The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-04-16

~ injured TO see anybody, much less
you. who would importuuchim for your
own selfish purposes. Capt. Grafton
says the doctor has forbidden him TO
everybody, and he knows, In the morn
ing Capt. Grafton will See him for you
If the doctor will permit
Whercut the widow only s,ormcd the
more and declared, witkthystcric tears,
that they were keeping her away from
Randy Merriam out of spite and hatred
just at the most criticu4 time "lIc'll
die. he'll die" shc-cricl. "and carry my
one safeguard with him to the gravel"
SorcIy puzzled. Mrs. Grafton had to
leave her once in awhile for IL few min
utes ut a time to consult her husband,
who could frequently be heard moving
about the 'rarlor or going quickly in
and out of the house. 1t was plain that
Grafton was troubled about something
besides Randy, aud ut II O'Clock the cx-
planatiouleame.
Up to SHUTDOWN Fiorcncc-Mrs. Mer-
rium--hnd not been seen or heard of at
Jose's ranch.
One of tile truilers. Rafferty, Ivy name,
declared TINT Miynon's tracks turned
suddenly 10 the northward and led away
from the ranch and into the maze of
fonthills to the right Of the cantonment
trail. AT SHUTDOWN they had reached
Josc's, still hoping against hope that
She would be there, but no sign of her
had been seen, and, borrowing a fresh
P.,N ~ ste, al horl. IN CaI
wick ut the gallop to carry the news. lie
met the doctor with Mrs. Hnync only
a short distance from Josc's, und they
went on TO the ranch hoping for better
tidings, but bade him ride for Scdg-
wick with all speed. Rafferty, could
ride week In and week ont il the horse
could stand it, and Josc's broncho was
nsed-np qundruped by the time they
reached the Santa Clara. There he
turned him Into IL ranchman's corral
and borrowed another, never stopping
to say "by Jour leave, sir" This was
on the queens service in Enfrerty's
mind. and no mans property was sacred
when "Miss F'lorencc's" life was in
volved. Buxton WIS up and about when
VIZ III 'iIitl III ltIl IlllutCS
had reached the Office and sent for
Grafton. What he wished to know was,
had she any reason whatever for turn
ing away from the beaten track and
taking to the unknown regions Off the
road and far to the northwest Of the
settlements? Grafton knew OF none
There WIS indeed grave reason why she
should not.
For so miles northwnrl the Santa
Clara twincd aud twisted through n
fairly fertile valley, oIItser3 the hertling
ground of the Navajos, Ynw wild and. al
most unsettled. Americans and Mexi-
cans both had tried it. do d stock rnnge,
hut American cattle zRnd American
horses demanded n batter qun!ity Of
grass and more OF it than would serve
the stomach of the Int'inn pony. Treaty
obligations sent the Navnjos further
into the mountains TO thcinorthwest,-
beyond the Mra:alero---hut there were
restless roanrrs who wcnc constantly
of the rcscrvntinn. sometimes on pass
but oftcnrr on mischief. mad OH the pre-
text of trndfng they cubic rcnl>lcssly us
far rs the settlement, innd then some
hndy's horses were surg to he missing.
spirited away into the foothills. whittier
it War n!n,ost useless to follow. The
Nava JOS said the Mcxicana were the
thieves, the Mexicnus declared them to
be the Navajos. and when both parties
were caught aud accused, with prompt
unanimity both announced that
Apnchcs must asy.in be r;ding, and the
name of Apache covered Il multitude
of sins. Time was when Victoria and
Mana led the cavalry some glorious
chases into the Mcscalcro, but both
those rct!oubtal,lrs had met their fate,
mud agency officials across the Arizonl
their once iutrnctablc followers ever
thought of quitting corn or melon
planting for the Forbidden Joys of the
raid and the wnrpnth. All the same he
foothills and the valley far TO the north
west OF the settlements were full of
and danger-tlle roaming
ground of the horsethicf and the rene
gadc. and Mcrrinm's men, Just in from
their long chase. pointed out how the
Mexican ruf1ians. though starting
originally toward the southwest, had
in long wide circuit gradually worked
their way northward, as though making
for this very region. The leader of the
gang that shot Brady aud Corcoran was
n fellow by the name of Ramon Valdez,
and there was 10 deviltry too steep for
him. The news. therefore, that Flor
ence Merriam had not reached Jose's,
but that her trail was lost somewhere
among the buttcs and powders four
miles TO the eastward of that frontier
refuge. struck dismay to the hearts Of
her friends ut Setlgwick. The tidings
went from lip TO lip, from house to
house, like wildfirc, and by midnight
an entire troop had ridden forth with
their ever ready three days rations,
and with Capt. George Grafton in com
mand. and their orders were not to re-
turn without Mrs. Merriam or definite
news of her.
Mrs. Grafton let her husband go only
with deep reluctance. He was very nee
essary to her now. She felt the need of
his support in the management of her
patient. She had to leave the
latter while assisting him in his busy
and she| &lvhs surprised
and rejoiced to see that oh her return
to her Fanny had beconie far more calm
and resigned. Tho ladies in many
households were still ,Ip, and fitting
about the post, tearfully, forebodingly
discussing the situationsspnd several OF
them had dropped in 70, speak n word