Daily camera., 1901-08-07
reply. Where yCu are most needed is
along toward the other end, where there
ere nriynta horses In HimSY stahles." !"

| reply. w mere JCH are ii0St neeued If
along toward the other end. where there
are private horses in fimsy stables y
Know. sir" said the soldier, prompt
IlY, "but there's something amiss cut
there on tine road toward town. heard
saIiI!c aud cries for help, and then a
running down into the creek bottom
The curfoIai's gone out II see. I'm
nfraif, tiiUcc's been blood split. sir"
And even as they stood and listened,
the sti,l night air was split by the loud
report OF carbine, echoed back from
the opposite wall of the shallow, mar
row canyon. 1t was followed almost
instantly by cry for aid
Come right along" shouted Merriam
to the sentry, and he cprang away in
the direction of the alarm. "Never mind
your postl"
a ron q nearly 402 yards, crossing
diugonally the Junction road as they
ran, brought the lieutenant to the edge
of the chasm, at point where one
could see some distance down the
stream, the sentry painting several rods
behind. The moonlight was faint, bu.
still sufficient to enable him to make
out the form of man apparently crawl
ing on hands and knees up the bank,
while another lay motion,ess close to
the waters edge. Over this after Corp
oral Mahoney vas bending, imp!oring in
grief-stricken tones. Randy went
bounding down the abrupt slope, sure.
footed as n goat.
whats the matter, corporal? What
is it?"
Brady, sir-stabbed to death, I'm
fraid. There was three of 'em on him,
and more at poor Corcoran yonder-
MeXicans all of 'em, and they lit OUT
straight for that monte shack across
the mesa. Their horses are there, /
reckon. Look up, Brady, man, for
Gods sake! Here's the lieutenant come
to help"
Merriam knclt, threw open the blue
blouse and placed his hand over the
heart, waited moment and shook his
head. His hand was dripping with
blood as he drew it out "All over with
poor Brady, I fear" said he Run
quick. No. followed me out. Tell
him to hurry for the surgeon and send
the litter from the hospital. Who
fired?"
~ did. sir. I hoped to bring down
one Of the gang, but they were too far
Cff." answered the corporal, as he was
pulling himself up the bank
Turning away from the stricken SOL
der and dabbling for a moment his
hand in the stream. Randy called to Cor
coran. the other victim, who was groan-
ing and cursing alternately, and who
presently burst into Inaud!n tears, de-
manding to be given a chance to stand
mp against the id greasers again.
that he might anuihilate the entire
party. 1t was evident that suhtlcr
enemy had downcd him even before the
Mexican toot, hold. II was only slight
" injured physically. bur his money
was gone. All BnuIT could extract
from him was that there had been
game and be wouldn't pay up because
the greascrs were cheating. and they
chased him and Brady, and overlook
them and used their knives.
Buxton was still up and full Of his
project OF sending the patrol OF alb
sentees and the band Just as soon as the
Biflers' train should have started. He
heard the call for the surgeon. and
promptly turned out in person The
sleepy horses of the patrol were stand
ing meekly and wonderinVly at the
guardhousc when the distant shot was
fred. and, borrowing one, the sergeant
Valloped out When Bux appeared hc
borrowed another. and one for the sur
geon, Then. after hearing Merriam's
hricf recital. he ordered him 70 mount
forthwith, take The entire patrol and.
gai.oF Ia chase of the greascrs.
There was no difficulty in learning at
the wretched shack Z; the edge OF the
reservation which way they had gone.
Nine at least were in the party, and the
h0of tracks led away southwestwurd
across the fat until they struck the line
of the railway, two miles west of the
Junction. Here there seemed to have
been a brief halt, discussion, possibly a
divide. and a split. Two horses had
crossed the track and gone south; the
others. veerinp westward. had lit out"
for the Santa Clara. and Randy Mer-
riam, a trifie hungry now. was wishing
with all his heart he had gone FIRST 20
Florence, nnd left the inspection Of the
stables until afterwards. II was some
where about two o'clOcl. when they
started. The men were booted una
spurred, but Merriam was il ordinarr
trousers, and the troop horse b, rode
was quick 10 find the spur was gone
and slow to mind the heel The McClcl-
Ian saddle, too, with its upright pummeI
and cantle worried him after the ease
OF his oyvn Whitman. When dawn cnine
he was weli-uigh ready 10 give 40 the
chase after fOrding The Santa Clara and
finding the trail had turned northwest
ward, when shurp-evsd trooper sworo
he coniI see the quarry making for tho
foothills and not two miles ahead; so
Merriam borrowed single spur and
pushed vcrpmsItia vigorously on.
ILtA broad GdNllTnt came, and there
could be no doubt they were gaining
The chase was hot. The pursued were
tossing OF saddle bags, rlatas, and otL-
CT detachable horse furniture to tighten
their weight, but they stuck 10 their
guns and ammunition, Merriam's men
were considerably strung our, not more
than six being well up within support
ing distance, when the fact that they
We're in range OF the grcasers was dem
onstrated by the zip and sing Of a bull
let close alongside.
That's business muttered the
trooper who rode close on his left rear
"Shall l try shot, sir?"
To be Coz t,nucd Tomorrow.