Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-02-10

they are following it fast as they can
go 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
radiantonight and was astride his mon
grel mount in twinkling. In vain 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 un-
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 n sergeant and two
men rode in from the west, inquiring
for DR.. Gould and Mrs. Hayne. 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 infallibiy. Florence, then. was
probably bound a 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
it have been to Merriam, reeling and
well-nigh exhausted, yet riding grim
ly, desperately forward through the
long hours, searching vainly, vainly IN
der the wan moonlight. even along
into the pallid dawn, for that little cleft
in the foothills Floy had named Mon
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 a match or two
tc 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 it?"
And though soft the whisper it
caught poor Randy's drowsy ear, and
he strove to straighten up in saddle.
What? Where?'' he family asked.
"Yonder, sir, not half a mile away.
It's some of our fellows, or I'm a duffer.
Y ell to 'em. Jimmy"
And obedient to the word Jimmy
yelled. Over the rolling surface the sol
dier's voice went ringing through the
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 swaie.
Ten minutes later Randy Merriam
was lying on the ground in n swoon,
and George Grafton, with grave, sad
face, well-nigh as haggard 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
bauled the supposed marauders not 20
miles back in the foothills-a pacific
hunting party, provided with the agen-
cy pass and safeguard. and culpable
only in that they had come too far 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?
IL was SOuIS 4lthulCS OSlOIS
revived. Then he strove to stagger to
his feet, but fell helplessly back. 1t
was nearly broad daylight, but the sun
was still below the distant Guadaloupe
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
sergeant, who said: I'VE passed Just
such brook, sir. not n mile back. Shall
| take half-a-dozen men and follow it
| up?"
Yes, at once" said Grafton, land I'll
go, too. Stay here, Randy" Indeed, the
| caution was not needed. for Merriam
was past moving now, poor fellow, and
his head sank helplessly back upon the
| soldiers supporting arm. And then
they rode away. Grafton and half-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
came and knelt by Randy's side and
scolded through his set teeth. even
while he skillfully Astripped away the
hunting-shirt and so reached the shat
| tered arm.
Then came the glorious sunshine
| streaming over the Guadalupe and
! gliding the westward Mescalero, and
then far out among the buttes, one
tTo-three. at regular intervals. the
ringing, 4echoing signals of the cavalry
carbine; and rough-garbed troopers
| sprang to their feet and shouted loud.
band capped ball cartridge into the
| brown bellies of their guns. and fred
| unlicensed salx0S infn the mir and