The Delta independent., 1898-12-30
CHAPTER XII.

SIBAS ALHS AAA
Ths mem vas throwing black shad-
0ws into the deep cleft in the San Saba.
VAsss ths Crockett trail twisted along
hssi1s The swift running rivules. that
500 u the heart Of the Hills and bub-
hle1 megFily away until lost In the
westward valley and the brook that
1o0ad its source at the springs f:r out
under the foothills toward the Eravo
Slowly. wearily. warily, half . dozen
sroopsss on jadod horses were feeling
thsiS way up the pass. veteran cor
poral full SO yards Ghcad Ct his fellows
leading on
With the advance rode an officer
who's shoulder strapa cleaning on the
shsll Jacket sometimes worn in the
Aoansed service immediately after tho
va. seemed almost too fright and new
% aooord with the dust griined chevrons
and tzimmings Of his comrades New
and brilliant, too were the hilt and
seabhard Of the saber that dangled BY
his sida New and green" the men cf
his command had believed him tn To,
in cavalry matters at least. when first
- Joined them some weeks before. bet
tho most cass hardened old customer
aAonR their seasoncd troopers haf
ohandooed thas view before ever thew
seasssd O this scout after gang Of
1osoeioas oatlawA and now y new and
vsEy Different theory was grinding its
way Into tbciR tired beaius-that the
''Do1ghboy Dragon. - ~ they had earli-
- 6abbed him. Captain Gally had" ~
o. a shsn hsard he was called. could
givs them prints in covering the front of
soolumn that were worth knowing. even
u thsy had been learned in . doughboy
ssgiosus and among the Sioux. II
woaA - . mart Friday that n,an
aGsd 10 ambuscade old Brooks column
thAs eloedlesa. moonlit. breezeless
1ighA Tor with that veterans foil con.
esns - we'll - to his infinite relief
Oapeaia Baselay bod himself gone for.
ward With The advance the moment
tAsy 6asAs b wind u among the hills.
I'D thses ss the post Of danger be had
Aala his way. alert aud vt1ilans, de-
spite long hoars In saGldlc that had told
Asavily o moro than half the COM
Dand. calm and brave despite tho fact
thAs thsi1 welcome to the westward
porsa1 a ~ paD was the sight of poor
0lasnsy s1nning 70 them for shelter.
QDpAehy ard oompanionshp. covsrsd
WITH ~ hlood q his beloved rider.
Aod Whas was thas riders fate: is
Was nOW almost u o'clock. sud NO man
nsw. Osiy brieAy had they halted and
0ooes6 about the painting steed. for
sesss was ths nsed shat held them to
the4s soassA With awexsricken faces
I'D soopessssd lips they looked into
eaoA oehse's syes - tiiaugh TO ask:
What nett? Who next? The majnr,
tsadse heasesd - q woman. well nigh
sboked with distress aud anxiety ~ he
t1fned to Barclay for counsel. snd long
bsfoeo ths reaFmoss Of the column had
roacAod ths spot the decision had been
Dsaa The leadees werc again pushiug
o. Yoang 6gayton. with half dozen
troopEA I'D been Dispatched south.
westward along the falda. ordered 10
search high aud low for Lawrence, dead
q alive. There was only one theory
sha& puahing eagerly ahead TO the re-
1Ssf = Crawer's crippled troop the gal.
lAas sx-captaip had taken no shouyht
q psrsoaal daaess: the old instinct Of
bsadsrnhip had possessed him. and. fore
most Of N hstls squad. he had been
pteksd ~ - lurking Lrshwhackees of
tie outlaWA crouching like Indians In
~ shelter II the rocks, and bad fallea
aDntbR victim Of their desperate
S6oeta ''One MORO fight In Texas, 4" In.
AosA Roos. brave, warm hearted Ned
Thes oss nors fight reported in Wash.
1ngtoa by an induleeus department.
eo@mandes, might bring about iu,medi-
ate measussa fur his restoration TO the
army, hot Wa IL wcrth the riskl Was
Il worth what might befall tbo-e moth
srless childran. praying for father hour
after h.sur thst. livelong day? should
IL have been permitted, had tbsrs he. n
any oas 20 prevent. in view Of the fact
thas NO lougcr was there soldier duty to
- ! Tim en-: Tbs government bad re-
] ased him from all that. lad biddsn
him GO u bnd NO further uss for the
services Ut such ~ he: IL bad turned
him lonss upon the world, with heavy
seoppagss agAinst the stipalated bonus.
''Oh. what right had hs." cried
Brooka 10 forget those babies hack se
Worth, we'll moving as be must. that
no mans lie is worth hair in front
1t the rides II that outlaw sang. osch
Len m enemy such ns LAwrenco has
GboWs himself to ber' The MAJORS
heas end bead were heavy % oncs more
~ 0ss3sg forward wns given. With
every Estimation TO turn from his
eossss W1sh bis eatirs command, to
haGosa - seasch Of LAwresos's little
pasey aod CfsDe1's haltsd mea, hs we'll
kDsW tAaa sbosh the paymasees and
~ 1o1D6sas thoaasds fall into sts out-
- 0aa - 49, rSwSA~~ --..~ L.. --aA