Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-06-23

They camped that night at one of the
holes of bad water. 1t was very bad
water indeed--brown in color. and its
surface so swarming with sheep-lice
that neither men nor horses could
drink it with any relish.
BY the lieutenant's reckoning they
were then about 65 miles from Bolin's
ranch, where there was a good well;
SO he resolved to try to reach the ranch
by the next night. He ordered reveille
to be blown at three in the morning,
and boots and saddles" an hour later.
Of course there were more growls
when this was announced. Grumbling
was favorite pastime with the "mob;"
IL there was nothing to find fault with
they were most unhappy.
That night, about tattoo" the
trumpeter of the troop, a mere boy, to
whom Dust had shown more than or
binary kindness, came and scratched
at the tent door. The lieutenant un-
tied the fly. The lad saluted, looked
down at the ground little abashed.
and finally stammered out:
please. lieutenant, there is an awful
hard crowd in the troop-a wicked lot,
sir. There are some that were stage
robbers and deserters, and heap of
them have been in jails. They are up
to anything, sirl If we should happen
10 get jumped by Patches, the lieu
tenant would do well"-here he stopped
short and at last blurred Quito keep
back of the men, SIR"
Before the young officer could reply,
the boy had saluted again and disap-
peared in the dark.
When the trumpet sounded reveille
in the morning, the lieutenant awoke
to find the camp in disorder. In some
unknown manner liquor had been OBJ
tanned, and most of the men were under
it's influence. 1t was nearly two hours
before tents came down, wagons were
packed and the command under way.
The officer rode far ahead of the men,
who followed in disorderly column
across the plain. When the sun came
up it was broiling hot. There was not a
drop of water fit to drink. The air was
full of fine white allSali dust. Cactus,
and sand underfoot sent
back the rays of the sun with redoubled
force. The men, heated with liquor,
suffered intensely. Horses, their
tongues lolling out, had to be goaded
to keep up the regulation gait. and the
troopers lounged and swayed in their
saddles.
The day wore painfully on. Toward
evening the troop passed small bunch
of cattle. One of the soldiers, Pat
Leary. pulled out of the ranks without
permission, and riding up to fat steer
drew his pistol and shot the beast
the head.
Fresh beef Is luxury in an Arizona
desert, and the men gave cheer of de-
light. The lieutenant heard the shot
and refined back. 1t was strictly against
orders to kill any stray cattle.
He ordered Leary under arrest. |
There was a murmur of disapproval |
among the soldiers, and Leary himself |
shouted:
Sure I'm not going to be put in ar
rest by any shave-tail lootinant for try
ing to get dacint feed for the boys!"
The lieutenant raised his voice to or
der the man to take his arms away |
By this time all the troop had crowded |
around the officer, threatening and |
protesting. He tried TO draw his pistol, |
but one ruffian dealt him a crushing |
blow from behind, and when the lieu
tenant awoke to consciousness he was
bound with lariats to the tail of one
Of the escort wagons.
The worst element in the troop had |
cowed the non-commissioned officers,
md, with Leary at their head, the pri-
Yates were running things to suit them
selves. The steer had been quartered /
md thrown into a wagon, and the whole
1isorderly rabble started again for
Bolin's ranch, which was now but a
short distance off.
wagons, the lieutenant was jolted over
he prairie. filed with indignation at
he wretched mutiny, but powerless to
luell it. No one dared to come to his re-
lief, for the leaders rode behind him and
\
to shoot any man who
should attempt TO free him.
In this manner the mob arrived at
3olin's ruined and deserted ranch.
They rode into an adobe corral, dis
and made rush for the well,
lighting like madmen for the water.
)ne after another-all but the little
who was lodging about the
wagon looking for chance to cut the
lieutenant free-all drank their fill
agerly of the cold. clear water. Then
he horses were unsaddled and led out
ide to water at the bad-water hole in
he prairie near the ranch.
After tying their horses to an inn
'rovised picket-line, the men built
re and sat down 20 cook the steer
cary had shot. The lieutenant re-
NAMED tied to the wagon. The men
lad not even offered him drink of
Fater, although they knew he was suf-
ering intensely from thirst.
II