People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1895-12-19


yards apart. The other is in reserve,
ready to strike wherever the foe may
be developed. Only mile away lie the
old ruins across the Sandy. Only a
mile and half up there along the
falda, to the northwest, are the brown
adobe buildings Of Kelly's little ranch,
Hereaway to the north, nearly opposite
the gateway of Apache canyon,
through which the Sandy comes brawl-
ing, towers the black pyramid Of
Signal Butte, thin smoke still float
ing skyward from its summit. A dozen
times, say the men Of the reserve, have
they seen Icons pony tracks on the
way, but not once since passing the
dry arroyo two miles back. Over
beyond that strange cone-shaped
butte, so strong a landmark as
it stands like a sentry guarding
the canyons gate, the shallow rift in
the Socorro tells where the trail comes
IN from Ration Springs over on the
northeast. Riding at speed until within
a mile of the timber, Turner has been
watching with eager eye for any sign of
life or action, of friend or foe, from
across the stream, and not so much as
wave Of flag or blanket, or even ban.
dana has rewarded his wistful scrutiny.
Kelly's home is apparently deserted.
The dismantled walls Of the old post
are now hidden behind the sheltering
fringe Of timber close to the stream.
Downey's ranch below is out of sight
behind the shoulder bluff that shrugs
TO the very brink Of the Sandy.
"Queer," says Thornton. mot sign,
yet they must have seen US coming.
Look out for every clump Of trees or
bush ahead there, Turner. Since last
nights experience l sniff an Indian in
every twig." Turner only mods grimly
In reply. All along the skirmish line
the carbines are advanced, the men
peering eagerly into the thickets
ahead of them. The road itself winds
through the low bottom and enters the
stream at gravelly bend opposite the
walls Of the old quartermaster's corral,
but that is couple of hundred yards
further to the south now. Turner is
aiming to reach the open ground mid
way between Kellv's and the post, and
thereby be enabled most promptly to
lend aid to either. If the Tontos are
In strong force and lurking in the tim
Der to give him a hot welcome, then the
fight will be hand to hand, and that's
what he wants. If, on the contrary,
they are too weak to match him, then
there Is little hope Of melting punish
ment, for in his own hands the Apache
can only be thrashed when thoroughly
surprised, and one might almost as well
hope to catch weasel asleep. One
hundred yards only to the timber now,
and not sign from anywhere. More
slowly, cautiously, the line advances,
expecting any instant to hear the crack
Of the Indian rife among the trees
The suppressed excitement of the men
communicates itself through muscles,
that pardonably culver a bit, to the
mettlesome horses, and these are sniff
ing the hot air suspiciously, with wide
eye and nostrils, and erect, twitching
ears shrinking from the possible am
bush ahead. Then comes a sudden
shout from the reserve: Look! Look
at Kelly'sl" And half a dozen horses
cover and shy, and, such is the nervous
strain of the moment, a score Of hui
man hearts bound in young troopers
breasts.
Some one-they can't discover who
is waving shawl or blanket from
Kelly's doorway. Some one else can
be dimly seen lunging out from behind
the ranch and fiercely gesticulating and
pointing toward the range to the north.
Its the old man himself" cries SER
geant They're all right" The next
minute, too, waving his hat, a trooper
comes squirting through the willows at
the front and rides briskly out toward
the advancing line. Men breathe freer
ct the sight.
whats gone wrong? Where are the
rest, corporal?" queries Turner, riding
eagerly to meet the coming trooper.
Patches, sir-ran off Kelly's mules
and killed his herder and tackled the
ranch at dawn. They skipped away up
the canyon, and the lieutenants after
them with ten men. He said be knew
the captain would be coming as soon as
the signal was seen. They fired on US,
too, sir, but didn't harm anybody. Six
Of US were left to look after the women
and children. It's lucky Downey's peo-
pie had come or they'd all been killed"
"Are the women all safer
"All safe, sir, but pretty badly
scared They must have had a close
call at Kelly's. The old man wouldn't
leave 1t last night and Mrs. Kelly
wouldn't leave him, but"
"Then If you're all safe at the post
Wen go right on to Kelly's," said
Turner, impatiently. Assemble on the
right skirmisherf'' he shouted TO the
fighting line. Sound the trot, trum
peterl" and away he went with his or.
derby and few men at his heels to the
point where the right Of the line had
Just reached the timber.
But Thornton fingered. Flows Mrs,
spoWLey? Did she got her medicine%
he asked, uneasily.
Mrs. Downey's better since the Indi