The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-10-16


That one more fight reported in Wash
ington by an indulgent department.
commander, might bring about immedi-
ate measures for his restoration TO the
army, but was it worth the risk! was
it worth what might befall those moth
erless children, praying for father hour
after hour that livelong days Should
it have been permitted, had there been
any one to prevent, in view OF the fact
that no longer was there soldier duty to
lead him ong The government had re-
leased him from all that, had hidden
him 90. 1t had no further use tor the
services of such as he; IL had turned
him loose upon the world, with heavy
stoppages against the stipulated bonus
"Oh. what right had he," cried
Brooks, "to forget those babies back at
Worth, well knowing. as he must, that
no mans life Is worth hair in front
Of the rifles Of that outlaw gang, much
less an enemy such as Lawrence has
shown himself to beF" The majors
heart and head were heavy as once more
the order forward was given. With
every inclination to turn from his
course with his entire command, to
hasten in search of Lawrence's little
party and Cramer's halted men, he we'll
knew that should the paymaster and
his precious thousands fall into the out
law hands of the Friday gang he would
be held responsible, even though San
Saba's cantonment sent with him n
force Of 40 men.
Once within the jaws of the pass the
little detachment had closed on the
head of column, the advance guard,
Barclays leading section, riding on and
dispensing itself under hi instructions,
while Brooks held the other sections
until Winn's men were all closed up,
bringing with them the little squads
that had secuted toward the short cut
of the San Saba, and had found no liv-
ing soul in sight. yet had followed fresh
hoof tracks coming their way for miles.
| Whoever they were, the scouts OF the
gang were we'll ahead; whoever he
was, Friday by this time knew the
troops were coming Then, with the
flankers securing the slopes well out to
right and left wherever possible,
Brooks main body, too, had entered
the winding defile and was lost in the
| DOW61S Oh Tue SaTIu.
At IL O'Clock a watcher, gazing back
into the broad, shallow depression in
which lay Crockett's and then north
ward to the low lying hills along the
trail to Worth, could have seen no
CLEAN of light far or near that would
speak OF human habitation or life or
movement-no sign, in fact, Of life of
any kind-yet no sooner was the last
shadowy form of horse and trooper
swallowed up in the black gloom Of the
defile, no sooner had the last faint click
of iron shod hoofs died away in the
hidden distance. than there slowly rose
from behind the shelter of a clump of
rocks far out to the right of the trail a
crouching figure that went almost on
all fours to the edge of the rivulet,
skunk away down the bank, dOdging
swiftly, softly, from bowlder to bowl
der, until it disappeared around little
shoulder of bluff 800 yards away. wai
lost to view a moment, then Tejssuec
into the moonlight, this time in saddle
swinging cowboy fashion RATA abou
its head as it rode. Spinning mp thu
slopes and out of the stream bed, away
it went, careering up the billowy rise Il
the south. and was presently lost t.
view a second time behind some castel
lated rocks along the crest Three min
utes more, and these began to GLOW
along their eastward face with tn
light of some unseen fire that flared fo
= perhaps a minute somewhere about tn
hidden base of the group, and then fa
| away to the southeast, far OFT anon
\ the buttes and knolls in the heart c
the range, there was sudden fash c
brilliant light, just as though some on
had touched off in front CT a rehectC
a pound or so of rife powder. The hill
for one second were lighted up, then &
a suddenly relapsed into gloom. Th
| blaze at the ledge so close at hand w;
promptly doused, and the night role
on, calm, placid and unbToken.
When the first streak of dawn crel
into the. orient sky, Barclays shadow
scouts were issuing from the San Sal
on the farther side and halting for ii
coming of the main body. Neitht
those who led the advance nor the
out on either flank, where f1ankers we
at all possible, had seen a sign Of on
law, cowboy, even of human being, on
side their own array. Not only had Il
Friday gang vanished from the neig
borhood of the pass. but, what W
most mysterious, not sign had appea
ed of paymaster or escort, who we
due at Crockett's early this very NOR
ing. Brooks, picking out the lighte
rider in his weary column, sent him
IN the liveliest horse to warn Pennywi
and his escort, provided he could fl
him at the San Saba camp. of what b
taken place, notify him that they wou
- here await his coming, and meantil
ordered dismount, unsaddle and graz
and in two minutes every charger W
divested Of his load and many Of the
were kicking and rolling on the turf.
fcr,,. Lc1,ra hnl tl,c cn,,,r N, q