Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-05-23


zen ground, and in another second two
furiously upon him.
! Despite mad struggles he was bound,
gagged and kicked behind the haystack
His carbine was whisked away. He lay
there, helpless and half strangled, but
they had removed the blanket, so that
he at least could breathe and see. And
then from beyonG the stable Of his troop
came two more men with cart. Into
this was swiftly loaded box after box of
some weighty substance, the boxes be-
ing dragged from underneath the very
stack that had caused the colonel's GEN.
sure-the stack that interposed between
Rays stable and the little domicile of
Sergeant Merriweather under the low
bluff. Loaded with all it could safely
carry, the cart was swiftly trundled off
into the darkness, three burly forms
propelling, two remaining close at
hand. Not word was spoken that
Hunter could hear. The cart came back
for another load in less than five min
uses and this time, in addition to heavy
little boxes which he could almost
swear contained ammunition and posi-
bly, revolvers, they dragged sacks of
oats from underneath the stack and
loaded them, too, upon the cart Three
| trips were made in all; then every man
vanished, and he was utterly alone.
| Raging at his plight, powerless to
help himself in any way, and suffering
not little from the sharpness of his
cords and the brutal manner in which
he had been gagged, Hunter managed
to keep cool and think. AT the utmost
he probably would not be left there
more than 90 minutes. When the call
was passed at IL 80, his voice would
be missed. The corporal would have to
come down and. not finding him on his
post, would institute search; then he
would be released and could tell his
story.
| Even as he lay there he could swear
he heard the sound as of hoofs and
heavy laden wheels crashing through
the ice on the little shallow stream be-
yond the stables. Presently the bitter
cold Of the frozen ground seemed to
penetrate through his heavy clothing,
and he began to suffer keenly. The
wind blew but lightly where he lay in
the lee of the stack, and, though he
knew it twas not time for the sentries to
call off, he strained his ears to catch
the sound of footfalls-Blake or Brady,
| and the sergeant, too, might be along
| again. He prayed indeed they might
be, for robbery had been committed be-
fore his very eyes. He had heard
rumors of the disappearance Of forage.
He had heard the men talk of the
exposed situation of the brick magazine
out there on the prairie, southeast of
| the post. Only on bright moonl;t nights
could the sentry see it from the east
gate, while from the south gate it was
hidden entirely. He knew that most of
the ammun:.ion-pistol, carbine and
cannon-was kept there and at one time
quite lot of small arms. The ordnance
sergeant slept in the garrison, his keys
in a strong box under his bed yet
thieves had plundered both the maya
zine and the stables, and hidden their
booty underneath the big haystack,
awaiting opportunity to run it away to
some reliable customer in town. That
they were members of the garrison was
evident from that very fact. Townsfolk
would have come with wagons in the
first place.
Fifteen minutes at least had he still
to wait and suffer, possibly more if no
officer of the guard CHANGED to- inspect
right after 10, or if the corporal should
ho ell 10 AZ
1880 call was not repeated. Fifteen
minutes, and already he was enduring
torment. Then came sudden hope-the
sound of a swift, light footfall-then
woman's voice.
Dan, Danny, where are you? Come
home quick, for Gods sake. They re
hunting for you now. /"
No answer.
Again the plaintive cry was repeated.
A woman's slender form sped swiftly
by, turned the corner Of the huge stack,
and then, as though recoiling at sight
of danger, darted back, shuddering,
stumbled owe, his PROSTATE body, and
only with difficulty saved itself from
falling. Quick as thought the woman
whsrled apon him, one half stihed,
nelsou cry escaping from her lips.
"scul.y, you BEAST Why are you ly-
ing there? You are not drunk. The
liquor ne gave you wouldn't do this.
Where's be gone? Answer, l say.
Ah-hl" And the cold hands that had
seized and shaken him fell away in
fright at touch of the gag. Quickly she
recovered herself, fumbled in her pock-
ct, found a pair of scissors and slashed
the bands that were strangling him.
"What fool work is this?" she whim-
pered. "Sure Dan shouldn't have gag
ged you, Scully Who was with him?
Who did it? Answer" she implored,
shaking him vehemently. ''Get up,
Scully, quick! For the love of God find
him. They've been to the house already
the guard. Somebody's peached.
Somebody. Who tied this lariat? It's
knotted like Wait till get knife.
Lie still, Scully." And away she sped,
leaving him to wonder, bound as he
was, how he could lie otherwise. She
was back in moment, painting, breath