The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-01-14

t1on. My nerves are all unused to
this sort of thing. How do you work
this affair when you want to reload.
sergeantp I'm blessed if understand
it. never carried u revolver before in
my life.'
Feeny took the glistening, nickel
plated Smith 81 Wesson, clicked the
hammer to the safety notch, tested the
cylinder springs, and touching the
lever showed his superior by tho feel
rather than sight how tho perfect me-
chanism was made to turn OH it's hinge
and thrust tho emptied shells from their
chamber
Tho Lord grant we may have no
call to shoot tonight. sir, but mis-
doubt tho whole situation. That fires
beginning to wear itself out already,
and any minute look to hear the hoof
beats of tho Morales gang, surround
ing us here OH every side. If they'll
only hold off till toward morning and
can brace up these two poor devils
they've poisoned. we can stand 'cm off
awhile until our fellows begin to come
back or Lieutenant Drummond hears
of the gathering"
And do you still believe there are
no Apaches in this business2'' asked
the major.
Not out north or west, sir; they're
thick enough ahead in the Santa Maria.
but not to tho NORTH not to tho vest
can't believe that. Those Morales fell
lows know everything that is going OH.
They knew that just about this time
Ned Harvey was expected along escort
ing his sisters home. They knew YOU
had never seen him and could easily
be made to believe the story Every
thing has been done to hold us back.
first at Ceralvo's and aftcrward here,
until they could gather all their gang
in force sufficient to attack, then
Hist listen! There's hoofs now. No
not out there, tho other way, from the
Tucson road, east. God grant it's
some of our fellows coming backl
Keep watch here, major; I'll run out
and challenge"
Hastily picking up carbine MS he
passed the door, Fecny ran nimbly out
across the sandy barren, disappearing
in the darkness to the southeast. Old
Plummer's heart beat like n hammer
as he listened for the hail. A moment
more he could hear hoof beats and tho
voices of men i'll low tones; then, low
toned, too, but sharp and stern Feeny's
challenge rose upon the night:
"Who comes thcrc?"
Instantly the invisible party halted,
surprised, but with the promptncss born
Of frontier experience back came the
answer:
Friends "
WHO are you and where from?''
George Harvey and party from Tue
son, looking for Moreno's Who are
you:"
United States cavalry on escort
duty. How many in your party"
Only two here. We were delayed
by Apache signs in tho Santa Maria.
The rest are some miles behind with
relay mules. Are we near the ranch:
What S that light out to the west ~
Never mind that now. Dismount
and come up alone, Mr.. Harvey. must
recognize you first y
Feeny wanted to gain time His
brain was whirling. Here was partial
confirmation of the story told by the
alleged Ned Harvey in the morning.
Here was the father coming with guard
and relay mules TO meet his children
just as thcil morning visitor declared
he was expected TO do. Was If possible
after ali chat the tale was true-that
the children were there at the Gila,
making wide detour around Ccralvo's
md taking the northward route around
that i'll favored ra.ch: ii SO. what
ft,lt L.,
soldier that he was. Fccny felt that he
was trembling from head to foot Up
through the gloom strobe Il tall figure,
fearless anG confident.
There ) no Irishnan in all the Mo-
rales gang, laughed the coming man.
land know IL cavalryman' challenge
when hear it, and so honor it at once
Whero are you, sentry
Here; this WAY. > answered Fccny.
standing erect ANA -pccriMg sharply
through the gloom. Give never met
you, Mr.. Harvey. but we all know Won
by reputation. Just tell me your bust
ness and how you happen to he riding
tho desert this time of night. and then
I'll tell yon why ask
II am expecting my son and daugh-
ters coming up from Yuma. We were
to meet ut Morcno's this evening, but IL
scouting party in the mountains warned
us to hide until night, so we're late
Have they reached Moreno's? We
must hc close there
You re close enough to Moreno's
It's not 100 yards back there, hut that
light across the valley is the warming
beacon at picachu. They would hardly
venture across. knowing what that
means.