The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-09-29
CHAPTER VIII.

Will.
Three days after the adjournment OF
Nevin's court martial Camp Cooke had
dropped back to the monotone OF it's ev-
eryday life Everybody was gone except
the now sullen. complaining prisoner ana
the little garrison OF two companies OF
infantry Vanished even were all but
two or three OF the colony OF gamblers
and alleged prospectors. who occupied.
TO the ANNOYANCE OF the commanding
officer and the scandal of the sutler. "a
little ranch just outside the reservation
lines. whittier venturesome spirits from
command were often enticed and Aeeced
of their money that the authorized pur-
veyor OF high priced luxuries considered
his legitimate plunder.
BY this time Camp Cooke walked up
10 the fact that II had been doing.
While It's own little force OF cavalry
was scouting the valleys OF the Verde
and the saiado to the east and Blakes
troop had been rushed up the Hassayam-
pa TO the north and there was no one
apparently 10 do escort duty through the
deserts along the ella. Camp Cooke and
the outlying providers believed that
those costly trinkets which Nevins had
begged Mr.. Loring to take to his wife
would not be withdrawn from the quar-
termaster's safe, much less sent forth
upon thAr perilous way.
Not until after Colonel Turnbull and
the engineer had ridden of southwark,
escorted by a sergeant with six tough
looking troupers. not until after Loring's
announcement that the jewels themselves
had been sent head, not until after Mr.
Gleason had been remanded TO his quar-
ters to sober up" and the adjutant to
Captain Nevins with the intimation that
II his too audible imprecations were not
stopped he and his tent would be trans
ferred to a corner of the corral did Camp
Cooke learn that Major Starke had sent
fly by night courier after Blake. re-
calling his troop; that IL had halted on
the stream ten miles above the
post. resting all afternoon and even
ing had ridden silently in toward
camp an hour after midnight. ana.
after receiving certain instructions
from Starke and visit from Loring, had
gone on southwark silently as II came.
accompanied by the presiding officer OF
the court, who hated day marches and
the sun scorched desert, and leaving es-
cort for those who were still TO follow.
There was mild surprise In camp. but
untold wrath and vituperation along the
line TO Sanchos, for from far and near
the choicest renegades of ARIZONA had
been fiocking TO the neighborhood. onIy
10 hnd themselves outwitted by the en-
gineer. Not half an hour after the burst
OF blasphemey from Nevins' tent inform
ed the camp that something more had
happened TO agitate anew his sorely
flaI aYa1 he otl de-. frat
lip 10 lip that IL was because the precious
jewels were already on their way 10
Frisco. guarded presumably by Blake
and q carbines. a swarthy half breed
courier spurred madly southwark from
the outlying roost on the borders of the
reservation. with the warning that IL wouid
be a useless rick to meddle with the
Teniente Loring's party when 1t came
along-there were no valuables with It.
They had been sent with the cavalry
hours before dawn.
Yes even the sealed record OF the
court must have been sent at that time.
too. for at 10 o'clock in the morning
when Colonel Turnbull and Mr.. Loring
mounted and gravely saluted the cap rails
in6 group OF officers as they rode away
from the majors quarters. IL was OBJ
served that Loring had not even saddle
bags and the majors striker admitted
that he had hoisted the lieutenants va
=
at o'clock in the morning. Various
were the theories and conjectures at the
suffers all the rest Of the day as to the
Information possessed by Lieutenant Lor-
Ing which led to such extreme precau-
tion.
The major was close mouthed and for
him rather stern. He held aloof from his
juniors all day long and seemed TO he
keeping an eye and ear attent on Nexins.
That officers conduct was puzzle. Six
months before he was the personfcation
of all that was lavish, hospitable. good
natured. sxtravagant Everybody was
apparently welcome to the best he had.
Then came-the collapse his arrest. his
flight. his capture and confinement. his
laughing defiance OF his accusers until
he found how much more they knew than
he supposed his metaphorical prostra-
tion at the feet Of his Judges. his humili-
ty. repentance. suffering and sacrifice. his
pledge Of future atonement, his protesta-
tions Of love for his long suffering wife,
his surrender Of his valuables for her
benefit his meekness OF mien until the
court had concluded his case and gone;
then his sudden resumption Of bold. tru-
culent. defiant manner. his midnight
breach of arrest which had leaked out
through the guard that was promptly sent
forth 10 fetch him in: then his demand
for the return OF his property and HIS fu-
rious outburst on learning that Loring
had taken him at his word and sent IL
without delay by the safest possible
hands.
That proved an exciting day. The
adjutant's message had temporarily
awed and quieted the man. but toward 3
n. m. the mail carrier arrived from the
ella with his sack Of letters end papers.
He reported having been stopped only FIVE
miles from Sanoho's by masked men. who
quickly examined his big leather bag. ST
lently pointed TO n curious mark-a dab
Of paint that must have got on II while
he was there at fhe ranch-and sent him
ahead without word being spoken. He
saw other men. but they passed him by
I'm wide circuit. He met Lieutenant
Blake and the troop. and the Lieutenant
bade him hurry. So the letters were de-
Iivered nearly two hours earlier than
usual In the mall were n dozen mlssives
for Captain NevIns--two In dainty femi-
nine superscription postmarked San
Francisco. several that might be bills.
others that were local. one postmarked