The Irish standard., 1895-09-21
barely short rife shot from old sergt.


barely short rifle shot from old sergt.s
Kelly's ranch. 81. .:,.51 s !.
And now the question arose: Where
were the Apaches7 The miners and
prospectors who had fed from the
Santa Anita said they fairly swar1ned
in that valley, fifty miles to the east.
The dispatches from department head
quarters represented them as having
already, ut three different points,
swooped down upon the Prescott road,
both east and west Of the Sandy; but,
so far e.s heard from, they had not ven
tured into the valley south of the Soc
orro range, cluster of rough, rocky,
pine crested upheavals that bulged out
eastward from the main range, jutting
like some huge pronrontory 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, q deep jagged assure in the bed
rock, that the Sandy foamed and chafed
and tore-the ill-favored Apache can
yon. Fifty miles north Of the Socorro,
on the banks Of the same stream and in
! the very heart Of the Apache country
was military post somewhat larger
than Retributionold Camp Sandy
and there were stationed the head
quarters and four strong troops OF the
new regiment that had replaced the
Eleventh cavalry, all commanded by
Col. Pelham. Thornton, at Retribution,
felt well assured that by this time Pei
ham would be pushing out his scout
ing parties after the Tonic raiders, and
that between Sandy and Retribution
they could make it very lively for the
Indians in q day or two, but meantime
should they work around into the
Sandy valley south Of the old post, just
as Capt Raymond said: Heaven help
the scattered settlers there"
s.If they reach the lower Sandy by
night or day were the majors orders
to Lieut.. Crane, who commanded the
guard at the old site, don't wait an In
slant. Fire the beacon on Signal
Butte .$ Is
And now, ole o'clock Of theshot June
night had come. There had been skirm-
fishing to the north, q chase to the
northwest, signal fires ablaze to the
east, across the broad basin. Couriers
had been pushed out northwestward
after Foster with news of Munoey's
bolt and information ais to the Cardoza
party. Ferguson and two friends dar-
ing fellows, vol armed and mounted
had Just left the post determined to
ride westward in the hopes of over
hauling Muncey, and-well, hanging
was the horse thief's penalty in those
days. The troops Of the garrison
arms and equipments close ct hand
were sprawled about the veranda Of
the new quarters, eager for the order
to saddle, and the major had just dis
patched q messenger to say to the cap
tain that the men NIGH as well turn In
Tor the night, when once again there
came the clear and ringing summons
for the corporal OF the rd-this
time from the westward bluff. Those
who happened to be nearest that side
of;the garrison had already before the
cry heard the sharp. stern challenge:
Who comes there ~
Even before the MAJORS little party
could reach the north side the Tim
figure Of Corporal Lynch came bound
ing back mp the slope. what was the
matter, corp al2n hailed the post COM
:mander, and Lynch, halting short,
brought his carbine to the carry and his
gloved left hand TO the salute, replying
with soldierly brevity: .55.
...1t's MacDuf, sir.
.sMacDuff? You mean little Leon?' D
eyes, sir, with q note for the doctor.
!. He stopped Il to water Sergt. Kelly's
broncho at the spring. "a
Another minute and riding briskly
up from the dark, low ground to the
west. of the mesa came the 1.-THE, young
courier hirnself. dc refined in the In
slant he,heard the mn voice, and
threw himself from the saddle. Ys
What on earth brought you here Ct
this time, Leon q d. 81 n
Mrs. Downey, sir, was very sick.
The women folks from Downeys ranch