The Florence daily tribune., 1898-03-28

ground OF the NavaJos, now Wild and al
most unsettled Americans and MeNi-
cans both had tried ii as a stock range,
but American cattle ard American
horses demanded better quality OF
grass and more OF il than would serve
the stomach Of The Indian pony. Treaty
obligations sent the Navajos farther
into the mountains TO the northw est
beyond the Mescalero-hut there we're
restless roamers who Were constantly
off the reservation, sometimes on pass
but oftener on mischief, aud On the pre-
text of trading they came recklessly as
lar as the settlement, and then some
body's horses were sure to be missing,
spirited away into the foothills, whittier
it was most useless TO follow. The
NaSajos said the Mexicans were the
thieves, the Mexicans declared them 10
be the Navaios. and when both parties
were caught aud accused, with prompt
unanimity both announced that
Apaches must again be raiding, ard the
name of Apache covered multitude
OF sins. Time WAS when Victorio and
Mana led the cavalry some glorious
ehases into the Mesca!ero, but both
those redoubtah'cs had met their fate,
aud agency officials across the Arizona
inc were ready to swear that none OF
tacir once intractable followers ever
thought of quitting corn or melon
plartiug for the forbidden Joys of the
inld and the warpaih. All the sa,ne Tie
foothills and the valley far 10 the north
vest of the settlements were full of
mystery ard daneer-the roaming
ground of the hogaethief ana she rene
! 'nde, and Merriam's men, just in from
heir long chase, pointed out how the
iIeSicau rulians, though starting
originally toward the southwest, had
Ia long wide circuit gradually worked
their way northward, as though making
for this very region. The leader Of the
gang that shot Brady and Corcoran was
fellow by the name of Ramon Valdez,
and there was no deviltly too steep for
him. The news, therefore, that F,.it-
ence Merriam had not reached Joso's.
but that her trail was lost somewhere
among the buttes and howiders -four
miles to the eastward of that frontier
refuge. struck dismay to tie hearts OF
her friends at Sedgwiek. The tidingS
went from lip to lip, from house tc
house, like wildfre, and by midnight
an entire troop hud ridden forth with
their ever ready three days rations.
and with Capt. George Grafton in cam.
mand. agd their orders were not to re.
turn without Mrs. Merriam or definite
news of her
| Mrs. Grafton let her husha nd go only
with deep reluctance. lie was very rec
esaary TO her now. She fell the reed o
/ his support in the management Of her
trueulent patient. She had TO leave IL,
4 hitter while insisting him in his busy
rrePaiu ions, and she was surlg;scG
and icscioed TO see that on licr return
to her Fancy had become farmoIe -, N
and resigned. The ladies in many
| households were still asp and Gitiiag
about he post. teaffully. forebodiH giy
discussing the situation. and several Of
them had dropred in to speak a worfl
with Mrs. Gtafton--N alta and
Miniurn being ever on the alert to es-
cor; such parties--aD so ii WAS long
after one--indeed. it was nearly svo
o'clock-wbgn at last. after hua, lisep
at Eer now plaeidiy sleeping guest and
leaing Annette curled up on the sofa
| By her mistress bedside. Mrs. Grafton
finally sought her own pillow ard sept
long into the sunshine of the following
/ day.
Awakening with a start at the sound
of stirring music on the parade. she
found thai it was after eight and guard
mounting was in full blast. Slmmon-
! ing servant, her first question was for
news of Mrs. Merriam. fer sersaais al
I ways lnow the garrison news before
their masters. Not word had heen re-
ceiyed. Presently she tiptoed to Fan
| ny's room, softly turned The knob, and
noisoiessly entered. There las lel guest
still plunged in deep sluusber, but An
rette bad disappeared zone. probably.
| tu tie kitchen for coffee. Far oyor at
The eqst, where the railway crossed the
| barren mesa, a Iocomrtiy, whistle broke
the silence Of the desert with lorg. ex-
ultant blast. The blockade inca was
broken. The first train was coming in
from Cinarron. Dressing with greater
( taste than usual, she ordered breakfast
served, and then went cut on the piazza
4 and looked up he row toward the Ncr-
RAMS. The doctor was Just coming
out of the gate, and Whitaker. who had
spent the night there on watch--all
thought of rivalry forgotten-was
standing on the top step, apparently
detaining the physician with sorle quca-
iion. Eager fer news of Randy, Mrs.
Grafton threw her husbands cavalry
care over her shoulders and tripped
briskly up the gravel walk. "Stillsleep-
ing said the doctor, "and how is your
patient?"
also sleeping" snid Mrs. Grafton.
81 don't see how people can sleep so
soundly at such times" whereat the
doctor looked conscious but said moth
ing.
All that morning people strained their
eyes and rubbed their binoculars and
searched the distant foothills to the
northwest. hoping for the coming of
courierS with news: but not unit II after