The Advocate and news., 1899-01-18
CHAPTER XIII.

Old Frazier's face was sad TO SEQ
when, two days later, all the narrowing
details Of that nights work were receiv
ed at Worth. Hours before, in answer
to courier from OroCkett's, DR.. Cola.
bone, with steward, attendants and
such ambulances 40 there were, had
been put en- route for the springs. Two
other troops had been hurried to the
field, and Mrs. Blythe, with streaming
syes, was straipinR TO her heart two
mOtherlesD children, now orphaned by
that zone more square fight in Texas.
Gallant Ned LAwrence Far on the way
to Cramer's bewildered force they found
his body, shot from ambush through
and through in two places. Yet, said
his weeping orderly, he had Olung to
the saddle nearly mile. Oh, the wrath
at department headquarters and along
the line Of posts and camps against that
gang, made up, az so many knew it
must be made, mainly Of the thugs and
deserters offsCoured from the army in
days when moral character as vouohed
for was no requisite before enlistment !
Among the dead upon the field was
found the body Of a once trusted SER
geant Of Lawrence's troop, but the
other outlaws were MexiCans or Jail
birds, strange to the soldiers who turned
them curioualy over. Pennywise, scared
half to death and dreadfully shaken by
g. > Capsizing Of his wagon, was other
wise unscathed. His clerk was shot, his
driver sorely wounded; two Of the San
Saba escort we're killed, and others hit.
Brooks, with Captain Haines from the
San Saba, pushed ON until at noon he
reached Cramer's people, now re-enforc-
ed by Fuller and his men and by the
shame stricken Mullane BY nightfall
his exhausted horses we're drinking their
fill from the stream. The two wounded
officers, Barclay and Cramer, with half
o dozen troopers, were being made 40
comfortable as possible
BY dawn Of the next day Mullane'S
pleading had overpowered Brooks,
whose heart was wrung at the Contem-
plstion Of such unFequited losses, and
taking Lieutenant Winn and 40 troop
ers with him the Irish captain, given ,
chance as he prayed to redeem himself,
marched away westward from the can
tonment at Crockett's, bent ON overtak.
ing the outlaws in the Apache noun.
tains, whittier they had gone, burdened
by half q dozen wounded, so said the
one prisoner, who, unable to bear the
torment Of jolting along on horseback
with an arm bullet smashed at the
elbow, had begged to be left behind.
He was mere boy, whose elder brother
had been for years fugitive from JUS
Eice and Of late prominent member OF
the gang, and it was by the side Of that
mortality wounded ruffian they found
the youngster weeping, more from grief
than from pain, only o mile away from
the scene Of the second ambuscade.
Verify the men who planned those
death traps were masters of their vii.
lainous trade. Concentrate all yous
shots ON the officers, " were the instruC-
tions. "Get them down, and the men
will be helpless as sheep" Cramer, his
doctor and his sergeant had fallen at
the first fire, and that little command
was paralyzed. Vigilant bushwhac&ers
schooled for years in Indian fighting,
Watching the Crockett trail against the
coming Of other leaders, had easily rec
ognized Lawrence as he rode galloping
ON at the head Of his half dozen, and
the zone more square fight" proved but
o one sided affair after all. Poor Ned
knew he had his death wounds at the
instant, yet whipped out his revolver
and ordered, "Chargep' and charge
they did upon the scattering, Cowardly
crew that fed before them ON their
fresh horses until the trooper leader
Sumblsd from his saddle. dead without