The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-10-23
CHAPTER XIV

OAA A1AACc pub W tAAo uOEtuW6Ht tQo
stream that curved and twisted around
the low mesa Of Fort Worth burst its
way through a ridge in the foothills,
and brawling and dGshing a5 its rocky
banks rolled out over the lowlands,
fosming at the mouth with the violence
OF its own struggles. Far in the heart
OF the hills it had its source In several
clear, cold springs, while the deep
boarded SHOWS OF the harsh winters fed
and swelled 'it in the springtide until is
reached the proportions of short lived
torrent Huge heaps of uprooted trees
and tangled brushwood 1t deposited
along its shores as far down even as the
fort, but nothing was carried below the
suffers. "Ahl's fish that comes to Full
ler's net, =" said Sergeant McHugh, ian
sorra q silver of sardins iver got away
from it.. Once in awhile, after un-
usual food. the hotsam and jetsam Of
the creek would be diversified with
wagon bodies, ranch roofs, camp equi.
page and the like. for 1.-THE range, f" as
this odd upheaval was locally termed,
was famous place for prospectors
A beautiful stream was the Blanca
within its mountain gates. but an ashen
pallor overspread it after its fight for
freedom. 1t was never the same stream
after it got away. 1t danced and spar
kled past pretty hooks and shaded ra-
vines among the hills. but issued from
the gateway, like the far famed Stink
ing river Of the Bannocks and Shoshones
Of northwestern Wyoming, a metamor-
phosed stream. 1t had bad reputation.
It was solely responsible for the fact
that Worth had been located away out
here in the bald. bleak, open prairie
country instead Of among those bold
and beautiful heights to the northwest.
The very spot for a military post"
said the officers of the earlier scouting
parties as they camped within the gates
in the midst Of lonely glade Love
ly." said the Texan guides in reply.
80 long as You don't mind being
drowned out every cpting." It seems
that SHOWS would melt Of a sudden,
tremendous thunderstorms burst among
the crags and food and deluge the val
leys, for the Blanca could not with
sufficient swiftness discharge its swollen
torrents through that narrow gorge.
Beautiful it lay, ordinarily as a sum-
mer sea, and the bride path that wound
through the pass was a favorite route
for picnic parties from Worth. But
stormclouds would rise and turn sum-
mer seas to raging water demons, and
then the food that tore through the
gates would sweep all before it like the
unloosed waters Of the Conemaugh that
awful May Of 1889.
From Worth to the White Gate the
prairie road wound hard and firm, anS
before the late excitement several pic
mic, riding and driving parties had paid
their springtime visits It was quite
the thing, too, for such maids and ma
irons as were good horsewomen to ride
thither in the lengthening afternoons
Mrs. Frazier had consulted Collabone as
to the earliest date on which Barclay
could stand long drive, as she wished
to give little fete in his honor and
had planned picnic to Barrier rock.
a romantic spot just within the gorge.
Collabone had referred her to his assist
ant, and that younger officer consulted |
his patient before committing himself |
TO reply.
II don't caro- to ride in an ambu
lance, doctor, but I do long 20 get in |
saddle. There's no strain OIL that leg |
below the knee Can't you let me mount |
from my back porch here and ambIe |
around these fine mornings before people |
are up?" And "Funnybone" assented. |
He and Barclay rode ont together very
next morning at reveille, and. |
finding his patient benefited by the gen.
tie exercise ON such q perfect mount as |
either OF those Kentucky bays, the doc
tor said: Go again. Only ride SLOWLY
and mount and dismount only at the
back porch. where you have only to
lower yourself into saddle Be sure to
avoid any shock or jar, then you re all
right"
Hannibal and Mrs. Winn's domestic
were the only persons besides BARCLAYS
orderly to see the start, but had the do
mestio herself been alone it would have
been sufficient to insure transmission of
the news. First she told her mistress.
Later she learned from Hannibal that
the captain was going out to stables
next morning the same way and had
ordered coffee to be ready at reveills.
This, too, was conveyed to Laura, and
mat evening she sent for the veteran
stable sergeant Of the troop to which
her husband was temporarily attached
and asked him il Robin Hood, o pretty
little chestnut she used to ride, was
still in the stable. He was. and would
Mrs. Winn be pleased to ride? Th.
sergeant would be glad to see the lady
n saddle again. Her handsome side.
'addle was, with her bride, always
Eept In perfect order, but for several
months Mrs Winn had taken no exer-
'ise that. way.
I'm going to ride at reveille, ser
yeant, she confided to the faithful SOL
iier. Its so long rsince mounted /
wish to try once or twice when people