Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-12-21

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'nut thesa Asc indians slulkIrg
about site persisted the corporal. Il
inGde sure VI IL before I came to you"
TO back TO your men, was the sui
tsn rely.
The corporal had looked straight at
Ills officer aud seemed " " the
prcsencs OF tie gill. She was flushing
aud pallag alternately, ard rs hc stood
there twirliug the zap bc had dotted
In slcn, recognition she protested:
"Eat. captain. II there arc Indians.
there IT, danger. IL this this soldier
saw lndinrs'-
Didn't you hear MOP shouted tie
captain at the lingering corporal.
The corporal saluted, turned on his
heel and returned to his mcn. Tie
gulf between officer nud man dill NOT
permit him TO explain In the face OF
that hluai command. but when he had
reached the troopers ne quietly said
"Afcn. | have been up e the captain
to report that there Is a bad Of a.
Least - Indians skulking down this
way from Red BIRD pass. They have
seen US aud are after MS. The captnln
doesn't believe nc. and you will got
ready Tor q fight. They'll bc herr
within half an hour. Softly now. Just
overhaul your carbines and cartridge
and make no display to frighten IL,
girl. The reds have got to lunli tic
basin on this side. aud they viii have
to strike MS first We've got good coy
or. and we ran stand 'em of for the
day"
"Bui when ulght comcsT" asked onn
Of the men. though without u trcmOr
In his tones.
Get quietly ready" was the reply.
MclnW hilr there was an argument
between tic captain and The coloncls
daughter. lie sought 10 assure her
that nothing lad been sreh and that
there was upt ;hc slightest danger; Int.
to his annoyance. she persisted In be
lleylng iliat there must bo good
grounds For the cOrporuTs report This
annoyance made him delay matters.
and nearly half an hour had passed
and II was very mitch against the
grain when he shouted for the soldier
TO approach ma snecringly asked:
"Nell, corporal. lsn't II about time
| your Indlnns showed upf"
we shall rear from them In ten
minutes" was the reply.
"And they will have rabbits cars ca
their heads You have sticks In your
eYrs."
III we mounted now and rode fast,
we would iiud the way open" said the
corporal, with dowucaSt eyes.
"Iinck. you impudrut vagabondF"
Numbered the captain, with outstreich-
cd arm. "I1l break you for this the
minute we get back"
The corporal turned hia gaze on the
girl for a few nccting seconds. There
were anger, cntrcnty, love and humllla-
ton IN his eyes. while lie was pRlc 20
the lips. For n second he seemed about
10 speak; then his head and shoulders
dropped in n helpless way, and he "a.
lutctl his officer and retired.
"Oh. Captain CllEe. what makes you
so hnrsh with himT' cried the girl as
the soldier turned away ar danger
did not menace us. Robert wouldn't'-
And so you two have met hcfore?"
Nv IN hf FAt NhtNhNh w OWL.
She had risen to her feet, and there
were tears IN her eyes She might
have replied. but ut iLat minute three
rife shots followed each other In quick
succession. aud the officer. who was
just rising. received u bullet IN his
shoulder ard SINK down again.
"Bnng. bang. bang!" went tue car.
bines or the troopers. and the corporal
came running up the hill 10 seize and
drag his officer under shelter ana TO
say to the girl:
you must crouch down here aud re-
main quiet. They cant get at you ill
they have killed the last one of us"
And Is II Indlansf' asked Captain
Cline as he tried to sit up.
Fully 80 of EN-. sir. and our escape
Ia cut or. What are the ordersf'
IF you'd been keeping n lookout,
this could not have %happenedr growl
ed the captain between his teeth. IN
have you court martlalcd II we cvor
get back. Get back TO your post!"
There was cover for the skulkinc
Indians TO within n stones throw Of the
bowldcrs. and II wasn't ten minutes
before two Of the troopers were killed
After the fret shock Of pain the cap
tain made his way down 20 tho Hsen
but there were no orders 10 give. Ey.
cry horse had been killed as he stood
by that time. and a third trooper had
. been mortally wounded. The dulles
soldier could have told that there was
no escape. IN his rage aud pain The
captain cursed loud and deep. and
! there were curses on his lips as lie hal
rose to shift his position. and n bullet
reached his heart. Crouching behind 1
!. bOwlder and peering out now and theI
with staring eyes. aud again covering
her face with her hands and rocking
her body TO and fro. the colonies
daughter gasped and sobbed and wait
ed. by aud 10y she missed the reports
Of the ca,bines, and the sound OF foot
steps echoed In her ears.
Gomez said the corporal as he lifted
her up.
'Oh. Robert. ana have you heater
them orr she exclaimed.
mo; my men nre NIL dead, and th'
Indians will rush ~ In a minute"