The Delta independent., 1898-07-22
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CHAPTER XII.

are or were illi,nitable: People never
thought Of bolting their doors by day,
and, a. to money, silverware. jeweiry
and the like, women who possessed
such property rarely placed it under
lock and key. Once in II long while
some servant was caught peculssing and
was escorted beyond the limits of the
military reservation and forbidden to
ret-rn. But never before in the history
of tine cavalry had the officers quarters
teen entered by professional burglars,
and there was no question that profess
SIGNALS only could have done the deed
with the nea.ness and dispatch evident
In this case.
Yet what was there to prevent it?
The garrison proper was far afeld. One
attenuated com pany Of infantry was all
that was left to do duty at Russell.
Only two sentries were posted on each
relief Seven privates constituted the
duily guard, and even then the men
were growing because they "only had
three and sometimes two nights abed.
One Of these sentries was stationed at
the Ruardhouse, where quite o nun ber
of prisoners were confined. The other
paced the long east front Of the post.
trying to keep an eye on the coal piles,
the ordnance, quartermaster' 5 and COM
,nissa1y storehouses. the post generally,
which he couldn't see, aud the front
gate. All the north side of the post
back Of the hospital and surgeon q quar-
tiers aud all the northwest ard south
west sides Of the lozenge shaped inclo-
sure lay open to maTauders, for there
were not two back gates along officers
row that would readily close or that.
being closed, could not readily be forced.
1t was perfectly practicable for any par
ties intent on pillage to drive cut from
town and, keeping well away over the
level prairie, to make wide circuit and
approach the post from the north or
northwest. They could then 10 beyond
sight or hearing Of any sentry, could
run their wagons back Of the quarters
to be entered. load up with their booty
and be of again with no fear Of capture
and little Of interruption. Even should
some Of the women or children be
aroused there were not five houses
where menservants or STRIKERS" slept,
and they knew. did these shrewd pro-
fessionals, how to manage suddenly
awakened women.
But how did they know just whst
houses 70 rob and just where to find the
valuables in each case? The tracks
showed thst = two horse wagon had
been used aud that two men besides tie
driver were engaged in the work.
Everybody in town wns aware of the
fact that the we'll to do or fairly wealthy
of1ioers at Russell were Colonel Ather-
ton, Major Barry, Captains Freeman.
Gregg. Truscott and Ray. the latter
having married an heiress- But the ma
rauders never disturbed tho colonel's
house. All the silver had gone to the
bank in town and her ladyship to Chi
0ago, and there, besides, Mrs Ather-
tons coachman and two other servants
slept, and, furthermore, the band quar-
tsrs were but short pistol shot away.
They steered clear of Truscott 8, where
Baby Jack was teething and keeping his
anxious and devoted mother awake long
hours each night and whero by her he'd
side hung q crafty little Smith & Wes-
son ahe knew well how to use. They
steered clear of her devoted friends and
next door neighbors, the Rays, for thcre
slept . doughty ex-trooper, Hogan by
name, now their cuachman and man of
all work. in his little arsenal Of room
hack Of the kitchen. But they had dared
to enter, through rear window appar-
emily, the quarters Of Major Barry,
where . night light burned dinly all
through the hours Of darkness. and had
carried away the basket Of household
silver secreted under Mrs Earry's bed
and the jewclry from her toilet stand.
x.-iSt
eyes on the beautiful rings that adorned
her slender fingers, but thought best not
TO attempt that-or did they even dare
make that essay? hirs. Barry was
aroused from unusually deep slunber
by the sensation that Some cpe had lifted
her hand from the counterpane, found
herself In darkness, her night lamp
smoking a. though recently extin-
guisbed, heard the boards creaking in
the parlor or hall and had asked, rs
that you, Nathalie!' and receiving no
response believed it all imagination,
and, wondering what made her so
drowsy. had slept heavily until aroused
BY the servant in the morning with the
startling announcements that the silver
and her jewelry were gene. Then
Nathalie came rushing down the stairs
wide eyed and deathly white, had
glanced almost in horror at the empty
basket which the cook had brought in
from the back yard and had then thrown
herself upon her knees at the foot Of the
bed and burst into an agony Of tears
And before visiting the Barrys' the
professionals had called at Grcgg's and
Freeman's, carrying of q watch. some
silver and many trinkets from each and
never even disturbing the heaIthful
slumb bers of the occupants. Captain
Grsgg's desk was forced and about 500
in treasury notes bad disappeared. but