The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-01-02

and went leaplng ike colt along his
post to the point where it was crossed
by the Prescott road, and instead of
the prolonged and melodious call of the
hour, when it came his turn, it was the
sentry's challengc-sharp, clear and
imperative-thats split the morning air.
There was something nerve tingling,
something that smacked of swift COM
ing alarm in the very tone, and its only
answer at the front was the quick, ris-
ing thud of galloping horses hoofs.
Again rang the challenge-all three
words jumbling this time into one
"Whocomcshere?"- Haiti" Halt,
or I'll fire!" and then Raymond's power
full tones rang out through the breath
less air.
"Hold your fire, sentry. That horse
has no rider!"
But the only answer was the loud
bang of the Springfield and the leaden
bullet went whistling away toward the
pole star. That sentry had heard
enough of the perils of post No. for
one night, and preferred to take no
chances. "Sure, didn't hear the cap
TAIN" he explained, few minutes
later. He heard only the rapid coming
of horses hoofs, and despite the fact
that horses were things the mountain
Apaches never thought Of using except
when hungry, Private Hanrahan be-
lieved all the Tonic tribe were coming
and let drive accordingly. 1t was only
a troop horse, blown and bleeding, only
another evidence of the devilish cum
ming of the savage foe, for the moment
Corporal Dunn could reach them on the
Jump, he cried with sob in his voice:
Its Tralee, of G troop, sir. Jim Raj
fertys horse" And so at last here was
Fosters courier from Ration Springs
but where were the dispatches? Where,
alas, was Jim? Tralce's heaving tanks
and distended nostrils and eyeballs told
his story of peril and homeward fight,
even as the long welt in his broad
haunch and the cash through the high
pommel of the Mcclellan tree were elo-
quent of it's cause. Like Rucl1el, the
sentry, poor Rafferty,, homeward speed
ing with his captains midnight dis
patch, had been ambushed at the road
side
Another thrill to the chorus of excite
mcnt that had throbbed the long night
through, and yet not the last. There
were still left few minutes to dark
ness, and the devil of mischief seemed
afoat in the very air. $50 and tell Mrs.
Foster the truth the best way you can"
said the major, miserably, to his adju-
tant. There she is on the veranda
now. I'll go round the west side of the
office. You can join me there. Yes,
Turner, mount and start at once if your
men have had their coffee. Now sweep
that road clean from here to the Sandy,
and don't leave an Indian to tell the
story. Look for Foster or his men and
try to find Rafferty," And so saying
he turned him to the west and pushed
slowly up the slope, heavy-hearted
man. Almost the last thing he heard
as he reached the end of officers row
was Nellie Fosters weeping. If stout,
soldierlike Irish Jim could be so swiftly,
surely massacred by unseen foes what
must have been Icons fate? Little
black-eyed Leon riding alone, unarmed,
with Mrs Downey's sorely needed
medicine, through the dark depths of
this Indian-haunted night? But now
the mountain tops were all shimmering
with the glow of coming day, and even
into the valley depths the faint light
seemed to peer, and still there walked
no sign of life from the distant outpost,
no reassuring fame to warm his heart
with tidings of the boys safe coming
but something new and weird and
strange was bullying Signal Butte all
out of shape and the sentry on No.
stood halted in fascination and amaze.
The purple fringe of the familiar pine
crest seemed to be soaring slowly up
ward, drawn out into a floating curl,
rose-tinted at the top where it met the
blush of dawn, deep hued below where
it left the black base, then all on a sud
den it burst into lurid glare, red, vel
low, banishing the rose and flaming
over the valley for many mile. Nc
welcome signal that, telling of the
wanderers safe return, no message Of
hope or comfort, but most dreaded
sign of all, it was the cry for help from
the Sandy valley, the appeal of terrified
women and children-the token thai
red war had burst about the walls o.