People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1895-12-26

brave life in the attempt; had given
the signal that brought rescue to them
at the gallOp, and in SO doing had
betrayed his own presence to the
lurking foe. Here again, therefore,
was a case where the ground remained
in the hands of one party, but all the
telling blows were dealt by the other.
The soldiers had felt the sting of
Kelly's words. True, no one of their
number had been ordered to make
that perilous ride, though all had
heard Mrs. Downey's cries and means
and appeals for aid, and some one
might have volunteered and been al
lowed to go, but not until Leon was
well on his way. True, had Downey
been there he would not have permit
ted the sacrifice, and was now ready to
bitterly upbraid his weaker half for in
spring it. A good woman in many a
way was Mrs. Downey, and very fond
OF the boys, Randall and Leon, but the
least pain or illness Frustrated her, and
q serious pain frightened her to the
verge of distraction. All this Leon was
too young to appreciate. He believed
her suffering terribly and in dire need,
as did all who heard her, perhaps, but
Kelly's girls and her own Mexican
maid of all work-and so, Just as he
thought Randy would have done had
he been there, he determined to 20
and went withouta word to Crane, who
might have stopped him, as, indeed,
Mrs. Downey was shrewd enough to
declare he would Il he happened to hear
of it.
And now Crane and his party were
well away into the Socarro in pursuit,
and Kelly, returning wrathful to his
home, was anticipated in his search for
Leon by the coming Of Turner's troop,
followed within moment or two By
Charlton's dramatic announcement OF
the discovery Of the slaughtered pony
Half an hour later while the old ser.
geant was bending over and examining
the stiffened carcass of his pet broncho,
Turner's best scouts, afoot, were scour-
ing every square yard Of those jagged,
ibowlder strewn TANKS Of the butte in
search OF Icons trail or that Of his In
dian Toes. Others were examining the
signs in the timber and along the Sandy,
and the more they found the more they
were mystifed. Apaches, as a rule, IN
those days were foot warriors. The
Tontos, Sierra Blancas, Hualpas,
Apache Mohaves and Apache Yumas
had small use for horse or mule, yet
there were more hoof than moccasin
prints in the timber and around Kelly's
corral What was more, both mules
and horses were shod. That meant
that they had run off a good deal OF
stock and were riding instead Of walk
ing, said Turner's men, but Kelly,
growing graver and less disposed to
talk with everys moment, continued
searching on his own account, and
neglecting many a chance to snub
some callow young trooper hazarding
theories as TO the numbers and move.
ments of the Indians.
Maj. Thornton contenting himself
with sending a platoon on the trail Of
Cranes party, had ridden up to Kelly's
ranch to pencil some instructions for
Raymond. 1t was now seven o'clock,
and neither he nor his men had seen a
single Indian; neither had he news Of
Foster, nor tidings of any kind, yet
with the events of the night still fresh
In his mind. with the death of Rrelal
and Rafferty, and Kelly's Mexican as
sistant and the loss Of Leon to mourn,
the major felt convinced the Indiana
had swOoped in force upon the valley,
and would have killed, burned and de-
stroyed everything in sight but for his
prompt answer to the signal which his
forethought had caused to be provided
at the top Of the butte. The Apaches
had desisted from their Rttemnt only Of