The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-04-23


cue. by this time Hunay was burning
with thirst. but the eva.cr in his cam
teen was warm notwithstanding. lie
raised the felt-covrrtd flask to Ills lips
from time To lime and rinscd his mouth
and mois'"nch his lafchjng threat, but
that did not aliay the craving. lie had
sill ~ miles togo before he could reach
Jcse's and exchange Brown Dick for !,
broncho. and have DIR. Gould renew The
dressing of his Wounded arm. lie
knew that Florence f;idtailru TO appear
there. but he knew her Muck and spir-
it. and believed he knew the reason
that there might be soiourncrs there
either from the C;itanount or from the
post who would seek to turn her back
or hold her there; a,nl he knew that in
her ovcrwronght, half madtlenctl state
she was starving for her mothers pet
ting and her fathers arms lie knew
her so we'll tia, amy attempt TO tlissuude
her now would result. he felt assured.
only in frnntic uutl,urst and more de-
termincd effort TO push ahead.
Then he had another and even better
reason for thinking he could quickly
find Mignon's trail, although it. might
be miles to the nortl, of .Josr's. On
their return from their latest visit to
the Catamount they We're having II
glorious run with the hounds one love-
~ November morning, and the jack
rabbits led them far out to the north
OF the road among the buttcs and
h IN, Il
course of u little stream, barely yard
wide anywhere, that ripplcd out from
among the foothills only TO he lost in
the sands of the desert to the cast. One
vigorous old rabbit. close followed by
the hounds, had tackled suddenly and
dartcd up this narrow valley, and Floy
and Mignon, all excitement, dartcd aft
CIR him. while Randy, guiding Brown
Dick behind, watched with fond, proud
eyes his young wifc's graceful, fear
less riding. Far up toward the head
of the brook poor jack had been tossed
in air by the pointed muzzIe OF his
closest pursner and then pouncrd
upon by the painting bounds, and Ran
dy found that they were in a little am
l''''''~s's>A NAholiS VIZ I)utItS-lONlu
the little spring in which the streamlct
had its BIRTH, and there they dismount-
ed and unsatldlcd and let the horses
roll; and here they took their luncheon,
and had happy, loving hour, all alone
with the horses and hounds in this lit
tie world of their own; and Floy had
named the spot-a fond, foolish little
CHErlrp marianne Il
was to be her refuge byand-by. This
is where am coming TO build my lone
ly cloistcr one of these days, when you
grow weary OF me, sir" she had laugh
lHgly said. And now. as he piled spurs
TO Dicks hcnving sides. Randy won
dcrcd, wondered whether it, might not
be that she had made that wide detour
around .1osc's purposely to find and re-
visit thatromantic lttie nook and there
pour out her grief to the solitude of the
silent foothills. Ito
At five o'clock Brown Dick was black
with sweat and dust and strcakcd with
foam. but still pressed s;amely on, and
Randy, with white, set face, in which
deep lines OF pain and weariness were
craving. s;zed tiSedlF ahead with burn
ing. fevercd eyes, conscious that
strength was failing him and praying
for the first sight of those dun adobe
walls OF josc's sheltering ranch.
just at seven o'clock of the early win
ter's evening the tlenizens of Joses heard
the thnd of horses hoofs at the gate
and the hail of a feeble voice. Josc's
wife at that moment was in hnlf-tcurful
talk with Mrs. Ilayne, who from dawn
till dark had been on wntch-hoping
against hope for tidings of Florence,
and who now, wcaricd with long vigil
and wcll-nigh worn out with anxiety,
was lying down in search of sleep
Gould, veteran soldier and surgeon that
he was. could no longer bear the sus-
pensc and ,laction at the ranch. lie
had borrowed one of Iosc's horses, and,
with n hnlI-brccd Mexican for guide,
Lad ridden away at dawn, hoping to
Strike Grafton's trniI and follow him
into the mountains, whittier he was
supposed to have ridden in pursuit of
the Apachcs. Gould was II skcptic. He
said he didn't believe Il dozen Apnchcs
were off their reservation. He didn't
believe half IL dozen had vrnturctl over
the New Mexican line, and if any had
he was willing TO bet Il months pay
they were not hostile. This was com
forting to Mrs. 1Inyne, but loses people
were not so easily cured of their con
viction. BY the time he r,Inor reached
the ranch. brought in by stnlnpcdcd
hcr(lSmcn. no one of whom had .rr, an
Indian. but each of whom could tell
tremendous tales of their doings in the
valley, it was declared that Mt least so
of Victories old band were raiding the
Santa Clara and might be expected to
assault .]osc's at any moment The
corral was filled, therefore, with scrng-
gy COW ponies and swnrtly men, and
the sight of an officer, one-arlncd, pal
lid. exhausted, reeling earthwnrd from
an equally exhausted stcctl, wnsnll that
was necessary to complete the panic.
Over half the MeNicnns present made n
mad rush for the subtcrrancnn refuge
known as the dug out" and but for IL
couple of troopers who had put into
Jose's with famed and useless horses
Randy would have gone Lcnhlong to the
ground. They caught him just in time,
and bore him inside the ranch, where
the sight Of his dentJ-likc face drove
Jose almost frnntic. tJ1ut the troopers
knew what to do for! their officer and
speedily brought him round, and when
he asked for DR.. Gould they told him OF
his going, and ltnndy's next demand