The Irish standard., 1895-09-28
THE RANCH.

THE RANCH. s#
old post long enough to give them !:
warning, and then had ridden away for
Kelly's. 'tJust as quick as I've warned
the old man III come back 10 you" he
called to Lieut.. Crane, who had
thanked him somewhat inadequately
for the service rendered. Crane shared
the universal suspicion, perhaps, and
disbelieved Muncey' e report on general
principles. Muncey was squirting off
when Crane hailed him: t'You must
have met Leon mile or 30 out. Didn't
you turn him back?' And Muncey
whirled around in saddle, evidently
astonished and for Q moment confused.
Leon! Never saw nothin' OF him
or anybody" he muttered. Never
knew he was back here-at least-er-.
l didn't know it until 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 buta few hours before Of
Icons return. how'd you come toilet
him gop' he queried, turning about
again and apparently forgetting his
| uIRcuG n1S5lOu 7hCAAy
"Well, he never stopped to ask me,
said Mr.. Crane, which was very true.
.'But I 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 wen
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 Kelly's, and thence, scomng at
Ke1ly's story Of Muncey's return to the
outpost, and telling him the man was
liar, which Kelly already knew, and
horse thief, which he more than sus-
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 Of. had escaped
l. UQ0 A10ul&tuS 10 one OOuAQs cCAA. III - LIZ
fate of Muncey and his pursuers be-
came for the time being q secondary
consideration. Thornton's first effort
was to ascertain what had become OF
Leon. u.s.
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, hove
ever, had reasoned that he would not
be allowed to attempt to return, and SO
had ceased to look for him. Crane con-
veyed to the woman the tidings
brought BY Ferguson, for up to that
moment he / ad sdisbelieved Muncey'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
| guard. Springing to his feet, Crane de-
| manded the cause Of the alarm, and
was told there was firing up by Kelly
ranch, II was still dark, though tho
| eastern ~lsy was beginning to flush as
the little detachment quickly, noiseless
| " assembled in the starlight ii front
Of the old guard house. Two veteran
war soldiers, Tracey and Collins, were
on post at the time, and both declared
that there had been a rapid fusillade--
| at least q dozen shots. It could have
! come from nowhere but Kelly's, said
they, though from their stations they
/ co,,id not zee the farm b1,ild ings. Cor