Daily camera., 1901-08-06
CHAPTER X.

CHAPTER X.
That night the rihers, seven COIN
panies, were whrlcd away by special
train to the rescue of the railway
shops and roundhouscs at Cimmnron
lSprngs, hundred miles to the north.
One of those unaccountable manias that
prompt men to appropriate other peo-
pies property had seized upon the en-
ployes of the road. The Valley division
had been forced to abandon all trains,
and it was only question of time, said
the ringleadcrs, when the Mountain di-
vision would follow suit Passenger
and cattle, fruit and freight trains were
blockaded. The mails, sent through at
first with n single car, were presently
be.ated, then blocked entirely, and
Uncle Sam, who had been showing his
teeth for twcnty--four hours, now
showed his hand. In the old days Of
Sedgwick it was the cavalry that was
perpetul!ly being hustled off on the
warpath, leaving the infantry to hold
the fort, but of late the Indians had
kept the peace and the cavalry the post
Then came the sudden outbreak Of
trouble on an eastern road. the swift
assurance of sympathy from brethren
in the west, and then strike that
speedily established the fact that there
were still savagcs in the valley of the
Bravo, for men who tried to stand to
their duty were kicked and battered
into pulp, and helpless women and chill
dren were burned out OF house and
home.
The colonel was in no wise eager to
go on any such mission. He kept at
the metaphorical front, but the actual
rear, of his men. secure in the pre-
caution that cool-headcd Capt. Hayne
was forward on the pilot Of the en-
! gine. II the trestie work were sawed
away or bridges burned at inconvenient
| points Haync would not be apt TO let
| the train stumble into the pitfall. Ii
was nearly dawn before the special
reached Santa Fe Junction, but the
| Iihers marched thither soon after mid
| night, leaving many weeping wives at
home. They had not the stoicism OF
those women long schoolcd in such
calamities-the ladies of the cavalry.
! Buxton succeeded TO the command Of
the post and its garrison, now made up
of one big squadron of the --th, four
troops, and Capt. Blinker's battery of
mounted artillery, and what fairly pes
| tered Buxton was why the colonel
should have sent for Mr.. Merriam with
in ten minutes after the dispatches be-
gan coming in just after retreat, and
| Merriam wouldn't tell.
The first dispatch was from depart
ment headquarters, and bade the
/ colonel hold his entire regiment ready
for instant duty and journey by rail.
Bux was with him when il came, and
together they had gone TO the Office.
Then was handed in another. which the
colonel read but did not pass over to
his second in command. On the con-
trary he thought bit and sent for
| Mr.. Merriam, and took him to one side
and had q conversation with him Of
five minutes duration that was inaudi
bic to every body else. Bux did catch
word or two. but could make of it
nothing tha, did not stimulate his curl
osity. Killed" "Mcscalero noun
, taius," written "McLane
only o." were 'scme of them, and
when he took the commanding officer S
desk the next day he ransacked il TO
find that dispatch, supposing it to be
something official. 1t was only semi
official, said the operator. 1t came
from department headquarters, but
Was addressed TO the colonel personal
~, no; in his capacity es post com
mander. consequently it was not filed,
and Bux couldn't find it.
The guard had to be reduced, and
buxton gave orders accordingly-n ser
geant, three corporafs, l2 sentries for
four posts, and the inevitable and in
dispensable orderly for the command
ing officer being all now authorized,
since both battery and troop command
crs had to keep up their stable guards.
But Buxton insisted on lieutenant as
officer of the guard, and, as luck would
have il, the man directed to relieve the
| infantry sub starting OFF with his regi-
ment was Randolph Merriam.
He hnd hastened home to let Florence
know il was the riilers, not the cav
airy, that were summoned this time,
and instead of finding her somewhat
tranquillized was distressed to see
traces OF continued, if not greater,
agitation. Mrs. Hayne, of course, had
been hurried home. Florence had left
the sofa and was nervously pacing the
little room. He heard her rapid foot
steps as he let himself in ut the door
below, but as he bounded up the stairs
she hurried to the window and stood
leaning against the sash, her back to-
ward him as he entered.
Closing the door and fastening to
her, Merriam took her in his arms and
turned her face to his. 1t was hot and
flushed. The eyes were still red with
weeping, the lids swollen and distig-
ured.
"Why, Florence, dear" he began, in
tones of mingled reproof and distress,
what can have happened to so dis
turb you? We do not GO. 1t is only
the riflers this time"
For one moment there was silence,
then sudden outburst
II wish we did go. wish to heaven
I had never again seen this hateful,
hateful post-or else that she had not
"She! Florence? Who?"
"The woman you went to see when
was out of the way after parade this
evening-and dare not tell me-"
"Florence! florence" he cried, in
utter amaze and distress. Listen to
me, dear" he pleaded, for she was
struggling to release herself-"lister
to me, child"
"Child?-I am no child! was one,
perhaps, when you came into my life
when married you. But not now-not
now, Randy-1'm woman with burn
ing, bleeding heart. Why should you
go there? Why should you hide it from
meY
you were i'll and wretched. knew
YOU could not bear her. Grafton asked