Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1899-02-11


with his patient. the two young officers
clasped hands outside.
you're weak ~ child yet, Randy.
What 10 IT, old boy?"
my Godi ! can't afford 10 be weak
now" was the fierce answer. "l've got
to act-to do as ! never did before. How
long should II take our best rider, Our
lightest rider, to reach the railway?
kilograms must 60 east Mt once"
"If no take the back trail-the one
you came In by from sedgwick-ave
days and nights, least count. II he 60
around by the environment for fresh
horses, perhaps seven"
my God! my God!" cried Merriam.
seven two days may be too long.
You're In command. Billy. I can give
no orders, but that courier must start
before moonrlse tonight. Don't AJAX
me to tell you why"
And within the hour, with q sealed
packet addressed to Capt. Lawrence
Hayne. -th infantry, Fort Sedgwick, q
slim little Irish trooper was Looping, all
alone, jauntily back toward the valley
of the Brnvo. smacking his lips In autici-
patton Of the good liquor awaiting him
at Santa Fe Junction the moment his
duty was done. Five days and nights
had he before him OF lonely ride
through desolate, almost desert land,
stopping only when necessary to feed
and wnter and rub down his horse,
build his little fire and cook hs slab
Of bacon and brew the battered pot OF
coffee, and snatch such sleep under the
stars Us was possible, Drawing Indians
rattlesnalses or mountain lions without
a tremor, for the sake Of IN Irishman's
pride In his troop, his love Of dangerous
duty and his full assurance Of good
time at the journeys end.
Another day and a rude grave was
dug In the canyon, and the doctor read
the simple service OF the church over
the shrouded form Of the young pros
pector; and then, against that doctors
wishes. but not without his reluctant
consent, Lieut.. Merriam, with an escort
Of two troopers, started in person to
ride by the shortest trail to sedgwick.
It was now the 9th OF June. II would
take him nearly week to reach and
cross the Santa Clara. 1t might take
him eight days to sedgwick. and every
hour seemed q day. Meantime DIR,
Wells set about having litters made for
the two wounded troopers, and by the
tenth of the month had them safely In
hospital ut the cantonment. He found
Tremaine looking anxious. even an
gered, Mrs. Tremaine troubled on more
than one account, apparently. and Flor
ence pale and languid.
"Did Mr.. Merriam send no 1etter?''
asked Mrs. Tremaine. after he had told
something OF their experiences.
There was no time TO write. He
begged me to give you his love and graf
itude, to give It to all, and to say he
would write in full the moment he got
TO Sedgwick. Oh, yes. he Is better
much better, but the nervous strain
may bring on q return OF the fever
said the doctor. Something Of solemn
consequence, Wells knew not what.
had carried Merriam back to the rail-
way. He might have to go east at once.
But Randy never reached the railway.
Hayne received and read in startled
amaze the contents Of the packet
brought by the courier. and sent at
once from the junction two telegraphic
messages-one to Mr.. Ned Parry, OF the
firm Of Graeme, Rayburn & Parry. OF
Chicago; the other to Mr.. Abraham
Mellen. New York city; received from
the latter neither acknowledgment nor
roply, and from the former the brief
words: 1.-The marriage took place IS
hours ago"
Without any delay. taking only a
single orderly. Capt. Hayne rode away
northwestward, past the Santa Clara
past the old Mission, and SO mountain
ward until the blue barrier Of the Mes
calero turned to gray and green, and,
almost within Its shadows, just rs the
second setting sun dropped behind Its
massive crest. he met the trio from the
Catamount-Merriam, haggard, but
determined rider, far In the lead. There
was no time for salutation.
"Whnt answer" demanded the lieu
tenant, abruptly and with wide. burn
ing. bloodshot eyes.
"Too late" said Hayne, "too late by
4s hours"
"You don't mean" gasped Merriam,
"that they are married nlready?"
That's what Parry wires" was the
brief response. 'Here's the dispatch
For IL moment Merriam sat In saddle
q dazed, stupefied look in his bloodless
face. Then his eyes closed and he
seemed about to swoon. Hayne sprang
from his painting horse just rs Mer'
RAMS wearied cscorts came numbering
to the spot. Together they lifted him
from his seat and bore him 10 little
patch Of grass, bathed his temples from
their canteens and gave him n goutte
Of cognac. They mnde what frontier
troops call a "dry camp" that night
Just there where the two parties met
There was fuel. little grass, but nc
water beyond what they had in Their
canteens, and with the contents OF one
Of these Hayne brewed pot Of tea
while one of the men cooked their fru'
gal supper. They needed no other cano-
py than that Of the heavens In that rare
dry atmosphere, and with the stars fol
night lights and the waning moon to
peep in upon their slumbers later and
start the gaun. coyotes ut their queru.