The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-04-30

Ava We. OAo "ust Dc more Lnan 1Rl1-
way to the cantonment by this time, il
Mignon hasn't given out"
And then Mrs. Hayne sobbed aloud.
"Oh. Randy, Randy! Haven't you
heard? Floy never regained the road
at all. The mail carrier from Cata-
mount goti an hour ago and saw moth
ing whatever of her."
'"rhen know where to find her." said
Randy, promptly. IA lovely spot we
visited together hardly month ago,
and l could find 1t easily after moon
rise"
But Mrs. Haync only sobbcd the
more. How could she tell him? Yet it
had to be.
"God grant it," she cried. "God grant
IL! But, oh, my friend, we've had a
dreadful fright! Capt. Grafton's men
struck an Apache trail yesterday, and
they are following it fast as they can
60 at this moment"
And with that announcement van-
ished all thought of further rest for
him. Bidding the two troopers saddle
anything on four legs that could carry
them, he sprang forth into the still and
radiant night and was nstride his mon
grel mount in twinkling. In win Mrs.
Hayne came out and pleaded with him,
Merriam would listen to nothing
nothing but tidings Of Florence. 1t was
barely eight o'clock when, fully armed,
the little party rode swiftly away I'M
der the northward stars, following an
old trail that led to the upper foothills
OF the Mescalero. They were not half
an hour gone when a sergeant and two
men rode in from the west, inquiring
for DR.. Gould and Mrs. Huyne. They
were three of Grafton's men sent back
from the chase to say they were hot on
the trail. There were five Apaches
afoot and one shod horse-so the traces
told infallibly. Florence, then. was
probably bound prisoner on that
horse, and Grafton would recapture her
or lose every horse and man in the at
tempt.
And If that night was one of dread
and detection at the ranch, what must
1t have been to Merriam, recling and
well-ntgh exhausted, yet riding grim
~. desperately forward through tho
long hours, searching vainly, vainly un-
der the wan moonlight. even along
into the pallid dawn, for that little cleft
in the foothills Floy had named "Mon
Abri." Faint and shimmering the day.
beams came at last, and then, and not
until then, Murdoch, faithful trooper,
now riding by his lieutenant's side and
supporting him with his arm, turned to
his comrade, who, dismounted, was
striving with the aid of match or two
to study some footprints they had
found in the soft surface, Jimmy" he
whispered, there's something moving
along that ridge yonder-coming this
way. What is it7"
And though soft the whisper it
caught poor Randy's drowsy ear. and
be strove to straighten up in saddle.
"What? Where?" he family asked.
''Yonder, sir, not half mile away.
Its some Of our fellows, or I'm duffer.
Yell to 'sm. Jimmy"
And obedient to the word Jimmy
yelled. Over the rolling surface the SOL
dier's voice went ringing through tho
dawn, and echo sent it gathering back
from the buttes and powders to the
west. "This way, you fellers!-this
way!" he cried, and then. mounting,
clapped spurs to his pony and sputtered
away down the intervening swale.
Ten minutes later Randy Merriam
was lying on the ground In swoon,
and George Grafton, with grave, sud
face. well-nigh as haggnrd as the lieu
tenants, was bending over him and
striving to force some brandy down his
throat. Following "for all they were
worth" the Apache trail, they had over
hauled the supposed marauders not 20
miles back in the foothills-a pacific
hunting-party, provided with the agen-
cy pass and safeguard. and culpnble
only in that they had come too for and
had picked up on the plains an Amer
lean horse. abandoned at sight of them
by some Mexicans who galloped
far away; and that American horse,
minus saddle and bride, was Floy's
pretty bay mare. Mignon.
Then where in heavens name was
she?
It was some minutes before Merriam
revived. Then he strove to stagger to
his feet. but fell helplessly back. 1t
WIS nearly broad daylight. but the sun
was still below the distant Guaduloupe.
Gathering his feeble energies, Randy
strove to describe the little cove and to
implore Grafton to bear him thither,
and was interrupted by an eager
seroeant. who snid: eve rossed i,,s%
such a brook, sir, not mile back. Shall
I take half-a-dozen men and follow IL
up?"
eyes. at once" said Grafton. and I'll
60, too. Stay here. Randy" Indeed, the
caution was not needed, for Merriam
was pnst moving now, poor fellow, and
his head sank hclplessly back upon the
soldiers supporting arm. And then
they rode away. Grafton and hnlf-a-
dozen Of his men, with Mignon. leg
weary and reluctant, trailing behind.
And meantime the troop dismounted
and set about making coffee. while one
orderly rode back on the trail to sum-
mon DR.. Gould. jogging YEARLY mile
behind. And presently the doctor
cnme and knclt by Rnndy's side and
scolded through his set teeth, even
while he skillfully stripped away the
hunting-shirt and SO reached the shnt-
tered arm.
Then came tho glorious sunshine
streaming over the GuadaIoupe and
gliding the westward M4cnlero. and
then far ont among the huttes, one