The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-01-10

NOW, DrOOkb Hhu m6n enough 70
thrash them soundly. but unless he
caught them in the act Of spoliation he
lacked authority. Just as sure as he
pitched into force of armed frontiers.
men they would appeal to the courts.
and public sentiment would be. dead
against him. He Gould doubtless push
ahead through the range, careless Of
lurking scouts Of the would be robbers.
meet Major Pennywise and his protect
oEs and escort them back in safety.
That problem presented no great diff.
Guilty, but what Frazier wanted and
Brooks wanted and everybody presum-
ably wanted was, that the outlaws
should be caught in the act and be pun
ished then and there. The question was
how to catch them in the act without
being themselves discovered, and be-
fore the gang had had time to inflict
much damage on the paymaster's party.
There was! the rub. why, their first
volley, delivered from ambush, might
kill half the outfit and the paymaster,
too" said Frazier. "No, we dare not
risk it, Brooks Push through and pull
him through, that's the best we can do
unless" and here came the redeem.
ing clause, "unless on the way you
should light on some unforeseen chance.
Then-use your discretion"
Mounted on the very horse he used to
ride as troop commander, and with the
old familiar horse equipments, Ned
Lawrence left the post at the majors
side. He had slept as only soldiers can,
curled up in the stagecoach, during
the previous afternoon and was in, far
better trim for the long ride in saddle
than Captain Mullane. who with bleary
eyes and muddled head rode solus in
front Of the leading troop, his one lieu
tenant, Mr.. Bralligan, being reported
by DR.. Collabones assistant as sick in
quarters, which indeed he was. with
lump the size of an apple on the side Of
his head, and another, apparently the
heft and density Of FOUNDER cannon
ball, rolling about inside of it. D
troop, jogging easily along at the rear
of column, was led by Barclay and
Brayton, both of whom had marked the
absence of the subaltern Of the leading
company, and neither of whom was
surprised when ten miles out there came
galloping past them, with touch of
the hand to his hat brim, the late regi-
mental commissary, Lieutenant Harry
VIM.
"rhat's goodp' said Brayton az he
s:,w his classmate ride up to the major
and report, then fall back and range
himself alongside Mullane But Bar
clay was silent.
"You think he ought not to have
GOMEZ" asked Brayton, half hesitating-
ly, as he glanced at his silent leader.
"I'm thinking more Of others-who
should be here, was the answer. "Yet
those two have go much to leave" And
Brayton, following the glance Of his
captains eyes, fully understood.
The morning grew warm as the sun
began to climb above the distant low
lying hills to. the east. The dust soon
rose in dense clouds from beneath the
crushing hoof N and, leaving Brayton
with the troop, Barclay cut across the
chord Of long arc in the trail and
refined up alongside the major. The
command at the moment was moving
at sharp trot through long, low de-
preston in the prairielike surface.
Brooks returned the captains punctil-
ious salute with CHEEKY nod and cor.
dial word of greeting.
with your permission, sir, I will
fall back 100 yards Or so, divide the
troop into sections and SO avoid the
dust"
Brooks glanced back over his shout
der. "Why, certainly, captain" said
he. II ought to have known the dust
would be rising by this time. It's 8
O'clock" he continued, glancing at his
watch. Barclay turned in saddle and
signaled with his gauntlet, whereat
Brayton slackened speed to the walk,
and gap began to grow between the
rearmost horses-of Mullane's troop and
the head of DIS already dusty column.
"Ride with us moment, won't you,
Barclay" called the major significant
ly as his subordinate seemed on the
point Of refining aside to wait for his
men. II want you two to know each
other" And the new and the old cap
tain Of d troop who had courteous
ly shaken hands with each other when
presented in the dim light Of the deolin-
ing moon at O'Clock, now trotted side
by side, Lawrence eying his successor
with keen yet pleasant interest. He had
been hearing all manner Of good Of him
during the wakeful watches of the
night, and was manfully fighting
against the faint yet irrepressible feel
ing Of jealous dislike with which broad
or and better men than he have had to
struggle on being supplanted. Do what
he might to battle against it, Lawrence
had been conscious Of 1t hour after hour.
and felt that be WINGED time and again
when some of the callers spoke even
guardedly of the changes Barclay was
making in the old troop, changes all
men except the ultra conservative rank
er element Gas the ranker was so often
constituted at that peculiar time, be 1t
understood) could see were for the bet
ter.
"You and Barclay lead on, will you,
Ned?" said the major, in his genial
way. ~ wish to speak with Mullane
moment" Whereat he refined out to
the right and>waited for the big Irish
man to come lunging up. Mullane was
already squirting close at his heels,
gloomily eying the combination in
front. "Thers are Oirish and Oirish,"
as one Of their most appreciative and
broad minded opponents, Private Ter
enoe Mulvaney, has,told us, and ii gall
ed the veteran dragon to sec his junior
in rank hidden to ride even for the mo-
ment at the head Of the swiftly moving |
column. So, reckless Of the fact that
his individual squirt would call for a |
certain forcing Of the pace along his en-
tire troop, now moving in long column
Of twos, Mullane had spurred his horse
to close the 10 -ard gap between him;
self and the majors orderly, determined
that there should be no conference Of