The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-04-02

mp against the ID "reuscrs again,
that he might annihila,c the entire
party. 1t was evident that subtlcr
enemy had downcd him even before the
Mexican took hold. lie was only slight
ly injured physically, but his money
was gone. All Randy could extract
from him was that there had been a
game and me wouldn't pay up because
the grcasers were cheating, and they
chased him and Brady, and overlook
them and used their knives.
Buxton was still up and full of his
project of sending the patrol of nb-
sentees and the band just as soon as the
Killers train should have started. He
heard the call for the surgeon, and
promptly turned out in person. The
sleepy horses of the patrol were stand
ing mcckly and wondcringly at the
guardhousc when the distant shot was
fired, and, borrowing one, the sergeant
gallopcd out. When Bux appeared he
borrowed another, and one for the sur
geon. Then, after hearing Mcrriam's
brief recital. he ordered him to mount
forthwith. take the entire patrol and
gallop in chase of the grcaScrs
There was no difficulty in learning at
the wrctched shack at the edge of the
reservation which way they had gone.
Nine at least were in the party, am. the
hoof tracks led away Suuihwcstward
across the fiat until they struck the line
OF the railway, two miles west of the
Junction. Here there seemed to have
beer brief halt, discussion, possibly u
divide, and Il split. Two horses had
crossed the track and gone south; the
others, vccring westward. had "lit out"
for the Santa Clara, and Randy Mer-
riam, IL tritlr hungry BOW, WAS wishing
with all his heart he had gone first TO
Florence, and left the inspection of the
stables until afterwards. 1t was some
where about two O'Clock when they
started. The men .Mrrc booted and
spnrrc1, but Mcrrain was in ordinary
trousers, and the trppp horse he rode
WAS quick to find tie spur WAS ,onc
and slow to mind the heel. The McClcl-
Ian saddle, too, withFts upright pommcl
and camille, worried him after the ease
of his own Whitman. ,Wlrn dawn came
lie was wcll-ni%ll rG4lN. TO give up the
chase after fortling hG Santa Clara and
finding the trail hadlurnrd northwest
ward, when 81 snarp-cytal rooper sworc
he could see the puanry making for tho
| foothills and not tw,psni!es ahead; so
Merriam borrowed ii single spur and
| pushed vehement ly,ytigur on.
Then bread daylight uame, and there
| could he MO doubt ,thnu were gaining.
The chase was lot'' a'hc pursued were
| tossing or saddle bugs, riatas, and 9th
or lctachnb Bile horse furniture to tighten
their weight, but they stuck to their
guns and ammunition. Mcrrium's men
were considerably strung out, not more
| than six being we'll up within support
| ing distance, when the fact that they
were in range of the greascrs WAS dem
o"stratcd by the zip and sing of II bull
let close alongside.
! ''rhat's business" muttcrcd the
trooper who rode close on his left rear
"Sl,all try Il shot, sir?"
| Merriam shook his head. The situa-
| ton had few points in its favor.
| Obedent to his orders to pursue and
capture the gang, Randy had ridden
hard, Yet over In;lnya mile had he asked
himself the question Suppose they re-
sist arrest, what's To be done? lie had
no warrant. lie was not even n deputy
| sheriff, not even the humbcst con-
| stitmcnt of n posse comiatus. If he or
| his men returned their fire and shot
! some of these unnatural naturaliZcd
voters and citizens, like as not an in
3ictmcnt for murder would be hanging
over his head, if not hanging him in the
| e., ,;f,1
no Sheriff within 20 miles, and long be-
fore the civil authorities could be
brought into play the murdcrcrs of
Brady would be scattered all over the
I face OF the earth. All the same, under
the strict Interpretation of the civil
law, Lieut.. Merriam knew that he and
his people had no more business trying
to arrest these rrnrgahrs than they had
| to vote at a territorial election. In
point. of fact, like many another officer
and man. soldier of Uncle Sam on the
broad frontier, he was aware of the fact
that even Il horse thief had more civil
| right s Than he trooper. His expedition,
therefore, in the eye of the law was
nothing more nor less than lnwlcss
dash. winding up in possible free
| fight, and all against the peace and dig
nifty of the people of New Mexico. Per
haps BUXTON knew lllis, too. but the or
ders he gave were pcrrInptory. and Mcr-
riam ncvcrstopped 10 reply, reason why,
or expostulatc. But now when the
renegadca began TO Shoot the reasoning
why had to be done. Ills men were hot
for battlc---so was hFF12but the nation
expects of its officers that. no matter
! what he temptation, provocation or cx
nsprraton, they k1p cool heads and
tcmpers. only shoot Wien the law per-
mits, but then shoot to kill. No claim
of sclf-drfensc could be allowed. They
were The pursuing and therefore the
( attackingpnrty,and. though these Mex.
leans were followed fh-handcd, hot
| footed there cou!,! La noqucstion what
civil jury would ~ If any of their
dingy hides were pm'"tnrch by the balls
of n brutal sodiery.
Zip-bapg!--a second shot. Hing-
egg wrrrrr-bang! another. and Corp
oral Butts dnchcd his head and sworc
and Trooper Mn!!r,'a charger snucnl"h
and lunycd and Kicked vicionsly with Tie
scam of a bml.c, scathing his flank and
! blowing the Iaunch. They were clos
ing on the ruilians fast, then. and the
temptation was ovcrpowcring. 81 can't
ride my men in to be shot down like
dogs growled Randy. I'm for "a penny