The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1899-01-26

Killers train should have started He
heard the call for the surgeon, and
promptly turned oat in person. The
sleepy horses of the patrol were stand
ing meekly and wonderingly at the
gnardhouse when the distant shot was
fired. and. borrowing one, the sergeant
galloped out When BTx appeared he
borrowed another. and one for the sur
geon. Then, after hearing Merriam s
brief recital, he ordered him to mount
forthwith, take the entire patrol and
gallop in chase of the greasers.
There was no difficulty in learning It
the wretched shack at the edge of the
reservation which way they had zone.
Nine at least were in the party. and the
hoof tracks led away southwestward
across the fiat until they struck the line
of the railway, two miles west of the
Junction. Here there seemed to have
been brief halt, discussion, possibly n
divide. and a split. Two horses had
crossed the track and gone south; the
others, vecring westward had ait OUT
for the Santa Clara, and Randy Mer-
rihn, trifle hungry now, was wishing
with all his heart he had gone first to
Florence. and left the inspection of the
stables until afterwards. 1t was some
where about two o'clock when they
started The men were booted and
spurred. but Merriam was in ordinary
trousers, and the troop horse he rode
was quick 10 find the spur was gone
and slow to mind the heel. The McClel-
Ian saddle. too. with it's upright Dommel
and cantle, worried him after the ease
OF his own Whitman. When dawn came
he was well-nigh ready to give up the
chase after fording the Santa Clara and
finding the trail had turned northwest
ward, when sharp-eyed trooper swore
he could see the quarry making for the
foothills and not two miles ahead; so
Merriam borrowed single spur and
pushed vehemently, vigorously on.
Then broad daylight came, and there
could be no doubt they were gaining.
The chase was hot. The pursued were
tossing off saddle bugs, riatns. and 9TH
er detacha bic horse furniture to tighten
their weight. but they stuck to their
guns and ammunition. Mcrrium's men
were considerably strung out. not more
than six being well up within support
ing distance, when the fact that they
were in range of the greasers was dem
onstrated by the zip and sing of bull
let close alongside
That's business" muttered the
trooper who rode close on his left rear
'Shall try n shot. sir?"
Merriam shook his head. The situa-
ton had few points in its favor
Obedient ia his orders to pursue and
capture the gang. Randy had ridden
hard, yet over many a mile had he asked
himself the uuestion--Suppose they re-
sist arrest. what's to be done? He had
no warrant. He was not even a deputy
sheriff not even the hunrblest CON
his men returned their fire and shot
some of these unnatural naturalized
voters and citizens, like as not an in
dictment for murder would be hanging
over his head. if not hanging him in the
course of fortnight. True. there was
no sheriff within 10 miles. md long he
fore the civil authorities could he
brought into play the mnrderers of
Brady would Ike scattered all over the
face of the earth. All the same. under
the strict Interpretation of the civil
law. Lieut.. Merriam knew that he and
his people had no more business irving
to arrest these renepades than they had
to vote at n territorial election. In
point of fact. like many another officer
and man. soldier of Uncle Sam on the
broad frontier. he was aware of the fact
that even horse thief had more civil
rights than he trooper. His expedition.
therefore. in the eye of the law was
nothing more nor less than a lawless
dash. winding up in a possible free
fight. and all against the peace and dip-
nifty of the people of New Mexico. Per
haps Buxton knew this. too, but the or
Gers he gave were perem ptury. and Mer-
riam never stopped to reply. reason why,
or expostuiate. But now when the
renegades began.to shoot the reasoning
why had TO he done. His men were hot
for battle-so was he-hut the nation
expects of its officers that, no matter
what the temptation. provocation or ex-
ASPIRATION. they keep cool heads and
tempers. only shoot when the law per- |
mits, but then shoot to kill. No claim |