Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-04-08

and the KEY straight from some distant
lair in the Black Hills of Wyoming, the
big sbOuldered range that stretches from
the Laramie near its junction with the
Platte southwark to Colorado. They
were bent on a sudden rush upon the
corral in the dead of night, the forcing
of the gate and the Office door, then
with "Newhall'' to unlock the safe they
would be up and away like the wind,
with money enough to keep them all in
c.over-and whisky-until the last dol
lar was gambled or guzzled.
LOring's suspicious had proved exact
~ correct Loring's precautions in hav-
ing the office brightly lighted and a
show of armed men about had held the
would be robbers at bay during the
early hours of the night, and then his
prompt action in hurting himself on the
mysterious stranger who came ealthily
in at FoIsom's back gate had finally and
totally blocked the game.
But, just III proportion as Loring
turned out to be right, old Pecksnif
turned out to be wrong, for he had re-
fused a guard for the depot, and there
fore was it now Pecksniff's bounden
duty to himself to poohpooh the precau-
lions of the engineer and belittle the
danger. Not fer moment would he
admit that armed desperadoes had come
at Nevins' back. AS for the key in his
possession, with ali respect to the state
ments of Mr.. Loring, the story of the
unfortunate captains was just as plausl-
BILE, and that key should have been de-
livered to him, the commander at Fort
Emory, instead of being taken posses
sion of by the engineer.
True, Nevirs had been dismissed in
disgrace and in question of veracity
between the t'1O men there was little
doubt that Loring' S would prevail. But
a very peppery, fdgety, unhappy old
man was Colonel Stevens for many
days, prating about this independence
of action of STRIPPING officers right un-
der his nose.
But the worst came on the day when
the little troop of cavalry a Fort Emory
was still further depleted by the de-
tachment Of a sergeant, two corporals
and eight troopers, ordered to report
with pack mule and ten days ratiOns to
Lieutenant Loring Of the engineers,
and Colonel Stevens had not been con-
suited again
The senior colonel in the depart ment,
be had seen his command cut down
company by company until only bare
squad, said he, remained to guard the
most important post in Wyoming
(Which it wasn't by any means. but he
had been led 10 think so.) And now
young hippersnappers just out of West
Point were running away with his men
right under his nose.
But LOring's orders came to him dl-
rect from Omaha. He had need of every
precautiOn. He was now going on
mission that demanded the utmost Sc
crecy, and the colonel could no more
conceal a movement than a sieve could
water.
Quitting tile quartermaster depot
one summer night at IL, the little de-
tachment rode silently out across the
southwark prairie, swung round to the
east when the dim lights of town were
mile behind, took the trot over the
hard, bounding turf, and at dawn were
heading straight for the breaks of the
Laramie. Hating for rest and coffee
when the sun was an hour high. they
y
unsaddled in a grove of leafy ,GttOn-
woods in a little fork Of the Medicine
Bow, watereG the weary hOrses and
gave them hearty feed and themselves
as hearty dinner, and then piCketing
and hoppllng their steeds, who were
glad enough TO roll and sprawl lii the
sand, all hands managed TO get some
hours of sound sleep before the sun v us
sinking to t.:e edge of the Sw eetwater
range.
Then came the oar>l"! scUu;nlng OF
their mounts, then dip in the cool
waters, the smoking tbs Of soldier cof
fee and sizzling slips of bacon Then
again the saddle and the silent trail,
with the moon looking down from the
zenith on their warIike array. Heavily
armed was every man, each, even the
lieutenant, with carbine and brace of
Colts, and on they rode through the
still, soft night air. chatting i'll low
tones, no man knowing but every one
believing that the taciturn, blue eyed
young officer in the lead was heading
them for lair of the Birdsall gang. 1t
was too far south just then for Sioux.
Another moon and they had crossed
during the dark hours the broad plains
of the Laramie and were winding up
among the hills. Another rest and
squirting from the rear there overlook
them a bronzed. weather beaten from
tiersman whom Mr.. Loring greeted
without show of surprise, and when
again they moved on it was he who rode
at the lieutenant's left, up, up wind
ing trail among the frowning heights
until just as every man was wondering
when on earth they could hope for bite
the noiseless signal to halt was given,
while the leaders dismounted and peered