The Delta independent., 1898-09-16

face Of the earth
They were talking Of that very fel-
low. were Bay and Maynard. the day
they forded the SWeetwa:er end struck
ont for the scuthward hills. Maynard
couldn't uaderstsnd, lie said. hos: men
dared run on viii cavalry horses. be-
cause the u s brand on the shoulder
would stamp them ct once 60 stolen
property.
"Why. bless yosf heart. Maynard"
said Ray, chats no lar. ..,ealin: gov
eTnment property il NO crime in Wyo-
ming Or anywhere else on the frontier.
Hesides. all thsy We got &c 10 10 to touch
rp that brand little. and the U be-
comes o CT a tocGstool CT some other
equally transparent device. hut no jury
ever convicts q citizen of stealing from
Uncle Sam, out in these parts Mt least.
Why, it's . feather in the cap Ct those
fellows to run of orr stock. and the
gang that did this trick were no novices.
nor were they few in number"
And that night proved the truth Of
Rays conjecture.
Just before sunset away il among the
Jagged hills and ravires shat hem the
Swectwater valley en- tsc south the dust
begriined troop halted c:d Gis,lounted.
while Ray held brief converge with the
owners Of little "khack. one Of whom
tho captain knew. he Lad served HIS
time in the old regiment rnd. in COM
mon with all tho o;he- "oId h:nds."
would do almost any thing for Ray; bat
cow his tongue w:s tied. Oh. hc EGd
seen nothing. heard nothingl No Ec:so
thieves had been thcreaboSts. His part
ner was sure Of Gil tseso points also.
aud even II they had seen or heard it
would be sEgning their cwn death wur-
rants to tell. No. neither laaa Ccu!a
give nny information.
But Rays dark eyes ue.cr LETT t..c
ex-soliier's face. He read secret tte:'.
and was watching bis opportunity. 1t
came quickly and while tie r:.t.er
was taking long. long pull c: Rays
pronercd Aask.
''There's . camp Of 'es, sight IL ca
the Rawlins trail somewhere about 6yo
miles ahead-sevcu or eight men ami
sbout Q dn.en horsca-sonic Of yonrs.
sure." whispered the veteran. and the
captain nodded excessively.
At . o'clock. despite the long days
saddle again. AID away they went.
every trooper guessing that the quarry
was somewhere among those heights to
tic south and wondering were they like
their cid tine foeinen, the Indians
Gie l,aIds to Q n:aa. Tho NOON ca:,o
floating into the starry sky from behind
the screen Of old Laramie peak and the
wooded range that tumbled across tho
eastward hoi ixou. Tho night wind went
whispering over tic hills s:;d sitting
tho Gust cloud that hovescd abo.c the
column over tho stuntcd sa:ebrusl. and
the Jack rabbits trcnib bled and sliudtcrcd
In their burrows 1t tho dull, untitled
tread Of those 200 hoofa Two miles
away from the ''stsck" tho trail grew
steep and tostuous. aud Ray br,le May
nard follow slowly with the command.
while hs. with chost a sergeant. Pushed
ahead In the dim. fairy Light aud was
speedily lost to view.
Another mile was passod without
event. They were siding up beside and
elong the bed Of stream that tho
melting SHOWS Of the srr:ng would send
tumbling In muddy torrent to tie val
ley. but now the channel IVES dry as tho
bordering bluffs. Tot sornd had been
heard from the advance. yet Maynard
knew they must 10 nearing tho alleged
camp, and he wondered how his captain
would settle matters With its ts,sperado
occupants. Silent es 60 maoy srectcrs,
his men came filing along In his tracks.
There were no scabLa:ds to rattle, NO
jingling bit and chain, no cl1nk OF car.
bine against ccntecn. Long years OF In
dian acOutinn had taught these veterans
what to carry sad how to carry it 10 a.
20 give least warning Of their movc-
n,euts. Only the ,nutiied thrd Of horse
hoofs told occasionally Of tic onward
passage Of force Of cavalry. At o steady
walk they pressed along until May
nard's watch said IL was n quarter part
10. and they had trsve:scd nearly dvo
miles, aud then E!adowy form, horse
and mnn, loon,ed up cnt!tr tic shoulder
Of bluff in front ald va; ming hard
wss rnised.
"we'se on to them, sir," whispered
Sergeant Brtkc rs Maynard rciled mp
bcsidc him nud gicnalesl to the column
10 halt "Thty' re having n reguinr jn;:,-
borec right ahead about 400 yards The
captain says to co;ao fcs.a:d slowly
and still as possible
The word was whispered down tho
dusty column. Again the weary hcrscs
started AID the noiselcss march begnn.
Presently there CANE from the distant
front - sound Of revelry by night" in
deed. at which the sergeant grinned
eympGtheticslly. So:uewhere ahead
there YVES jovial gathering. q flicker
ing light. as though fsom n campfire. .
bacchanaiian chorus. punctuated by oc-
czsionai yells, and when the foremost
troopers reached and pcered around an
elbow In the winding ravirs they saw .
sight that made their months water.