The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-10-09


wronesd BY dropping o. the nan -.
wronged by falking;"
Two hours later. refreshed by coc,.
ing drafts from the brook that hubb,es
away from the springs. their nortrrS
sponeed out, their saddles reset tar,-
stomachs gladdened by light feed. -
horses Of the two troops seemed fat I'm I
chase despite their go mile march in
dawn. A courier. galloping ahead, b
borne Brooks directions that cofs.
should be ready for his men, and On.
mer's camp guard had found time 10 a1s
substantials to that comforting nuid
Only half an hour did the major delay.
but even in that time the horses had
quick rub down with wispa Of hay. and
the men themselves swung into saddla
with an air that seemed to say, "There,.
fun ahead" The sun was shining aslsut !.
from low down in the western sky a
the column once more logged away On
the dusty trail, Barclays troop now in
the lead, opening out just as il had
marched most Of the da-, while Vim.
between whom and the new captain
there had passed few courteous yet
the haIts, gave to MuIlane's old first
sergeant the charge Of the leading SEC
tion, and himself rode at the distant
rear Of column. for by dusk il at all
Struggling would be likely, and strag-
Cling would have to be suppressed with
a firm hand. The sun was at their backs
now. Away to the front lay the rift in
the hills through which wound the
San Saba road, and off to the right
front, we'll to the southeast somewhere
among those Jagged bluffs just begin
ming to tinge with gold about their
sharp and sawIike crests, lay the scene
of Cramer's morning tussle with the
outlaws, who, as all now realized, must
have opened ON him from ambush and
shot down several horses and not few
men before the troopers could reply.
No further news had come from him,
however.
The conrier who brought the first
news said he had to run the gantlet.
although only few Of the gang seemed
to be hanging about the scene Of the
fight, their main body, as he had pre-
viously reported. having gone in the di-
rectiOn of the pass Brooks well knew
that the moment he reached the foot
hills he would have to move with eau
tion. throwing out advanced guards.
and. where possible, fankerS- He knew
that he would need every man and be-
ieve6 that Cramer's people, now that
Lawrence had gone to join them, could
take care of themselves. but the courier's
story. told to eager ears. had told" in
more ways than one. His description Of
the ambuscade, the way Cramer, the
doctor, Sergeant O'BTien and others at
the head of column were tumbled az the
first fire, all had tended to make the
head Of Brooks column. an unpopular
place to ride-at least less popular than
earlier IN the day. Fuller and his men
decided that their horses would be the
better for an hour or two Of rest at the
cantonment, and so the column moved
ON without them
Longer grew the shadows and LETTER
the range far to the front as once more
the pace quickened to the tros and
Brooks ard his men logged on. The
doctor. a gifted young practitioner
whom Collabone held in high regard.
seemed still to think that he should
have been allowed to take an orderly
and his instruments and gallop out on
Lawrence's trail to the aid Of Cramer's g
wounded. Then what is to become of
miner" asked the major calmly. I'm
sorry for Cramer. sorry his doctor is
killed. tut we may need You any mo-
ment more than he does No, Lawrence
has gone to him. He'll do what he can
to make the wounded comfortable, leave
small guard with them and then
guide the rest of Oramer's troop through
the range to the San Saba, Join either
Pennywise's party or ours. and between
us we ought to give those fellows q
thrashing they'll never forget if only
they'll stand and take it-if only" be
added below his breath, "they don't lay
for us in some Of those deep, twisting
canyons where 90 men could overthrow
= thousand.
The doctor admitted the force Of his
superior's argument and said no word
All the same. however, his eyes kept
wandering OF from time to time to
ward the foothills at the southeast. nov
turning to violet in shade. ''like hall
mourning. said the doctor to Galahad
~, only half content. he dropped bacl
70 ride o few moments at the latter
side. And 1t won't be long," he add
cd to himself. before they'll be shroud
ed in deep black Pray God there's ~
i'll omen in that"
And now the road began TO rise ver1
slowly, very gently as Jet. but percep
tibly toward the still distant range
The long. spindle shanked shadows o
the horses had disappeared The sun
, yellow red. was just sinking below th
horizon through the dust clouds Il
! their wake. when one Of the foremos
: troopers, close at Barclays heels. NUT
tered, ITS somethin movin. anyhow
and what is it il it ANITA horse? Ant