Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-01-26

o2AASSAB
rank in the army it was money that
talked
But there could be no questioning
the right Of the senior Of the two off
GERS who had alighted at Sanchos to
the title of colonel Soldier stood out
all over him, even though his garb was
concealed by a nondescript duster His
face, lined, thin Tipped and resolute,
was tanned by desert suns and winds.
His hair, once brown, was almost
white. His beard, once flowing and
silky, was cropped to gray stubble.
His steely blue eyes snapped under their
heavy thatch. His head was carried high
and we'll back, and his soft felt hat,
wide brimmed. was pulled down over
the brows. His deep chest, square shout
ders, erect carriage and straight, mus
cular legs all told of days and years in
the field, and every word he uttered
had about it the crisp. clear cut ring OF
command
1t was safe to bet that no mere com
pany was the extent of this soldiers
authority, and Sancho, keen observer
had put him down for lieutenant colo.
mel at least Full colonies We're mostly
older men, and Arizona had but one in
'the days of the empire "
The ranchman had eagerly whispered
questions to the loungers as to the iden.
tity of the two arrivals, but without
success. Both were strangers, although
the Junior had been seen at the ranch
once before, the day Blake's troop was
camped there on the way back from the
Dragons. There was the packet left by
the orderly to be called for by officers
arriving on the Yuma stage, addressed
in clerkly hand. but Sancho alas,
could not read.
lowering as near as the gravity and
dignity of his station would permit, he
had heard the colonel's query about
Blake. He pricked up his ears at once
Teniente Blake-thirty miles east on
the Maricopa road! Why, how was
this? Some one had told him Blake had
been to the Colorado and was coming
back by this very stage How did
Blake get to the east of Sancho's ranch,
after having once gone west without
Sancho's knowing it?
Suspiciously he watched the two sol
diers the grizzled colonel, the slim
lieutenant. They were talking together
in low tone; at least the colonel was
talking eagerly, theoretically and with
much gesticulation. The janior listened
wordless to every word. What had he
meant by "the bird had f1own?" Why
should Nevins ''skip?" An unpleasant
fear seized upon Sancho. He knew
Nevins, at least Nevins, captain
whom Everybody knew in fact and few
men trusted What had Nevins been
doing, or rather what that he had been
doing was he to be held to account for?
Why should the colonel SO eagerly ask
where they could reach Blake?
Time was when Sancho fattered him
self there was no deviltry going on in
Arizona, except such as originated with
the Indians, in which he had not at
least the participation of full knowl-
edge, yet here came two officials, hasten
ing by stage instead of marching with
military deliberation and escort, and
they were i'll quest of the Senior Captain
Nevins, of whom all men had heard and
at whose hands many had suffered, for
was not he a player whom the very
cards seemed to obey?
Was it not he who broke the bank at
Bustamente's during the fiesta at Tue
son but five months agone? Was it not
Nevins who won all the money those
two young tenientes possessed, two boys
from the far east just joining their regi-
ments and haplessly falling into the
hands Of this dashing, dapper, whole
souled, hospitable comrade, who made
his temporary quarters their home un
til they could find opportunity to go
forward to the distant posts where their
respective companies were stationed?
Was it not Neyins who. right there
at Sancho's ranch, finding party of
prospectors, several exConfederate sol
diers among them. languidly stalking
silver at the monte table. presided over
by Sancho's own brother, had calmly
opened faro layout and enticed every
man from the legitimate game and ev
cry peso from their pockets before the
two days session was finished?
Well did Sancho recall his own wrath
| anu ludl VI his UrOCueI ut CnlS uull-
censed interference with their special
business and the surprising libcrality
too, with which the senior captain had
silenced their remonstrance Rascal
though he was, Sancho had sense
enough to know that such proceedings
were not seemly in u man bearing the
commission of an officer but Sancho
little knew how many congressman
along at the close Of the war, finding
himself compelled to provide some kind
of living for political "heelers' or some
impersonal reward for services rem
dered had foisted his henchmen into
the army, then being enlarged and re-,
organized, and Nevins was one of the
results OF tho iniquitous system
Commissioned first lieutenant of a
regiment that had had proud record
III the regular division of the Army OF
the Potomac and had been hurried at
the close of the war to the Pacific coast,
Nevins had joined at Fort Yuma and
served few weeks apprenticeship as
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