Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-01-07

: :S W. ~ T.
you can think of nothing else in the aUGy
of pTecdutiOn, LOTing2"
ing-he came back, to find that officer
with his valise rolled in a blanket and
used as a bolster, while the owner lay
on his back gazing dreamily up at the
stars. A trooper was silently making
down the bedding of the other officers.
The sand was soft and dry; no campfire
was needed, no tent, no mattress. All
four were hardened campaigners, and
the night was warm and devices.
For moment or two Blake idgeted
about. Good wine and cigars were as
acceptable to him as to anybody. It
was Sancho and Sancho's brother he
could not stomach, and he would not be
beholden TO either.
"You can think Of nothing else in
the way Of precaution, Loring?" he
presently asked as he threw himself
down beside him, putting at his little
brier root.
Nothing.
1T would take a nervier gang than
Arizona owns to try to rob this outfit, >
and Blake looked csmplacently around
among the shadowy forms of the troop
ers fitting about the bivouac.
1--WE are all right so long as we've
got you and your men, said Loring
quietly.
"Well, there's no order that can
come in time to take US away from you,
old man. I'll send one platoon ahead at
daybreak TO camp half way, and they'll
be fresh to ride into Yuma with you
Sunday morning"
Loring nodded approximately.
From the open doorway Of the ranch
came the faint clink of glasses and the
murmurous flow of voices, Presently
the boom of the veterans jovial laugh
swelled the ''concourse Of sweet
sounds, - and Blake stirred uneasily,
Wonder what that old thief is Civ
ing them?'' muttered he Uncle Bill
ly's telling his bear story.
A quarter of an hour passed. The in
FAINT moon had sunk below the west
ward horizon. The sounds of joviaIity
increased, and Blake's mouth watered.
dash those heartless profigates!' he
muttered RECKON I'll have to go and
reconnoiter. You don't mind being left
to your own reflections, Loring?''
SEQ ahead" said LOring, and SO
presently the tall, shadowy form Of
"the longest legged officer in Arizona"
was dimly seen stalking forth from the
gloom of the willows and threading it's
way through the open starlight toward
the bright and welcoming doorways of
the ranch. Only one or two of the usu
al loungers had been seen about the
premises since the cavalry came in.
Sancho and his brother were practical
ly destitute of other guests than the Of
ficers whom they were entertaining.
Slowly and more slowly did the lieuten
ant saunter open cared toward the scene
of revelry
More than half the distance had he
gone when suddenly from another and
smaller clump of willows below the
ranch there came floating on the still
night. faint and cautious, the musical
tinkle of a guitar, and then, soft and
Turing, yet neither sweet nor silvery,
the voice of girl was timidly uplifted
in song Blake knew it at once. 1.-The
daughter of my brother" was out there
in the willows, a most unusual thing
Blake remem bered how her eyes had
spoken to him twice before-how she
had thrown herself upon him the night
of Higgins arrest Could it be, was it
possible, that she was signaling to him
now?
Much as his curiosity and interest
had previously been aroused by the &C.
casional peeps he had had at this at
tractive little Mexican girl, the events
of that night had intensified them.
True, it was a moment Of thrilling ex-
element. Higgins, cornered like a rat,
had drawn and fired, not with either
aim Or idea Of shooting his accuser, but
in the hope Of so startling both officers
that in the confusion he could leap to
the back doorway and escape. LOring's
imperturba BILE nerve and practiced fist
had defeated that scheme and laid the
deserter low, and Higgins was now Ian
gushing at Yuma awaiting trial on
triple charges. But Blake for a second
or two had felt the clasp Of soft arms
about him, the wild futter of maiden
heart, much below his own, and Blake
was human. Somewhere he had met
that slender girl before. Twice he had
danced at the bales in Tucson and once
attended masquerade where for nearly
an hour he had enjoyed the partnership
of and had been tantalized by maid
just about the stature of this dark eyed
'daughter Of my brother. "
Blake knew as we'll as does the reader
that this was no time for philandering
and had been told but not yet taught