Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-03-01


there. Questioning was of little use.
Moreno was ready to answer to any
thing and was never known 10 halt at
lie. Old Miguel, the half breed, who
did odd jobs about the well and the
corral, expressed profound ignorance
both Of the situation and Feeny's Eng
lish. The Mexican boy had but one
answer to all queries, mo sa-a-abe. "
Other occupants there were, but these
even Feeny's sense of duty could not
prompt him TO disturb. Somewhere
III the depths of the domestic portion
of the ranch, where the brush on the
fiat roof was piled mott heavily and
the walls were jealousy thick, al
scouting parties or escorts well knew
that Moreno's wife and daughter were
hidden from prying eyes, and rumor
had it that often there were more than
two feminine occupants; that these
were sometimes joined by three or four
others--wives or swecthearts Of out
lawed men who rode with Pasqual Mo-
rales-and all Arizona knew that Pas
quail Morales had little more Mexican
blood i'll his veins than had Fceny
himself. He was an Americana, a
cursed gringo for whom long years ago
the sheliffs of California and Nevada
had chased in vain, who had sought
refuge and a mate in Sonora and whose
swalthy features found no difficulty in
masquerading under a Mexican name
when the language Of love had made
him familiar with the Mexican tongue.
Slow to action slow of speech as was
the paymaster he was not slow to see
that Sergeant Fecnv was anxious and
i'll at case, and if a veteran trooper,
whom his captain had pronounced the
coolest, pluckiest and most reliable man
in the regiment, could be SO disturbed
over the indications, it was high time
to take precaution. What was the
threatened danger? Apaches? They
would never assault the ranch with its
guard of soldiers, whatsoever they
might do i'll the canyons in the range
beyond. Outlaws: They had not been
heard of for months. He had inquired
into all this at Yuma, at the stage sta
tions. by mail of the commanding
officers at Lowell and Bowie and
Grant. Not for six months had stage
been "hcld up or blackboard
"jumpod' south of the turhid ella
True there was rumor of riot and law
lessness among the miners at Castle
Dome and the customary shooting scrape
Mt Ehrenberg and La Pa2, but these
were river towns far behind him now
as he looked back over tho desert trail
and aloft into the star studded, cloud
less sky.
Nothing could I've moro placid, moth
ing less prophetic of peril or ambush
than this exquisite summer night
Somewhere within the forbidden region
of Moreno ) harem Il guitar was begin
ming to tinlile softly. That was all
very well, but then Il woman $ voice,
anything but soft, took up strange,
monotonous refrain, Line after line,
verse after verse, 1t ran, harsh, change
less. He could not distinguish the
words-he did not wish to: the music
WIS bad enough il all conscience. what
soevcr it might become when sung Ivy
youth or beauty As it fell from the
lips Of Sonora Moreno the air was Il
succession of vocal nasal diSharmouics,
high pitched, strideIt, nerve racking.
Unable TO listen after the third rcpe-
tition, Plummer slowly retired from
the corral and once more appeared at
the front, just in time for sensation.
Two troopers, two of the men who had
ridden back with Donovan, came lurch-
ing into the lighted space before the
main entrance. At sight Of the pay
master one of them stitfencd up and
with prcternatural gravity OF mien cx-
ecuted the salute. The other, with an en-
velope III his hand, reclcd ont of the sad
die, failed to catch his balance. plunged
heavily into the sand and lay there.
Corporal Murphy sprang eagerly for
ward the first man TO reach him. and
turned the PROSTATE trooper over ON his
back.
What the matter" quericd Plum
mer. is he sick:'
Sick, is To- was the quick rctort.
az the corporal shifted at the tainted
breath of the sufferer. BE the pow
ers, only wish l had half his dis
ayse. ="
And then came Feeny, glaring, wrath
full.
Come down off the top of that
horse, Mullan," he ordered, tcrcely.
"How-howd We got here? Which
way'd ye&ome: Where's the rest:"
With the ponderous dignity of in
ebriety, Mullan slowly pointed up the
desert under the spot where the pole
star glowed in the northern skies.
Sarsh mt, " he hiccoughcd, IRE
-we'ro too late; PEACHES got there
first"
"Hwat! hwat!' Numbered Feeny.
"D'yo mean there were women-that
it wasn't Il plantf"
"Fack.
"Hwarc's your dispatches, You
| drunken lOut? How dare you dhlink
when there was fight ahead? Hware 5
your dispatches; and may heaven blast
the souls OF you both"
Here sergeant" said Murphy,
wrenching the soiled envelope from the
Il