The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-01-11
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VIM, nus muliane, therefore,, leo
"The DEVILS Own" as Mullane's troop
together with others no doubt-hai
been appropriately designated. Barclay
followed at the head Of D, when, near
ing Crockett Springs at O'Clock, a
dim speck Of courier came twisting out
upon the trail to meet them, and Brooks
long after recalled the thought that
came to him as he read the dispatch
that reached him there It was from
Lawrence:
Cramer got wind Of the gang early this
morning, followed with 60 men into the San
Saba, had sharp fight, lost three men and
many horses and is curralled out there, about
10 miles southeast. Cramer himself wounded,
DR.. Augustin killed. Courier Gays most Of
Friday gang gone to San Saba pass You, Of
COURSE must push on to save Pennywiso and
his money take five men and horses here
and hasten to pull Crainer ont Of the hole
Think you now Justified In attacking gang
wherever found. Nodoabt who were Cramer's
assailants. Expect to reach him before and
Hastily, L.
by heaven" cried Brooks, as he
turned to Fuller and the little party
riding with him, all studying his face
with anxious eyes, sits lucky we got
here with our horses in good shape.
cramer is in . scrape somewhere out in
the range. Lawrence has gone to his
Aid, and there'll only be time for bite
At Crockett's; then we must push on
and 60 ahead to the pass" Then. drop.
ping into thought, Now, which Of
Laura Waite's victims will most wei.
come a square fight-the man she
wronged by dropping Or the man she
wronged by taking?" ~
Two hours later, refreshed by cool.
ing drafts from the brook that dubbed
away from the springs, their nostrils
sponged ont, their saddles reset, their
stomachs gladdened by light feed, the
horses Of the two troops seemed fit for a
chase despite their go mile march since
dawn. A courier, galieping ahead, had
borne Brooks directions that coffee
should be ready for his men. and Cra-
mer's camp guard had found time to add
substantials to that comforting fluid.
Only half an hour did the major delay,
but even in that time the horses had a
quick rub down with wisps Of hay, and
the men themselves swung into saddle
with an air that seemed TO say, "There's
fun ahead" The sun YVES shining aslant
from low down in the western sky as
the column once more logged away on
the dusty trail, Barclays troop now in
the lead, opening out just as it had
marched most Of the day, while Vim,
between whom and the new captain
there had passed few courteous yet
rather formal words ut one or two Of
tho halts, gave to Mullane's old first
sergeant the charge of the leading Sec
ton, and himself rode at the distant
rear Of column, for by dusk il at all
struggling would be likely, and stray
Cling Would have to be suppressed with
a firm hand The sun was at their backs
now. Away to the front lay the rift in
the hills through which wound the
San Saba road, and off to the right
front, we'll to the southeast, somewhere
among those Jagged bluffs just begin.
ming to tings with gold about their
sharp and sawlike orests, lay the scene
of Cramer's morning tussle with the
outlaws, who, as all now realized, must
have opened on him from ambush and
shot down several horses and not a few
men before tho troopers conld reply
No further news had come from him,
however.
The conrier who brought the first
news said ho had to run the gantlet,
although only few of the gang seemed
to be hanging about tho scene of the
fight, their main body, as he had pre-
viously reported having gone in the di-
rcction of the pass Brooks well knew
that the moment he reached the foot
bills he would have to move with eau.
tiGn, throwing out advanced guards,
and, where possible, flankers He knew
that he would need every man and be.
lieyed that Cramer's people, now that
Lawrence had gone TO join them, could
take careof themselves, but the courier's
story, told to eager ears, had told" in
more ways than one. His description of
the ambuscade, the way Cramer, the
doctor, Sergeant 'Brien and others at
the head of column were tumbled at the
first fire, all had tended to make the
head of Brooks column an unpopular
place to ride-at least less popular than
earlier in the day, Fuller and his men
decided that their horses would be the
better for an hour Or two of rest at the
cantonment, and SO the column moved
OH without them.
Longer grew tho shadows and loftier
tho range far to the front MS once more
the pace quickened to the trot and
Brooks ard his men logged on. The
doctor, a gifted young practitioner
whom Collabone held in high regard,
seemed still to think that. he should
have been allowed to take an orderly
and his instruments and gaIlop ont Oh
Lawreuce's trail to the aid of Cramer's
wounded "Then what is to become OF
miner" asked the major calmly I'm
sorry for Cramer, sorry his doctor is
killed. but we may need you any mo.
ment more than he does. No, Lawrence
has gone to him. He'll do what he can
to make the wounded comfortable, leave
small guard with them and then
guide the rest of Cramer's troop through
the range to the San Saba. join either
Pennywise's party or ours, and between
us we ought to give those fellows
thrashing they'll never forget if only
they'll stand and take tiff only" he
added below his breath, "they don't lay
for us in some of those deep, twisting
canyons where 30 men could overthrow
thousand "
The doctor admitted the force Of his
superior's argument and said no word.
All the same, however, his eyes kept
wandering off from time to time to-
ward the foothills at tho southeast, now
turning to violet in shade, like half
mourning said the doctor to Galahad,
as, only half content, he dropped back
to ride few moments at the latter's
side. "And it won't be long," he add.
ed to himself, "before they'll be shroud.