The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1895-12-26
Copyright, 1894. by the Author.)

it WIS all very brave OF him to take
such risk for Mrs. Downey's sake, but
wheI. Indians have dared to come with
in mile of us what's to prevent their
beinEall along that westward road now?
Couldn't you have sent few menu"
Gould, perhaps" said the major,
with an air that betrayed just little
how much he resented it that any of
the ladies' should question his judg-
mem, ''but there are two reasons why
| diln't--more than two, in fact. In
the jirst place, the boy had just come
safe y in over the road, and that shows
that it is probably safe for tonight
at least. Even Apaches have to
sleep sometimes, you know. In the
second place, Capt. Foster has driven
aheid of him any Indians that
might have been out here to the
north = if, indeed, those Mexicans
weren't shooting at spooks. We have
only their word for it, you know, that
there were any Tontos at ALL"
"rhey ran off two mules, interposed
Mrs Foster, impetuously.
"Nait moment. The Mexicans say
thev did, but I've known these greasers
to { like Ananias already, and we've
onl been here few weeks. Even if
the had had two mules and boy, what
wa. to prevent the mules stampeding
int, the hills on their own account, and
hiding in some ravine to the west of the
roa 4, as their owners did to the east?'
But Capt. Foster wouldn't chase
spc oks ell night" said the lady, rock
ing rapidly and excitedly now. She
wa full of conviction that the Apaches
were all around them, and there was no
coIafort in being argued out ofthe idea.
Capt. Foster" replied the major,
| * lows as well as we do from official
reports that the Indians have raided
| tht mines and the Prescott road, and
he is gone on, like the good soldier he
is, added he. ALPHABETICALLY, "to warn
or rescue these other parties, if they
re, lily exist, and stir up the Indians if
Tiny get in his way. South of that cur
tain of mountains, he continued, point
I'M, to the black mass of the Socorro,
''and behind your husbands slsirmish
lire we are free from danger. West of
tn g post, which guards the descent to
tn Sandy valley, no Indian is going to
be fool enough to venture unless he's
dc ubly Tonic, which, I'm told, means
md. Now my advice to the wife of my
gt cd friend, Capt. Foster, is that she
gt to bed and sleep. That's what 1
m ian to do"
But, major" persisted Mrs. Foster,
suppose Leon should be cut off by
b. anybody. He told me you said his
Mexican uncle was again here trying
to get him. Suppose he shouldn't reach
tie old post by three o'clock or later,
how would you know?"
"Ah, thought Of all that. told
him to start fire under what's left of
that old stack Of condemned hay the
moment he got in. The sentries out
h ere on Three aud Four have already
received orders to watch for fire at
the old post If they don't see it by
half-past three at the latest, we'll start
party in search. But that tire'll be
tlere all right. Good night, Mrs. Fos-
tar-now don't worry"
| But Mrs. Foster did worry. She wor-
red about Leon-eXposed, as she be-
leved, to danger from two sources.
She worried about her husband, even
though her native common sense told
l,er it was not likely SO strong COM
lnand as his company would meet with
lpaches that night. If Apaches were
IN the neighborhood they would be apt
o keep well out of the way. She wor-
led so tlrat even by two o'clock when
The retired to her own room she could
lot sleep.
But she worried even less than her
friend the major, who found himself toe
uneasy to lie down at all. Bidding
good night TO the three officers, he had
gone to his quarters, and as he took q
final look out over the silent and shad
owy prairie, thanked goodness Mrs
Thornton and the children were safe IL
the east. Not that they would have
been in any particular danger at Rctri
button. bat because they'd be in tn,
| Way just HoW, anu WnSn WonaSi diie
children win ask questions that arr
hard to answer, especially of pos
commander. "Confound the Apache'
and Muncey and Manuel Cardozaw sais
he. land especially Mrs. Downey
What on earth did she get sick for ant
have that BOY rislsing his young life Il
fetch her camphor julep at thre'
o'clock in the morning?" He wished h
had sent sergeant and ten men bacl
with him, for, if Apaches really wer
in the Sandy valley. Crane might nee'
reinforcements, anyhow. only he hate
to trout out" men and horses in tina
heathenish way long after midnight
If anything should go wrong wit
Leon, how his old friend Cullen woul
blame him. He looked at his watch
only little after two-a whole hou
to wait before he could hear of tn
boys safe return, but surely somethin
i should be heard from Foster. ]
couldn't take his couriers two hours t
ride back in the night from Ratio
Springs. Ra
II Lighting his pipe, the major ono
more went out into the still night ali
Over at tho guardhouse the light
burned dirnly and he could see tn
shadowy forms of the sentry on No.
slowly pacing his post. Stepping on
upon the parade, henoted that only
1