The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-10
,syY,sAs M ~ =. Te.nyssn Nesay.
CHAPTER XII.

CHAPTER N-
~1fu- 1gcInne." Merriam was saying at
the moment. fnferrupting tho pleading.
weeping woman Who szs ciinging to his
arm. 1t II useless to talk OF IT. Had yoa
let me know why you wtshec 10 see me.
been avoided. Every paper ] had vas
given 20 Mr.. Parry. your lawyer. months
ago. know less about the matter. prob
ahoy. than yca do: ard noe. forgive me.
b.t must 70 ~ once
Almost sorcibly he drew her clasping
hands from his arm. and turning sharply
and without &nosher word TO the cringsng
pathway that led between Grafton's cot
fage and that tc the eastward. and pres
entity emerged again into the moonlight
1t the back OF the house. going straight
10 the captains static. For q moment
his late companion stood there al the trei-
lis. staring after him In mingled misery
and Incredibly. She had planned It well.
She had marked his coming just a. Graf
ton had said. had hurried down to the
shadowy aisle between the quarters and
halted him thcre-astonished at her dAr-
Ing. He would have walked . dozen miles
that night rkfher than have seen her at
all. but 10 meet her this way. to feel that
he was trapped. made Ae-rtam's blood
boil Nth wrath. His voice. though, was
she wished TO see him. But her aim was
10 detaln- to soften. to charm and then TO
plead. and she bad . dreadful, dreadful
story to tell and none TO tell It TO but him.
Even then she was baked. for Merriam
bluntIy bade her omit the story. a. ne
knew all he needed to know. and come to
the point at once. What could she want
Of him? Adyice-sympathy. she cried:
and for advice he referred her to her law
yer-for sympathy she must not come to
him. She must have some purpose in cali
Ing on hiu1-xhat was III And then 10
proved to be the packet with certain pa
pers. given him by the young miner In the
Aescsiero. 1T was turned over to your
lawyer long ago" said Randy: and then
she burst into tears and said she was un-
done. and walled. "Oh. Randy. RANDY.
what can I-what am to do?" And he
suggested grayely. courteously. but posi-
lively, that she should at once go indoors
while he went on his way.
His heart was bitter against her a. he
strobe out beyond the fence line. and.
after carefully Inspecting the doors OF
Grafton's stable. he closed and locked the
gate. He wished now more than ever TO
hurry on westward and enter his own lit
tie home and surprise Florence. With
grateful eyes he had noted the parior
lights and interpreted them as indicating
that she must be well over the unreason-
ing stage Of this her first and he prayed
God. her last Jealous trouble. He turned
toward his own gate. intending only to
glance at the other stables on the way
and give the sentry additional orders:
but when he got 30 far toward the west
ern end Of the row as to enable him to
distinguish any object as big as man he
found to his vexation that there was no
sentry there ~ all. and that he must re-
trace his steps and look for him toward
the other end. 1t was a backward tramp
OF over 900 yards. and he was frritated
enough to feel like scoring the sentry
when he finally came upon him.
You shouldn't be here. SIR" he began
after the customary challenge and reply.
where you are most needed il along
toward the other end. where there are
private horses In fiimsy stables"
Il know. SIR" said the soldier prompt
". but there's something amlss out
scuffle and cries for help. and then a
running down in the creek bottom. The
corporsrs gone out TO see. I'm afraid
there's been blood split. sir"
And even as they stood and listened. the
stu night air Was split by the loud re-
port OF a carbine. echoed back from the
opposite wall Of the shallow. narrow can
yon- II was followed almost instantly by
Q cry for aid.
Come right along" shouted Merriam
TO the sentry. and he sprang away In the
direction Of the ALARM Newer mind your
postr'
A run Of nearly 700 yards. crossing dag
onaily tho Junction road as they ran,
brought the lieutenant to the edge OF the
chasm. at point where one could see
come distance down the stream the sentry
painting several rods behind. The moon
light was faint, but stiil s,fficient TO en-
able him 10 make out the form OF q man
apparently crawling on hands and knees
M the bank. while another lay niotionless
close to tho waters edge. Over this lat
ter Corporal Mahoney was bending. i'm
ploring in grief-stricken tones. Randy
went bounding down the abrupt slope.
sure-sooted as . goat.
whats the matter. corporalf What IL
it,
Brady. sir--stabeed TO death. I'm
'fraid. There was three OF EN- on him,
and more ~ poor Corcorsu yonder-Mexi-
cans. ali OF EN-. and they iit out straight
for that monte shack across the resa.
Their horses are there. reckon. Look
up. Brady. man. for Gods saket Here's
the lieutenant come TO help"
Merriam kneit. threw open the blue
blouse and placed his hand over the heart
waited a moment and shook his head.
HIS hand was dripping with blood as he
drew II out. IAN over with poor Brady.
~ =
lowed me out. Tell him 10 hurry for the
surgeon and send the litter from the hos
piiai Who ffred-''
II did. sir. hoped to bring down ono
OF the gang. bu, they were too far or"
answered the corporal. as he was pulling
himself up the bank
Turning away from the stricken soldier
and dabhling for q moment his hand IN
the stream. Randy called 10 corcorsn. the
other victim. who was rrosning and ours
ting alternately. and who presently sars,
into nsrdiin tears demanding 10 be given
a chance to stand up against the damned
ercssers again. that he might aunshiiste
the entire party. I; was evident thar
sastier enemy had eowned him even BE-
fore the Mexican took hold. He was only
slightly injured physically. sut his money
was gone. AL Randy could extract from
him was that there had been a game ard
he wouldn't pay up because the rreassrs
were cheating. and they chased him ard
Brady, and overlook them and Used their
knives
Buxton was stin up ana fuli OF his pro-
sect % - rdinr the patrol for ahscntc~s
ard the hard tsfst as soon ss the Rirers'
train should have started. Re heard the
call for the surgeon sn8 promptly turned
cat in person. The sleepy horses Of the
patrol were standing rs~ekiy and wonder
tnrfy at the guard house when the distant
rear. ra.icpea cat When Bax appeared
n. borrowed another and one for the sur
reen. Then. after hearing Ner-fan's
brief recital he ordered him TO mount
forth with. take the enttre patrol and gAi-
lc-, IN chase O. the xfesssrs
There was 10 air,ceity IN learning q.
the wreschsi shack 81 the edge % the