Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-08-29
CHAPTER VII.
srArTNOIE SCOUTS OF THE
SOUTHWEST.

tto far Mexican mountains, the watch
ers AZ the ranch. looking eastward, saw
suddenly outlined against the sky a
troop of horsemen with a solitary fig
IRE well TO the front They were five
miles away when they swept over the
brow OF the hill. but in that clear air 1t
was plain to see that they were riding
two abreast at a long swinging trot.
Even as they showed they melted into
+ra slOpe beneath them and became
fndstinguishab BILE. Twenty minutes
later they came once more into view,
their pace unchecked and regularity
lnhroken Five minutes afterward
the long roll of the hoofs came to the
ear and then showed plainly beyond
the arroyo. before they plunged into
its rayine to the cool clear water be-
Meath AS they splashed through,
nausea for their horses to drink and
then came up the incline, Lois, peering
through a window, saw that the man
in front was short and fieshy, with a
resolute yet merry face; that the men
behind him were tall and powerful and
swart of visage and that all were clad
in dusty blue. She did not then, nor
for some time afterward. know the
cause of the visit, but she recognized
them as cavalry regulars and her heart
beat fast to see the precision Of their
movements and their stern, soldierly
bearing. The troop. twenty-five in
ALL halted at thirty yards distance and
salued The men then rested at ease
in the saddle while Robert Harding
swung himself down and came forward
10 hal NV
Glynn who shook his hand heartily and
said.
Prompt as ever, Captain. It's a
jewel you ale."
of brightest ray serene" Harding
answered, shaking hands vigorously
with the others, to all of whom he was
known My men may have the old
quarters, | presume"
OF course" answered the host
THE house is ready for them and the
sergeant knows where it is Order
them to break ranks when you
please
Harding gave brief command and
the men swung to the southwark
whore a group of outbuildings stood
Fifteen minutes later the horses had
been tethered and the camp-fires were
going Harding, in his worn uniform
looked dusty and business-like among
the dress-coated men. He did not
think to apologize for his costume. He
knew the customs of Balconies rancho
well. but he was in the field, not in
barracks, He was shown to room by
Glynn himself, who treated him with
the respect and cordiality due tried
officer Then he dashed some water on
his face and hands ran a clothes
brush over and around his portly
body and announced himself fit and
hungry They repaired to the drawing
room. Lois could not have explained
the thrill she felt when he was intro
duced. but it was due to the fact that
after weeks among men of another ma
ton she was now in the presence of
one who wore the uniform Of her own.
She was glad to see that in ease and
geuNeness of bearing he was in no wise
inferior to those representatives of the
best blood of the mother country.
harding was. indeed. much of man of
the world While his fifteen years of
FrIN'e had been passed in the main on
inc frontier, he knew courts, and
camps and cities, was as familiar with
london and the Continent as the Eng
Ashmen themselves ana had, besides, a
Wide knowledge of his own land For
H'" years he had been in command of
company Of Seminole scouts at Fort
'.aIE. and from FL Paso to Browns
N"'' was known of all and feared by
l"t 'Fl doer He was still under for
~ anu unmarried, with gay, soldierly
temper an apparent immunity from ia
argue ana a courage that occasionally
lo7 10 a sublimity of recklessness. He
'''h her In TO dinner and, hungry as he
NA0 l0nnd little time to eat so con-
'.ahJ was their talk of places in their
u"N beloved land, so ardent their glor-
..."Doh OF II, 81 insistent their belief
..a' While England might be good
-t'.'iIta was far better. Allyn caught
-' MIXING OF their talk and announced
'.h laugh that it were well for all
..-n 70 Keep silence while the Yam
H'r Hl1 tIei- innlugs
won [ last long, you know" he
ont it will be deadly while II
"isn the party had reaSsembled In
craving room, Harding said to
-- would you Ike to see the Semi
, Miss English? | think they are
worth looking at
thanked him and the entire par
.-''l'ea 10 the camp. Supper was
ana the soldiers were stretched
'h unconsciously picturesque at
l~ey rose to the salute as
"-.er appeared, then sank back
F.. .I Lie down. boys, and take
You may have work to do
W English found herself fascinated
y. dark. stern faces Each ~ the
was above the middle heiont ana
.. We're one or two giants among
nan They had the loosenass =, NM
a sspp,eness Of tine trsined c o -ro
'1 and o. them ali fbs se-aaan,
and partly grizzled was the on,y
Way approached middle age