The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-01-08

hunting for it, the pony took notion
to wander, and was presently lost to
view Dis:nayed, Leon searched over
the fats, but to no purpose Not until
the dawn was breaking did he come
upon him again, close to Signal Butte,
quietly grazing, and then, all on sud-
in less than no time dozen shadowy
forms fitted between him and the dis
tant guard lights at the post, and he
realized that the Apaches were in the
valley. Leaving his pony to his own
devices, Leon climbed the rocky height
and, taking no thought of his own
danger, fred the beacon Then hurry
ing down in hopes of escape, discovered
several Indians rushing for the butte,
saw that his retreat to the post was cut
off, and made all speed for the canyon,
thinking to hide in safety there until
the coast was clear: but they followed.
or at least he thought it was they. He
heard the shouts and hoof beats at the
entrance. Terror lent him wings and
he ran like deer up the gorge Walk
ing and running, an hours fight
brought him almost exhausted to their
cave of refuge. Here he clambered to
the cave, and there lay for hours, listen
ing later to the shouts and sounds of
battle, never daring to creep forth,
even when nightfall came, and, after
long hours of vigil, worn out, he fell
asleep, only to awake in Randall's
arms.
Leaving the boys to the care of his
friends at the post, Maj. Cullen, with
three troops of his new regiment,
chased the scattering Apaches out of
the Tonto basin without further loss to
settlers or soldier. They had had their
dance and had sense enough to know
when to quit.
Old Fort Retribution is only a mem
ory now. Apache canyon is threaded
by narrow gauge railway. A popu
lous settlement has sprung up in the
Santa Anita Kellys ranch is owned
by one of the Kellys, but under a diff
ferent name-that of her husband-for
the old sergeant was gathered in to his
fathers long years ago. Muncey never
came back, even when the Santa Anita
mines were worth revisiting, even when
the claim of MacNutt and Murray was
sold to good advantage and Icons sole
benefit. Ferguson's beautiful roam had
reappeared after time, as did Fer
guson and his friends, and they
said they found her over in the
Aqua Fria country, where Mum
cey and Cardoza seemed to run
foul of the Apaches again, and
this time without escape At least
Apaches were seen there just a
day or so before the runaways, and
they covered a multitude of SINS The
old butte famed it's signal once again
long years later, when the Indians had
an outbreak on the Cibicu, but that
was after Pelham and the -th served
their five years in Arizona, and, with
Maj. Cullen and Randall, left for the
new station Kansas and Nebraska, and
for long campaigns against their old
friends, the Sioux and Cheyennes By
this time the boys had spent their high
school days in San Francisco, and were
sprouting down upon their sun-tanned
cheeks and planning for future years
of service in the life they loved, and
the last time saw them was some ten
years ago-Leon, stout, stalwart SER
geant in the cavalry; Randall riding, a
platoon commander, in his fathers
regiment-all the better soldiers, both
of them, for the boy days in scout and
saddle around Apache canyon and un-
der the shadows of old Signal Butte.
THE END.