The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-06-22
A Honeymoon Holdup.
BY GEN. CHARLES KING. Copyright. 1902, by Daily Story Pub. Co


 Copyright. 1902. by Daily Story Pub, Col In the Coloners own carriage--in a whirl of fiuttering kerchiefs, silvery voices, pearly tears, pelting rice and pro- driven u awsyHsil spd Fort Russell st out to see see them off, all Fort Larmie expectant of their coming. Jimmy Downs. lieutenant of infantry, had wooed and won the win some daughter of old Captain Furniss, having the best of the bargain. Downs had some thousands a year out side of his pay, yet would rather be a file-closer of Foot, far out in Wyoming. than a fox-hunter at Meadowbrook. IT an idler at Newport.
 He had planned a wedding tour acr ,ss the seas. nd bespoken passage on the Servia for early May. but when the Sioux broke their bounds-and pledges--early In April, Jimmy wired to Washington, re- signing his long-promised leave, bluntly told his Colonel he must stand by the regiment till the Sioux were whipped. and 90 far from chiding him. Kate Furniss was proud. Moreover. she said she would marry him anyhow and move to Laramie and watch and wait for him till the cam paicn was over. and Jimmy blessed her with all his heart, and the ladies at Lar annie helped him beautify the little cot tage assigned him as quarters. Cheyenne and Omaha furnished the furniture ana ming wedding breakfast, despite the fact that the cavalry garrison was under or ders to march. Not even weeks leave miles by road over the rolling. open foot hills from Russell to Laramie then, with 'Phillippe's" Ranch on the Chue Water for halfway house. The Colonefs own
 the Lieutenant Colonels pet Concord. the best road wagon at Laramie. should meet them there. Both drivers were soldiers who well knew the road. The Sioux no Al 1f~Ak N1.1
 gray troop of the Second was in bivouac at the Chug. Jimmy's faithful striker. | ex-Private Murphy, of the Ninth. would sit by the driver and wfeld his six-shoot- CT. Leaving Russell about p m. they before midnight, then drive triumphantly into Laramie by guard mounting on the morrow.
 Furniss in the plan-cheyenne was a tough town in those days, and Downs was then about the wealthiest man Tn Wyoming. What a chance this might be
 "You win wire from Lodge Pole and the Chub, Jimmy" said Furniss. with a | parting handclasp, but since her mother
 died that child has been-pretty much T know said Jimmy, stoutly. There were other children, but who like Katef And now as they bowled swiftly away | in the Colonefs delightful surrey with. | SpdnklnG tedu1 TdlTIy DQunutffB OtST tnc
 hard prairie road. exhilaration in the bril- liant sunshine. the keen, bracing air, the rapid motion. with youth and love. hope and health all their own. and they all l Jimmy Downs was too happy to think | of anything but Kate and bliss, too happy | to fear anything but delay He had promised-what his post commander had | not even asked--to be at Laramie at the very latest by 10 o'clock the following | day. He had planned to start at ,. but not until could they break away, and
 even then half dozen young cavaliers
 had s insisted t..i, on seeing them as far as Neither Downs nor his bride cared to | leave the carriage. Honest Michael. the I owner, looked wistfully at them and then l in his eye. It was to old Stein. the Col | onels soldier coachman. that he whis- pered. Say. can't you make 'em stop
 over few hours till some of the Grays
 What for?'' was the gruff reply.
 Because there's two fellers gone
 through. here, an I don't like the looks | of 'em."
 Pooh! Black IIillers!" said Stein He
 had the old soldiers inherent disdain of
 danger that he himself had not discov-
 cred.
 the Sioux all over the road beyant the | Platte" was the reply. You and Mur-
 phy have your guns ready, anyhow" Reached Lodge Pole all right. Kate sends love. Leaving at once" was the | sent by the soldier operator. But to the veteran captain of the Grays at Chug Water there went different tale-from Mike.
 Look out for Roughs on road to Chug Water. Lieutenant Downs and lady just I gone ahead. Could you send an meet | them?"
 And Mikes heart went low when, in
 half an hour the reply came from Phil | lippe's Ranch:
 Captain and most of troop away scout | ing toward the Platte. No one to send Something, up. Keep us advised" And so It happened that. all unwarned, Downs sent this telegram near midnight
 to his waiting father-in-law at Russell night. Leave for Laramie at 12:30." An hour later when Philippe wildly sought to send a very different message, he couldn't-the wires were cut or down. Three miles northward. along the valley of the .Chug the Laramie road in those days bent around a big choulder of bluff, and then went twisting up the slopes to the northeast. Blithely the fresh four mule team of the Concord had spun away through the soft moonlight Pike" Null iins handling the ribbons, Strih CT Murphy and his six-shooter bv the drivers side, Jimmy Downs and his winsome bride smuggling within the dark interior. Rates now. her hand in his her form encircled by his sturdy arm, the coming campaign for the moment forgotten. the future rose ate as a frontier dawn. when. all on a sudden. the springy vehicle gave a vio- lent swerve and bound. In a rattle of swingtree and tangle of trace. the lead team recoiled in terror on the wheelers.
 The driVer yelled fierce m aIaficffott and