The Delta independent., 1898-12-30

UOOP9 WefO COMING linen, WIN to0
nankess securing the slopes well ous to
right and left wherever possible.
Brooks main body. too. bad entered
the winding defile and was lost in the
bowels Of the earth
Al II O'Clock . watcher. gazing back
into the broad, shallow depression in
Whkh lay Crockett's and then north
ward to the low lying hills aloeg s5e
tfail to Worth, could have sssu no
gleam Of light far q near thas woald
speak Of human habitation or life or
movement-no sign. in fact. Of life Of
any kind-yes NO sooner was the last
shadowy form Of horse and trooper
swallowed up In the Llsck gloom Of tho
defle, no sooner had the Lat faint click
Of iron shod hoofs died Away In the
hidden distance. than there slowly ross
from behind the shelter Of clump Of
rocks tar out 70 the right of tho trail
eroaching figure that went almrss on
all fours to tho edge Of the rivulet.
SUNK away down the bank. dodg'A
swiftly. softly. from bowldeF % bowl
der. until II DISAPPEARED around little
shoulder OF bluff 600 yards away. was
Lost 70 view . mo0eae, thea reissued
into the moonlight. this time In eddie.
sWingisg cowboy fashion . rista about
its head - 10 rode Spinning mp the
slopes and out Of the stream bed. away
1t went. cafeerinG up the billowy riss 70
the south. and was presently lost to
view . second time behind some castel-
lated rocks along the crese Three min.
utes more. and shess began TO GLOW
along their eastward face with the
light Of some unsesu flre that nared for
perhaps . minute sonewhess sboos the
hidden hase Of the Eroup and then fsF
away to the southcase. far out among
the buttes and knolls In the hsars Of
ths ransa there was . sudden flaah Of
brilliant light. just ~ thoush some one
had touched OF in frout Of . reflector
Q posnd o. % Of Rins powder The hills
for onN seoopd were lighted up. then ~
suddcniy relapsed into gloom. The
hlase as the ledge 20 close as hand was
promptly doused, aud the night rolled
ON, calm. placid and unbr0ken.
When the first streak of dawn creps
into the orient sky. Barclays sbadowy
scouts were issuins from the 6an Saba
On the farther sids and halting for tho
coming Of the main body. Neither
thCss who lsd The advance nor thoss
ont on either hank. where 0sukers were
at all possible. had seen . sign nf oos-
Law, cowboy, even Of human bsins. out
side their own array. Nos only had the
Friday gang vanished from the neigh.
borhood Of the pasa but. what was
mose mystcrious. not . sign had sppear.
ID a payl.asseS o. eecort. who werc
A~A - ,ksee so
ing. Brooks. piokiA0 09s the lightest
rider in his weary column. sent him on
The hvelisst horss TO warn Pennywise
and his Escort. provided he could find
him as tbs San saba camp of what had
taken place, notify him that thoy would
here await his coming. aud meantime
ordered dinncuut. unsaddle snd grase,
and in two inmates every charger was
divested Of his load and many Of them
were kicking and rolling on tho surf.
Twenty -four hours had the command
been IN saddle. except for the repaired
halfs and long two hours during the
dead Of night. when leading their
wearied sscstis o. crourhing beside tbcm
as rest. while Barclay and his scouts
explored the overhan2ing heights and
listened eagerly fer soansl Of coming
troopers from ths caStward. Bot fog the
waning moon there would have been
hours Of total darkness Nin-ty miles.
all told. had they travelled. and now.
woaricsi though they wcre. mine out of
ten Of the men were cbaAng with wrath
that tho willy gang had mans9ed 70 es-
oape shsm. WHITTIER were they gone.
and where ON earth was the paymastes.
wers the questions Certainly not
through tho pass, for shcrs were NO
fresh boof prinsa Could II " that. halk.
Cd In the plan to ovrrwbelm the cscust
BY this coming Of at least an equal
force. the gang had turned back aaGsrsd
and thrown their selves en- Cramse's
crippled party with the view Of ssttiug
away with the hcrres. arms and equip.
n,ents: Certainly none Of Cramer's peo-
pie had usde their way by tho game
trails over the range to Join them. but
there was ssason Tor that. Lawrence
bad never saccscdcd In reaching Cnmcf.
Sod. Wsaried and depressed, MajrF
Brooks seated himself % . saddle
blanket to take coonsej with his ON
osra, BOW reduced 10 three-Barc1ay,
winn and the doctor. lie missed Mol
lane, sean> u old fighter that ho was, for
Mullaps knew most Ct tho coantSy
thoeoughly and had bcsn poesed for
n,onshs as the Rio San Saba, now Only
some 20 miIes so the eass He sueely
missed LAwrcpco, fer On him ho hsd
often Isancd Iio wss bssinnipg 70 take
vass cussfoss In Barclay. - b s1re. bot
BOW 6arulay, Wins, ~ dogtos. oen
asd busssA ths sssisv command. tu
= L.