The Florence daily tribune., 1898-03-31


Al five o'clock Brown Dick was black
with sweat and dust and streaked with
'oam, but still pressed gameiy on. and
Randy. with white, set face, in which
leep lines of pain and weariness were
yraving, gazed iixedly ahead with burn
ing, fevered eyes. conscious that
strength was failing him and praying
Tor the first sight of those dun adobe
walls of Jose's sheltering ranch.
just at seven o'clock of the early win
sevcning the denizens of Jose's heard
he thud Of horse's hoofs Mt the gate
nd the hail of feeble voice. Jpse's
life at that moment was in half-tearful
ak with Mrs. iiayne, who from dawn
III dark had been on watch-hoping
1aicst hope for tidings of Florence,
al who now, wearied with long vigil
nd we.l-nigh worn out with anxiety.
sas lying down in search of sleep.
'ould. veteran soldier and surgeon that
e was, could no longer bear the sus-
ensc and inaction at the ranch. He
I'D borrowed one of Jose's horses. and,
ith a half-breed Mexican for guide.
al ridden away nt dawn, hoping TO
10 ike Grafton's trail and follow him
alto the mountains, whittier he was
opposed to have. ridden III pursuit of
he Apaches. Gould was n sl<eptic. He
Md he didn't believe n dozen Apaches
eerc Off their reservation. He didn't
rlieve half a dozen had ventured over
he New Mexican line, and if any had
ie was willing to bet months pay
hey were not hostile. This was COM
oUting TO Mrs. Hayne. but Jose's people
tere not so easily cured of their con-
iction. BY the time the rumor reached
he ranch, brought in by stampeded
'erdsmen. no one OF whom had seen an
indian. but each of whom could tell
tremendous tales OF their .loings in the
alley. it was declared that AZ least 30
4 Nictorio's old band were raiding the
santa Clara and might be expected to
assault Joses at any moment. The
corral was filed, therefore, with scrag-
y COW ponies and swarthy men, and
The sight of an officer. oue-armcd. pal
id. exhausted, reeling earthward from
m equally exhausted steed. was all that
Aas necessary TO complete the panic
'ver half the Mexicans present made
nad rush for the subterranean refuge
novn as the "dug-out." and but for
'ouple of troopers who had put into
loses with famed and useless horses
andy would have gone headIong to the
round They caught him just in time,
nd bore him inside the ranch, where
he sight of his death-lilSe face drove
Csc aimsst frantic. But the troopers
new what to do for their officer and
pecdily brought him round. and when
. oslted for DIR. Gould they told him of
5 going, ard Randy's next demand
rs for coffee and fresh horse.
And willie he was siprinr the coffee
ld resting on u bunk in the main room
Ire. lFayne came hasteninE in with out
f-ctahed hands and eyes still dim with
refirt-. She was shocked at his
gard appearance. She could only
eEs lis hand in silent sympathy and
-urEle hard TO heat back the tears
l,at would Lave flowed ufrcsh. "A'ou
Nili stay here with us now until DIR.
iuuld returns" she said. 81 look for
'lirn any moment
''I? No, indeed. go on at once, as
soon as they can saadie a fresh horse
for me. She must be more than half
way to the cnntonment by this time. II
aiignon hasn't given out"
And then Mrs. Hayne sobbed aiaud.
foh, Randy, Randy! Haven't you
heard? Floy never regained the road
a, all. The mail carrier from Cata-
mount got in an hour ago and saw moth
ing whatever ofher.'
''.fhen / know where to find her" said
Randy, promptly. "A lovely spot we
visited together hardly month ago,
and | could find it easily after moon
rise
But Mrs. Hayne only sobbed the
more. How could she tell him? Yet it
had to be.
God grant it." she cried. God grant
it. But, oh. my friend, we've had
dreadful fright! Capt. Grafton's men
struck an Apache trail yesterday, ana
they are following it fast as they can
go AZ this moment"
And with that announcement van
ished all thought of further rest for
him. Bidding the two troopers saddle
anything on four legs that could carry
them. he sprang forth into the still and
radiant night and was astrsle his mou-
Frel mount in twinkling. IN vain MIS-.
Hayne came out and pleaded with him;
Merriam would listen to nothing
nothing but1idings OF Florence. 1t was
barely eight o'clock when. fully armeo.
the little party rode swiftly away uI-
der the noTthward stars, following an
old trail that led to the upper foothills
of the Mescalero. They were not half
an hour gone when a sergeant and two
men rode in from the west. inquiring
for DR.. Gould and Mrs. Hayne. They
were three of Grafton's men sent back
from the chase to say they were hot on
the trail. There were five Apaches
afoot and one shod horse-so the traces
told infallihly Florence. then, was
probably hound prisoner on that
horse. and Grafton would recapture her