The Irish standard., 1895-09-28

| Il THE RANCH. ~ ss5 u,
old post long enough to give them
warning, and then had ridden away for
Kelly's.a ''Just as quick as I've warned
the old man 1n come back IS you" he,
called to Lieut.. Crane, who had
thanked him somewhat inadequately
for the service rendered Crane shared
the universal suspicion, perhaps, and
disbelieved Mnncey's report on general
principles. Muncey was squirting of
when Crane hailed him: ''You must
have met Leon mile or 30 out. Didn't
you turn him back9' And Muncey
|whirled around in saddle, evidently
astonished and for moment confused.
"Leon! Never saw nothin' Of him
or anybody" he muttered. "Never
knew he was back herea least-er
| didn't know it until j heard rumor
| Of It tonight Evidently It wouldn't
do for Mr.. Muncey to tell that lie, as it
would soon be known how they had
been talking but few hours before Of
Icons return. "How'd you come to- let
him gop'' he queried, turning about
again and apparently forgetting his
urgent mission to Kelly's.
''Well, he never stopped to ask me, !"
said Mr.. Crane, which was very true
'sBut 1 can't understand how you
missed each other If you kept the road.
However, go ahead and warn Kelly,
and then come back here and we'll
talk about Leon"
And Muncey had gone on to Kelly's,
but that was the last seen Of him, de-
spite the fact that he gave Kelly to
understand that. he must hurry over to
Crane again at once. Ferguson and
his friends came galloping in to old
Retribution and stirring up the guard,
and they could tell of Icons safe
arrival within easy range of the new
post, and of their warning him to stay
there, but they, too, had pushed on
over to sKelly's, and thence, scofang at
Kelly's story Of Muncey's return to the
outpost, and telling him the man was
a liar, which Kelly already knew, and
q horse thief, which he more than sus-s
pected, they had ridden straight back
past the lower gate Of the canyon and
made for the trail to Ration Springs.
Whether they had met or had escaped
the Indians no one could tell. The
fate Of Muncey and his pursuers be-
came for the time being secondary
consideration. Thornton's first effort
was 10 ascertain what had become Of
i Leon. 8.iEss.gg3
With any luck at all the boy should
have got back to the old post By three
or q quarter past three in the morning.
Crane and his little guard, Mrs. Downey
and her sympathizing friends, how
/ ever, had reasoned that he would not
be allowed to attemp pit to return, and SO
had ceased to look for him. Crane COM
veyed to the woman the tidings
| brought by Ferguson, for up to that
moment he lad disbeEeved Niuncey's
wild tale. Then, doubling his sentries,
but telling the rest of his party to. lie
\ down and rest, he coolly sprawled him
self on his blankets and went to sleep
The next thing he knew it was nearly
! dawn, and the sentries had reused the
4 guard Springing to his feet, Crane de-
4 handed the cause of thef alarm, and
was told. there was firing up by Kelly's
ranch. IL was still dark, though the
eastern .lSy was beginning to flush as
the little detachm ent quickly, noiseless
i " assembl ed in the starlight in front
/ Of the old guard house. Two veteran
war soldiers, Tracey aud Collins, were
on post at The time, and both declared
/ that there had been q rapid fusil iade
at least q dozen shots. It could have.
come from nowhere but Kelly's said
they, though from their stations they
could not see the farm bull dings- Cor