People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-01-09

Mrs. C.'s house Is crowded now. He is
wild to meet Leon again, and the two
boys can remain together at the post
while I'm in the field. TN only afraid
the fun will be all over before we get
there"
And so it was settled.
Many a time before the boy had been
his fathers companion in mountain
hunt or scout, but never when the
Apaches were swarIning as at this mo-
ment. 'We shall find none of them
east Of Date creek" said Cullen, "and
east Of there our escort will be too for
midable for them to jump. Have no
fear for him" But what mother could
Danish fear for the safety Of her only
boy? No one saw her parting with the
brave, eager, blue-eyed lutte fellow.
Devotedly though he loved her, he was
soldier all over, like his father, and
eager to act the soldiers part-eager to
go with him to the seat Of war, over
mountain pass and desert and treach-
erous stream bed, regretting, If any
thing, that there was no likelihood Of
encountering Indians on the way.
Her heart was wrung-yet like many
another army mother Of the old army
days, she simply had to face the in
evitable. She was to follow with
in the fortnight with the generals
wife and their party Of ladies, children
and servants by steamer around Old
California and up the gulf to the Colo
RADIO. By the time they reached Fort
Yuma the outbreak would probably be
all over and the Indians back in their
mountain homes-the troops in CARR
son. 1t was one of those temporary
separations mothers elsewhere mar
veled at and declared impossible, but
that army mothers wept over, yet
bowed to. Night and day for forty
eight hours while she prayed for them
within sound of the Pacific surpes,
father and son whirled rapidly east
ward, across the turpid Colorado, rest
ing only an hour at Ehrenberg where
they changed blackboard, mules and
driver, then on again by starlight,
gradually rising from billow to billow
OF the long leagues Of desolation to the
wild and picturesque scenery Of the
Sierras, then through resinous forests
OF pine, through rocky canyon and
winding gorge, until they we're landed,
stiff and sore, dusty, hungry ard
thirsty, among the log huUs Of the little
garrison at old Fort Whipple, catching
the department commander Just two
days before even that impatient soldier
thought it possible.
Then, after a refreshing bath and a
few hours rest in the generals own big
ambulance, and escorted now by wary
troopers, away they went for the valley
of the Sandy. Everything indicated,
said the chief, that the Indians, after
wiping out the Santa Anita settlements,
had swoOped upon the lower valley
while the garrison at Retribution was
in its state Of transition, and very prob
ably they had made It lively for Thorn
ton. Couriers had rushed to Col. Pei
ham at Camp Sandy with orders to send
strong columns southwark at once, one
of them following the valley to meet
the general at the fords just above
Apache canyon.
Away sped their strong six-mule team
down through the fertile Hassayalnpa,
across to the broad valley of Willow
creek, changing mules and escort at the
mountain ranch and getting all man
ner Of startling news and rumors on the
way. Away at last for the Sandy, pass
ing early in the afternoon, while Ran
dy was doing IN his corner, the foam
covered, dust-begrimed pair, Muncey
and Cardoza-''too badly stampeded to
stop and talk" said the sergeant Gem
handing the escort, "but shouting that
they alone had escaped"
1--WE should reach Retribution by
midnight" said the general. Sand
just won't hunt up Leon aud wake
him and hug him the moment l get
there, and won't he be amazed?" said
Randall, joyfully.
The story Of the boys long tramp
home was familiar to one and all by
this time and had won the little fellow
host Of friends among officers and
soldiers alike. mo one can believe
what that fellow Munoey says, though
l have reason to think the Apsches
have reached the Sandy, said the gen.
eral. And so on they went, rafting
and humping and jolting down the
winding road to the east Of the range,
and at last pulled up in the midst Of
Turner's troop at nightfall; and then
for the first time did Randall realize
that his friend and playmate was gone,
and no one could say how or where.
Tired and drowsy as he had been
during the long, hot day, tired as all
might well be, there was no thought of
WEAKNESS now. In breathless interest
the little party listened to Maj. Thorn
toms description Of the events Of the
previous night, Randalls heart throb-
bing hard as he heard of Icons brave
ride for Mrs Downeys sake, and his
tears raining afresh as Thornton told
how they had found the pony, after
daybreak, pierced with Apache arrows,
near the butte. Had they searched
the butte itself?" asked the general.
Every crevice of it, SIR" replied
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