The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-10-25
wrongeu py dropping or the man she
vronppd nv tsEinpps'

euOuAu Ue Toauy lOT MS men, ana Cra-
mer's camp guard had found time to add
substantials to that comforting fluid
Only half an hour did the major delay,
but even in that time the horses had
quick rub down with wisps of hay, and
the men themselves swung into saddle
with an air that seemed to say, There's
fun ahead. I" The sun was shining aslant
from low down in the western sky as
the column once more logged away on
the dusty trail, Barclays troop now in
the lead, opening out just as it had
marched most of the day. while VIM,
between whom and the new captain
there had passed few courteous yet
rather formal words at one or two of
the halts gave to Mullane's old first
sergeant the charge of the leading Sec
ton, and himself rode at the distant
rear of column, for by dusk if at all
struggling would be likely, and stray
| CLING would have to be suppressed wish
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 sawlike 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.
Tho courier who brought the first
news said he had te, run the gantlet,
although only a 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 we'll knew
that the moment he reached the foot
hills he would have to move with eau
ton, throwing out advanced guards
and, where possible, tlankers. He knew
that he would need every man and be-
lieved that Cramer's people, now that
Lawrence had gone to join them, could
take care of themselves but the courier
story, told to eager ears, had "told" in
more ways than one His description of
the ambuscade, the way Cramer, the
doctor, Sergeant o Brien and others at
the head of column were tumbled at 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 loftier
the range far to the front as once more
the pace. quickened to the trot 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 outlon
Lawrence's trail to the aid of Cramer' s
wounded. ''Then what is to become of
mine?' asked the major calmly. I'm
sorry for Cramer. sorry his doctor is
killed. but 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
a small guard with them and then
guide the rest Of Cramer' 8 troop through
the range to the San Saba, join either
! Pennywise's party or ours, and between
us we ought to give those fellows a
} thrashing they'll never forget if only
} they'll stand and take tiff only, /" he
; added below his breath, they don Il lay
! for us in some Of those deep, twisting
/ canyons where 30 men could overthrow
J q thousand :"
; The doctor admitted the force Of his
superior's argument and said no word
All the same, however, his eyes kept
wandering off from time to time to-
) ward the foothills at the southeast, now
} turning to violet in shade, ''like halt
mourning, said the doctor to Galahad,
as. only half content. he dropped back
to ride few moments at the latter e
, side. "And it won't be long, he add
ed to himself, "before they'll be shroud-
ed in deep black. Pray God there's no
ill omen in that. )"
And now the road began to rise very
3 slowly. very gently as yet, but percep-
tibly toward the still distant range
The long, spindle shanked shadows OF
the horses had disappeared The sun,
, yellow red, was just sinking below the
horizon through the dust clouds in
, their wake, when one of the foremost
troopers, close at Barclays heels, NUT.
4 tered, "It's somethin movin, anyhow,
and what is it if it amt a horse?' And
8 Barclay and the doctor, turning in sad
die, caught his eye 81 seen it a minute
1 ago away out yonder toward them
1 buttes. continued the soldier. pointing
out across the prairie to their right
$ front. "and couldn't be sure then.
? It's comm this way, whatever it is,
! comm fast Look. sirl There it il
!, again!'
And with all their eyes Barclay and
!, the doctor gazed, but could see no NOV.
E ing object. Only the rolling prairie
growing darker, DINNER every minute.
g only the sun tipped ridge and buttes
| lsl,;, e.