The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1899-02-08

they are following it fast as they can
90 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 astride his mon
grel mount in twinkllng. 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 armeo,
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 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 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
it have been to Merriam, reeling and
well-nigh exhausted, yet riding grim
ly, desperately forward through the
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 moi
until then, Murdock, faithful trooper
now riding by his lieutenant's side and
supporting him with his arm, turned tc
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 i
caught poor Randy's drowsy ear, ant
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 duffer
Yell to 'em, Jimmy"
And obedient to the word Jimm.
yelled. Over the rolling surface the sol
dier's voice went ringing through tn
dawn, and echo sent it Gathering bacl
from the buttes and powders to tn
west. "This way, you fellers!-thi
way!" he cried, and then, mounting
clapped spurs to his pony and sputtere'
away down the intervening swale.
Ten minutes later Randy Merriar
was lying on the ground in swoor
and George Grafton, with grave, sa
face, well-nigh as haggard as the lieu
tenants, was bending over him an
striving to force some brandy down hi
throat. Following "for all they wer
worth" the Apache trail, they had over
bauled the supposed marauders not 2
miles back in the foothills-a pacfi
hunting-party, provided with the ager
cy pass and safeguard. and culpabl
only in that they had come too far an
had picked up on the plains an Amer
lean horse, abandoned at sight of ther
by some Mexicans who gallope
far away; and that American hors'
minus saddle and bride, was Floy'
pretty bay mare, Mignon.
Then where in heavens name wa
she?
; 1t was some minutes before MerriaI
revived. Then he strove to stagger t
his feet, but fell helplessly back. ]
was nearly broad daylight, but the SUI
was still below the distant Guadaloupt
Gathering his feeble energies, Rand
strove to describe the little cove and t
implore Grafton to bear him thithel
and was interrupted by an cage
sergeant, who said: "We passed JUS
such brook, sir, not a mile back. Sha
l take half-a-dozen men and follow
rp?"
"Yes, at once" said Grafton, "and r.
go, too. Stay here, Randy" Indeed, tn
caution was not needed, for Merriar
was past moving now, poor fellow, an
his head sank helplessly back upon tn
scNicr's supporting arm. And the
.hey rode away, Grafton and half-t
dozen of his men, with Mignon, lie
weary and reluctant, trailing behint
And meantime the troop dismounte
and set about making coffee, while on
orderly rode back on the trail to sun
mon DR.. Gould, jogging wearily mil
behind. And presently the doctc
came and knelt by Rancy's side an
scolded through his set teeth, eve
while he skillfully stripped away th
hunting-shirt ard so reached the sha
tered arm.
Then came the glorious sunshir
streaming over the Guadaloupe an
gliding the westward Mescalero, an
then far out among the buttes, one
two-three, at regular intervals, Il
ringing, echoing signals of the cavalr