Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-08-02
were fitting about in every set OF quar-

were fitting about in every set OF quar-
ters and on every side.
Everybody was astir, even the chill
dren. Over at the east the stars were
beginning to pale in the faint, pallid
light of the coming morn, and little by
little the jagged outline of the Mogol-
Ion range grew sharp and clear against
the reddening sky. Over at the west
the peaks began to warm and glow in
answer, wnlle at Jnelr base the valley
Of the Sandy still lay dark and unre-
vealed. Nearly four o'c1ock-no fur
ther word from Foster. Could he have
sent couriers from the springs, who,
riding carelessly, confidently home
ward, had met poor Ruckel's fate?
Certainly by three o'clock he should
have been heard from, and here it was
almost daylight. In ten minutes, just
as soon as coffee could be served, Tur-
ner, with his troop, would push away
on his scout, and then, all on sudden,
the old anxiety flashed again upon the
major. Nearly four o'clock and Icons
signal had not. been fired. Great heav-
ems! were the Apaches on the westward
road. then, after all? Was that brave
little life another sacrifice? Taking
Raymond and his adjutant with him,
the major once more tramped out to
the westward. There over the tum-
bling sea of rock and gorge and beetling
cliff the cleaning tip of old San Pedro
peered at them. his rugged TANKS robed
in royal purple, but even Signal Butte
in the lower valley lay shrouded in
gloom. In low tone the sentry on No.
challenged at their approach. He
recognized the voices of his officers. but
orders compelled him to demand further
token. Friends with the countersign,"
answered the adjutant. half inpatient
ly. as though to say: 1--WE weren COM
ing on or across your post. vet refrain
ing from other words because he knew
the sentry's right.
Halt, friends! Advance one with
the countersign," ordered the soldier,
in the same low, firm tone, and, obedi-
emily, Thornton and Raymond waited
while the junior officer went quickly
forward and whispered the mystic word
over the lowered bayonet of the in
fantry guard. Permitted then to hold
conversation with his visitor, Private
Graham answered the first anxious
question Of the major: mo, sir; not
sign of fire anywhere in the valley.
I've been watching particular" And
Just at that moment the call of four
o'clock began.
Only two calls had gone the rounds
since the discovery of Ruckel's fate.
and once more now, still dim and indis-
tinct, the post of No. 5, down in the
low ground to the north was uncov-
cred at the front, for Raymond's troop
had returned. Instinctively the off,
GERS turned away from No. and
walked back nearer the northward
slope as the soldier watch cry came on
from lip to lip. They could just faint
ly distinguish the form of the sentry
well to the westward of the road well
out of range-small blame to him-of
those stunted brush heaps and the
point where poor Ruckel had been done
to death less than two hours before.
lie had halted moment as though to
listen to the call as it came to him, and
No. 4-the infantryman they had just
lcft-began to take it up as No. SIS voice
died away Then all of sudden No. 5
brought his rife down to the charge