The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-20

was welcomed in so many intelligent, pru-
of his broncos feet as it galloped along
the trail, but it could be distinctly heard.
One or two of the men staggered drowsily
to their feet and looked in the direction
of the dust cloud.
Looks like Ned Curtis, said big Bill
Edwards, shading his eyes with his hands
to escape the suns glare. wonder what
in - he's doing out in this sizzlin' heat
Some'in' must be wrong over at the Ross
place"
This last sentence he muttered half to
himself as he resumed his seat. The dust
column came nearer and nearer some
times obscurng the horseman and some
times drifting to one side and giving the
men at the store a good view OF him.
He could hardly keep his seat He sway
ed from side to side in his saddle, and
once or twice almost lost his balance.
When the bronco staggered up to the store
a few moments later its rider tumbled
into the dust. The bronco. relieved of his
weight, galoped on a little further and
fell also. 1t had carried its last burden.
The rider was unconscious when Ed
wards reached him. lie was lying face
downward. Edwards called for assist
ance, and half dozen men carried him
into the store and laid him on the floor
His face was grimy with blood and dirt,
ana tnere was wound III MS leIL tempe
from which the blood had run down over
his face and his neck in a tiny little rivu-
let.
Some brandy, quick" shouted Ed
wards, and half a dozen TASKS were pro-
duced. Edwards forced some between the
mans hairy lips, and another man dashed
a can of water in his face. 1t was Curtis
They worked with him for half an hour
before there was a sign of life. Then there
was slight twitching of the muscles of
the jaw, and Curtis opened his eyes. He
stared about him for a minute and then
closed them again.
What is it, Ned?' asked Edwards.
Curtis opened his eyes again. The
sound of Edwards voice seemed to restore
his senses. He gasped feebly: "Injunsl
Greasers Everybody dead at our place!
Cattle and horses gone! Shanty burningw
Then he swooned again. One of the men
ran to the door and looked out over the
hills to the southwest. Away over the
hills he saw a thin column of smoke.
II was II miles away, but in the clear
Texas atmosphere and to the keen vision
of Texan it was plain enough. The man
returned to the group about Curtis. Ed
wards was Just spreading a bandana hand
kerchief over the PROSTATE mans face.
The storekeeper was coming with another
can of water.
Needn't poster yerself Mike" said Ed
Silently the men walked out of the store
There was a stern look on every sun
burned face. No one said a word. but the
men went out to a group of scrub oaks
where the horses were picketed. In few
moments they we're back before the store,
mounted and ready for action. They were
not demonstrative in their friendships
Whole-souled Ned Curtis, who had braved
many a danger with them, was dead. The
greasers had done it. The greasers must
suffer, or kill Ned Curtis friends. too.
"Ain't much chance that the Rosses IS
left" said Edwards, as the calvacade
struck out over the trail al a swinging
lope
but we'll ketch them greasers afore
they gifts fur. and then"
Edwards did not finish his sentence, but
looked at the printing Of his short Missis-
sippi rife
There were p men In the party, sturdy,
bronzed fellows with shaggy hair and long
boards. They looked at their rifles also
There was scarcely a word spoken until
the top Of a hill which accorded a good view
of what had been the Ross place was
reached Nothing remained but a pile OF
ashes Two bloody corpses lay near by.
Both were stripped almost naked and
scalped.
On their pesky skins" muttered Big
BILL "They want satisfied TO kill and
drive off the cattle, they robbed the dead
Of shirts an everything They'll pay for
this" and then, turning 10 his companions,
who were silently gazing at the ruins
about them. he asked. See any signsT'
big dust cloud off TO the right" said
the storekeeper.
That's them" said Edwards. AN
they must have 800 head Of cattle with EN-.
Well, they can't get away with EN-"
They've got a twenty-mile start" said
the storekeeper, IAN It's only a matter o.
afty mile more TO the Grande."
"Weu II we don't ketch EN- on this
side wen foller them on tother," said Ed
wards. International boundaries were lit
tie respected on tho frontier In those days
The Texans thought nothing OF following
band Of Mexican cattle thieves hundreds
of miles across the Rio Grande.
IL was after shutdown when the caval-
cade set In motion again. Men and horses
were refreshed by food and drink and the
cool breeze which had sprung up with the
disappearance Of the sun. They started
off al a swinging six-mile -an-hour clip.
Occasionally Edwards spoke and one Of
the others answered him In monosyllables.
There Is little twilight IN the southwest
Black darkness rapidly succeeds blazing
light; but the Texans kept the trail with
| this unerring precision OF men trained
| to such business. The moon rose along
toward O'Clock and shone with pale
splendor over the hills Transforming the
scrub oaks and the mesquite bushes into