The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-01-30
PART I.

PART I.
Standing on little bald excrescence
of a hill, young Powers, the assistant
engineer-in-c charge, waited for his lncn
Powers was hot and dry and hungry.
No food, however, was to be had unll
the corps should have come up, ana
though the men were working toward
the long red and white pole that powers
had stuck into the summit of the hill, as
men do work when their overdue dinner
is at the end of their labors. some time
must elapse before they could reach the
knoll. This made Powers cross, as we'll
To the north and south, as far as the
eye could reach, and thousand miles
farther, stretched the yellow desert OF
southern Arizona, split into halves by
the green valley of the ella. The en-
gineer looked wearily over the dismal
view. He turned to a cottonwood tire"
to which his horse was tied, leisurely
slackened the saddle girths, and then
sat down in the shade
He could hear that the sounds of the
working men, which drfted family
through the hot, still air, grew palmer
as the party neared him. once they
stopped for a minute, and Powers heard
the sharp report of n pistol that rou5ed
in him. for an instant, a languid inter-
was only one of the boys shooting at
jaclt-rabbt, or a coyate or something
Soon, followed by an aXman, Carter,
the big head Chainman tOiled up the
steep little rise the chain clanking be-
hind him, as he dragged it over the
stone of the hillside.
Take off the plus. will you?" lie
shouted to his mate on the other end of
the chain.
Three four seven plus five seven point
six" came in a monotonuus drawl from
where the rear chairman was concealed
in the scrub.
"rhree four seven plus five seven
point six repeated Carter. "Got it?'
The engineer nodded as he entered the
figures i'm his note book. Say" Carter
went ON, you know that horse thief
what sWiped them bronChs of Unc'
George Marden's, don't you? Him that
the boys is out Chasin'."
Haven't the pleasure" murmured
Powers. wearily.
81 don't mean that Way-Lord, no."
cried the literal Carter. But you know
there was a thief"
81 know that Marden lost some horses,
or said he did. There hasn't been any
thing else talked about in the camp
since they We're missed. I'm sick of it,"
=
him, then" responded Carter. What
I'm sayin' is" he interrupted himself
in order to pull out the rod from where
it stuck in the ground. Then he marked
a stake to drive in its place.
You We're about to say-?' suggest
ed Powers, mildly.
Yes. What I'm sayin' is that
shouldn't wonder if that thief wasn't
camped roun' here sOmew'ers. | come
along o. two horses back there a ways
One had croaked for sure, and the other
was just about maxim up his min ter
quit, so [ helped him out. Likely you
heard me shoot"
Il did. But what makes you think
that the thief's camped about here?'
Them horses. They was piclieted; /;
that makes it sure that somebody's here,
where nobody wouldn't have to call
to be, if ther business was on the dead,
an them bein so killed up makes it
seem profile that here comes the
grub"
The big six horse wagon crashed
through the chapparal, bearing the
transit party and the food. a Mexican
brush-cutter, his machete sheathei by
his side, and several aXmen followe It,.
The seven horses We're quickly un-
brided and fed. Throughout the place
Carter went to the wagon and lifted out
the two big boxes of food, with three five
gallon canteens piled on top of them.
Powers watched him admiringly.
Though neither small nor weak, he
could not have begun to do that, Then
the stir settled to silence, is the men
devoted themselves to the food before
them.
Il seen Red Willis an Cappy Lee
early this forenoon" said the back flag
man, at last, speaking with mis- mouth
full. "They was shown fer keeps scross
the lower ford, hot foot after that thcr
hawse thief. The rest er the posse is
comm down above, an they think
they've got him ketched between 'em.
Can't be much good in his business,
stayin' right around here. Don't seem
to have no saVvy, somehow"
"What am l tellin you?" asked Car
ter, triumphantly, of the engineer. Hes
camped roun' here an he stays here
Them dead hosses was his; so he sWipes
them what belongs to Unc' George t.
make up his team. What's the matter
with us tallin' a hand, after dinner an
Good Lord, what's that?"
On the edge of the Weedy thicllet IN
front Of him. there stood two children
The elder, a girl of seven or eight years
held the hand of q boy, just old eEougt
to walk alone. The men stared il
genuine amazement, turning around as
they sat, or lodging forward, in order
to get view unobstructed by the heads
of their neighbors. For a moment, see,
ing the sensation caused by their ad.
vent, the children held bashfIlly back
giving time for the men to notice thai
the visitors We're white children, and OF
a kind seldom found on the frontier
They wore shoes and stockings. art
their clothing was of good quality ant
clean. Though the face of the bog was
dirty, it was as boys faces generally