard the majors
voice, and threw himself from the
saddle.
What on earth brought you here at
this time, Leon?"
Mrs. Downey, sir, was very sick.
The women folks from Downey's ranch
all came up to the post at dark, said
they didn't dare stay-the Apaches
were surely coming into the valley, and
they got word somehow they were
everywhere along the north face of the
| Socorro, and Sergeant Kelly sent the
girls in to the post from his ranch, but
Mrs Kelly wouldn't leave him. She
stayed there. There's really no place
around the old post for women, but
they've got them into a tent for the
night. They daren't remain at the
farmhouse up by the canyon, and the
! lieutenant couldn't detach any men as
guard-he needs them all at the post.
Mrs. Downey was in such pain that
we were all worried about her. so 1
| borrowed the pony. without saying any
thing to Sergeant Kelly and came up to
get some medicine"
We'll, great Scott, boy! That's tax
ing tall chances" said the major
Didn't you see or hear anybody?"
"a fellow passed me, riding like mad,
about five or six miles out, sir. I
heard him coming and slipped off the
road a few yards, not knowing who it
might be, and then, just a few minutes
ago, 1 was halted by three cits-said
they were looking for a horse thief, but
wasn't the one they were in search
Of
Meantime the doctor had taken Dow
ney's note and was trying by the light
of the guard lantern to decipher the i'll