The Delta independent., 1898-12-23
81 fSAPLAlN ciARLky E16X1AQ@

xpoI0 Wa8 uoSuIu8 ~ toosb CoA0 " P4V
vent their stealing from Uncle sam.
their captain. or any other victim. bus
to hint that an officer or . friend was
drunk would have bean the height os
impropriety.
Winn. not Mullane, therefore. led
The DEVILS Own. {" as Mullane's troop
together vi ith others no donbt-had
been appropriately designated. Barclay
followed at the head Of b. when. near
ing Crockett Springs ut 8 O'Clock. .
dim speck Of courier came twisting Ous
upon the trail to meet them. and Brooke
long after re ,allcd the Thought thas
came to him as hs read the dispatch
that reached him there IL was from
Lawrence:
C.aa,cT got wind Il tie gang early this
morning. f.iiowed with ~ u,eu into the Son
ssba. hEd sharp eight. lost three men and
r,any horses and n co-Tallsd out thero, about
Is railes southeast. cTnEscr himself woundsd.
DR.. Augustin killed. Courier says most Of
Friday gnns gone 10 Fan Saba pass vou. Of
sourse. must push on to save Pennywise and
his money. take nve nen and torsns here
and hasten to pull Crar.er ont of the hole
Think you now justified In attacking gang
wherever found No doubt who woro Csancr's
asailanta Expect to reach him befors SD
have oss 1Ors square aghs ous u TexaA
Hastily. l.
"By heaven." cried BROOKS. as be
turned to Fuller and the little party
riding with him. all studying his face
with anxious eyeA its lucky we got
here with oo1 horses In good shapa-
Cramer is in . scraps somsw hero ont In
the range. Lawrenco has gone to his
aid, aud thcrs'll oaly bs time for \ bite
At Crockett's; then we must push on
aud 60 ahssd 70 tlss paA" Thsn. drop
Ping into thought "Now. which a
Laura Waite's victims will moss vel.
come . square nshs-ths man ahs
wronged by dropping OF tho uaaa she
wronged BY txking?"
Two hours later. refreshed By eool.
ing drafts from the brook thas bubbled
away from tho springA their possriis
sponged ont. their saddles resss. their
stomachs gladdeucd BY light feed. toe
horses Of the two troops seemed fis for =
chass despite their 90 mile march since
dawn. A courier. gnlloping ahead. bad
borne Brooks directions thas oo1ee
should be ready fer his men. and Crs-
mer's camp guard had found time 70 add
substantisls 70 shss comforting duid
Only half an hour did the major delay.
but even In that time the horses hsd .
QUICK rub DOWN with Wisrs os hay. and
The men themselves SWING into 0ddls
with N air thas seemed 70 ~. "Tbers's
fun ahead" The SON WIS shinin0 sslans
from low down In the woseeTn sky %
the colunn once more joeRcd sway On
the dusty ssAil. Barclays troop now In
tho lead. opening out juss - 10 hsd
marched most Of the day. while Wipn.
between whom and the now captain
there bad pa@od few courteous ~
rather formal words as one or swo of
the hnitA gave 70 Mullaps's old f1rss
sergeant the charge Of the Leading SEQ
sion. and himself rode at the distant
rear of column. for by dusk " as all
struggling would b likely. and ssras.
Cling would have to b suppreased with
. firm hand Tho sun was ~ their backs
now. Away 70 the front Law tho rift In
the hills through which wound the
San 6aba rnad. and on to the right
'front.' we'll TO the southeast. somewhere
among those jsggrd bluffs juss begin
ming to tinge with gold about their
sharp and sawiiko crestA lay sbe aceue
| Of CrameT's morning tusslc with the
| outlawx who, ~ all now realized, mum
have opcued ON him from ambush and
ahot down several horses and not fow
men before the troopers conId reply
| No further oews hafl come from him.
however
Tho conrtee who brought The drss
news said he bad to run the gantles.
although only few Of the gang seemed
70 be hanging about the scene of sbs
| sk>N Do - 49,
viously reported. having eono In tho d..
rection Of the pass Brooks we'll knew
that the moment be reached the foot
bills he would have to move with eau
tion. throwing out advanced guardA
aud. where possible. nankera He knew
that 10 would need every man and be-
ieved that Cramer's people, now that
Lawrence bad gone to join them. could
take care Of themselves. bot the courier .
| story. enld to eager eara. had cold IN
mogo ways than one His description oe
the embusrade. tho, way CrameT. the
doctor. Ese4ssps u Brien and others as
the bead of co1umn were sumbled as fhs
6rse 6re, all had tended 70 make the
bead a Brooks column - unpOpulaT
place to gid~-as Ieass len popular than
earlier in she day Fuller and his men
decided that ehcir horses woeld - the
better foe IN bour or two Of rest At the
oantoument. and % shs column moved
o. without tIbem
Longer grow the shadows and ioffies
the range far 10 tho front - once moss
tie pacs quickened 70 the ssus and
Brooks srd bis men joegcd On S'bs
doctos. . gifted young psactttioucs
whom Collaboos held in high regard,
seemed sill to think that b sboaId
havs bseD allowed 10 take m ostsesly
s.d his Instruments and ssilop Oss %