The Irish standard., 1895-10-05

Mrs Y. s house is crowded now. he -
wild to meet Leon again, and the two
boys can remain together at tie post.
while I'm In the field. I'm only afraid
j. the fun will be all over before we get
I there . 81 3;.s ].
And so It was settled.
Many time before the boy had been
his fathers companion in mountain
hunt. or scout, but never when the
Apaches were swarming as at this mo-
ment, I'VE shall find none of them
east Of Date creek" said Cullen, land I
east of there our escort will be too for
midable. for them to Jump. Have no
fear for him" But what mother could
Danish fear for the safety Of her only
boy? No one saw her parting with the
brave, eager, blue-eyed little fellow.
Devotcdly though he loved her, he was
soldier all over, like his father, and
eager to act the soldiers part eager to
go with him to the seat of war, over
mountain pass and desert and treach-
erous stream bed, regretting,, it any
thing, that Chere was no likelihood OF
encountering Indians on the way.
Her heart was wrung-yet like many
another army mother Of the old army
days, she simply had to face the in
evitable. She was to follow with
in the fortnight with the generals
wife and their party Of ladies, children
and servants by steamer around Old
California and up the gulf to the Colo
RADIO By the time they reached Fort
Yuma the outbreak would probably be
all over and the Indians back in their
mountain homes-the troops in garTi-
son. It was one of those temporary
separations mothers elsewhere mar
iveled at and declared impossible, but
that army mothers wept over, yet
bowed to- Night and day for forty
eight hours while she prayed for them
within sound of the Pacific surges,
father and son whirled rapidly east
ward, across the turpid Colorado, rest
ing only an hour at Ehrenberg where
they changed blackboard, mules and
driver, then on again by starlight,
gradually rising from billow to billow5
of the long leagues of desolation to the
wild and picturesque scenery Of the
Sierras, then through resinous forests
OF pine. through rocky canyon and
winding gorge, until they were landed,
stiff and sore, dusty, hungry and
thirsty, among the log huts of the little
garrison at old Fort Whipple, catching
the department commander just two
days before even that impatient soldier
thought it possible. j
Then, after a refreshing bath and q
few hours rest in the generals own big
ambulance, and escorted now by wary
troopers, away they went for the valley
of the Sandy. Everything indicated,
said the chief, that the Indians, after
wiping out the Santa Anita settlements,
had swooped upon the lower valley
while the garrison at Retribution was
in it's state of transition, and very prob
ably they had made it lively for Thorn
ton. Couriers had rushed to Col. Pei
ham at Camp Sandy with orders to send
strong columns southwark at once, one
of them following the valley to meet
the general at the fords just above
Apache canyon.
Away sped their strong six-mule team
down through the fertile Hassayampa,
across to the broad valley of Willow
creek, changing mules and escort at the
mountain ranch and getting all man
ner of startling news and rumors on the
way. Away at last for the Sandy, pass
ing early in the afternoon, while Ram
dy was doing in his corner, the foam
covered, dust -begrimed pair, Muncey
and Cardoza too badly stampeded to
stop and talk said the sergeant COM
manding the escort, "but shouting that
they alone had escaped.
. '.We should reach Retribution by
midnight" said the general. '!'And
him and hug him the moment get
there; and won't he be amazed?" said
Randall, joyfully.
The story of the boys long tramp
home was familiar to one and all by
this time and had won the little fellow
host OF friends among officers and
soldiers alike. ''No one can believe
what that fellow Muncey says, though |
/ have reason to think the Apaches
have reached the Sandy" said the gem
eral. And so on they went, rattling (
and humping and jolting down the
winding road to the east of the range,
and at last pulled up in the midst Of
Turner's troop at nightfall; and then
that his friend and playmate was gone,
and no one could say how or where.
Tired and drowsy as he had been
during the long, hot day, tired as all |
might well be, there was no thought Of |
WEAKNESS now In breathless interest |
the little party listened to Maj. Thorn
tons description of the events Of the
previous night, RandalIs heart throb- |
bing hard as he heard Of Icons brave |
ride for Mrs Downey's sake, and his
tears raining afresh as Thornton told |
how they had found the pony, after
daybreak, pierced with Apache arrows,
near the butte. ssHad they searched
the butte itseH2' asked the general.
Every crevice Of it, sir, replied:
Sergt. Charlton, who had found the
pony. ''There was no trace Of him
there. ss s. 53
Indeed, there was mo place there
where he could hide" said Randall,
sadly. .tsWe had hunted and played
scout all over ite-an over the neigh
gborhood, in fact. The only places we T
had to hide were in the old canyon it,
sell. because we believed there the In-
dians Wouldn't come.
5s.s'a &. s And you had some hiding place In I
there?' asked the general. placing his
sum burned hand on Rantalls shoulder
aud looking kindly down into the boys /
britnming blue eyes.
I Yes, sir; three or four Of them. We I
had two down under the cliffs near the
south end and another up BY the cove, T
!. where old Sanchez canned near where 1