El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-27
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There was a simmer of crimson light
in the sky as he rode along. Sitting
square and deep in the saddle, with an
attitude that changed little as his horses
gait varied from lope to trOt, from trot
to walk or from walk to lope, his eyes
fixed straight ahead, the scout rode, alb
| solutely alone.
Solitude and silence had been his por-
ton SO much that language was to him
a curio, rarity, a luxury. He seldom
heard the sound of human voice, and
when he did he listened deeply and an
| swered deliberately, for his supply OF
speech was not great. AS he rode there
came scream from afar overhead
shrek, a screech. But he did not look
upward.
He knew the voice was the voice Of
a Springfield ball, high in the air. Man
and horse lay down and waited. Neither
| moved, but both watched.
On the brow of little knoll, far away,
he saw a bush wave too fast. 1t was far
away, but he leveled his rifle and fred.
Then horse and man arose as II by
mutual understanding, and turning from
the knoll he rode, the report of the guns
behind him merely urging him to hasten.
He was not afraid. He was not ex-
cited.
He did not expect to die. He did not
expect to live.
Late that night he reached the post.
delivered his orders and turned to go.
The captain stopped him.
meet anybody on the way overT he
asked.
The scout looked hard, as if digesting
the query. Then he thought. At last he
answered:
"Only some Indians"
How many"'
SGWaS Soveno said the scout. Now
six
"On the warpath?' asked the captain.
! The scout looked troubled, as though
bored by the questions.
''They fred''-was all he said.
Now, then, the war was on in earnest
But the scout ever after avoided the cap
tain as a man who talked too much.
In the grounds noncommissioned Off
GERS passed to and fro, bent on the duties
of the day. New recruits were being
drilled, singly and in squads. Now and
again stiff young lieutenant crossed to
the officers quarters or, bent on inspec-
ton, went through the form of examin-
ing quarters to see whether the dust had
been properly brushed away and the floor
duly swept. Presently soldier entered,
walked to where the scout lay, and said:
'Colonel wants you!"
The scout remained immovable for a
few seconds. Then he turned TO the mes
SenSer anu lOOAeO S4udIcAy III lhC
eye Then he arose, deliberately dressed,
drew on his long boots, buckled his belt
with the ammunition and revolvers in
place, and stalked to quarters. The or
derby halted him at the door.
Colonel wants me-" he said.
He passed in. The colonel ignored the
lack of a salute, for the keen eyed man
before him was not soldier, but civil
ian employee. Then he said
''There is a woman here, the wife OF
Lieutenant Jasper, who is wounded at
the ferry. She wants to join her hus-
band. You must guide her over"
The scout looked half terrified.
"WomanY' he asked. The question
1 had a world of meaning, for the colonel
knew of the hostiles on the road, the dam
gers of the trail itself, its double dangers
for woman. He nodded.
Bad said the scout.
Cant be helped" said the colonel
The scout stood still moment. Then
he turned and walked out. As he reach
ed the parade ground he saw woman
before the officers quarters. The sight
revived his memory.
In few minutes he was back at the
colonel's quarters. his horse saddled, his
blankets rolled behind the cantle, the
rifle slung by the horses side, the RATA
coiled carefully over the saddle post.
''Tell him I'm ready" he said gruf1y
gust. He was not used to unceremoniOns
orders. But the scout was impenetrable.
So the orderly went.
When the scout was ordered in, he saw
a little woman wearing a short riding
habit. He looked at her indifferently.
The colonel spoke, saying he was the
best scout at the post, and she might feel
safe with him.
81 feel it, she said.
The scout broke silence. Better not
Co." he said.
"Oh, l must!" was her answer.
They rode away together. All the
night long they rode, hating during the
day. On the third morning, as the wO-
man was about to lie down for few
hours rest, the scout arose, as one who
was about to deliver an GRAFTON.
"Only six miles," he said.
Fear of the hostiles had forsaken her,
and they rode rapidly on, Indifferent alike
to the whistle of the bullets, the yells Of
the braves, and the efforts Of small par
ties of bucks to head them off. Closer
and closer to the camp, and then, as the
sentry challenged, the scout turned and
let the woman ride ahead.
He faced the hostiles for a moment
Then he looked around and saw the
guard rush forth and welcome the faint
ing wife. The dancing braves Jared on
his sight. He turned back to where the
woman had entered the camp, and then
followed her.
The officer of the guard almost Rugged
him. Men gathered about him. The
captain clasped his hand. The wounded
lieutenant, now almost we'll, wept.
The talk annoyed him.-Philadelphia