The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-09-07
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him go. 1t had no further use for the
services Of such as he; it 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, we'll knowing, as he must. that
no mans life is worth a hair in front
of the rifles of that outlaw gang, much
less an enemy such as Lawrence has
shown himself to be?" 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 a
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 his 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
81, l.
was, Friday by this time knew the
troops were coming. Then, with the
t1ankers securing the slopes we'll out to
right and left wherever possible,
Brooks main body, too, had entered
the winding defile and was lost in the
bowels of the earth.
At II O'Clock 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
defle, 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 clump of
rocks far out to, the right of the trail a
crouching figure that went almost on
all tours to the edge Of the rivulet,
skunk away down the bank, lodging
1v 4o
der, until it disappeared around little
shoulder of bluff 500 yards away, was
lost to view a moment, then reissued
into the moonlight, this time in saddle,
swinging cowboy fashion RATA about
its head as it rode. Spinning up the
slopes and out Of the stream bed, away
it went, careering up the billowy rise to
the south, and was presently lost to
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 the
light Of some unseen fire that fared for
perhaps minute somewhere about the
hidden base of the group, and then far
| away to the southeast, far out among
the buttes and knolls in the heart of
the range, there was sudden flash of
brilliant light, just as though some one
had touched off in front of a reflector
pound or SO Of rifle powder. The hills
for one second were lighted up, then as
suddenly relapsed into gloom. The
blaze at the ledge so close at hand was
promptly doused, and the night rolled
| on calm 1o1acid and ,,,lroiyo,
When the first streak Of dawn crept
into the orient sky, Barclays shadowy
scouts were issuing from the San Saba
on the farther side and hating for the
coming of the main body. Neither
those who led the advance nor those
out on either flank where fankers were
at all possible, had seen a sign Of out
law, cowboy, even of human being, out
side their own array. Not only had the
Friday gang vanished from the neigh
borhood Of the pass but, what was
most mysterious, not sign had appear
ed OF paymaster or escort, who were
due at Crockett's early this very morn
ing. Brooks, picking out the lightest
rider in his weary column, sent him on
the llveliest horse to warn Pennywise
and his escort, provided he could find
him at the San Saba camp, of what had
taken place, notify him that they would
here await his coming, and meantime
ordered dismount, unsaddle and Craze,
and in two minutes every charger was
Invested Of his load and many of them
were kicking and rolling on the turf.
| Twenty-four hours had the command
been in saddle, except for the required
halts and long two hours during the
dead OF night, when leading their
wearied steeds or crouching beside them
at rest, while Barclay and his scouts
explored the overhanging heights and
listened eagerly for sound of coming
troopers from the eastward. But for the
waning moon there would have been
hours of total darkness. Ninety miles,
all told, had they travelled, and now,
wearied though they were, nine out Of
ten OF the men were chatting with wrath
that the willy gang had managed to es-
cape them. Whittier were they gone,
and where on earth was the paymaster,
were the questions Certainly not
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