Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-06

were at last accounts camping In the
rocks near Sunset Pass. Two had been
killed. several were wounded, three were
missing, lost to everybody. Even the
Apaches swore they knew not where they
were-a sergeant, q trumpeter and Gran
Captain" himself, Captain Wren.
In the paling starlight Of the coming day
Blakely and Brdger piled the reluctant In
dams with questions in every form possible
with their limited knowledge Of the sign
language. Blakely, having spent SO many
years on stan duty. had too little knowl-
edge Of practical service In the field.
Bridger was but a beginner at best. To-
gether they had decided on their course, A
wire was sent to Sandy saying that from
all they could gather the rumors were
probably true but urging that couriers be
sent for Dick the Cherry creek settler, and
Wales Arnold. another pioneer who had
lived long in Apache land and owned a
ranch on the little Beaver. They could get
more out of the Indians than could these
soldiers. It would be hours after dawn be-
fore either Dick or his fellow frontiersman
could arrive. Meanwhile Sandy must bear
the suspense as well as 1t might. The next
wire came from Bridger at o'clocki
Arnold arrived hour ago. Examined six.
Says stories probably true. Confident Wren
not killed"
For answer Byrne wired that a detach-
ment of dozen men with three packers
had nao,.I marched r at o'clock to report to
Blakely for such duty as he might require
and the answer came within the minute:
"Blakely gone. Started for Snow lake
4:3O Left orders detachment follow, Took
orderly and two Apache Yuma scouts"
Byrne, Cutler and Graham read with
grave and anxious faces but said very lit
tie. 1t was Blakely's way.
And that was the last heard Of the bug
oioglst for as much as week.
meantime there was painful situation
at Fort Whipple. away up in "the hills
MAJOR Plume eager on his wifes account
70 get her to the seashore-"Monterey or
Santa Barbara" said the sapient medical
dtrector-and ceaselessly importuned by her
and viciously nagged by Elise. found him
self bound to the spot. So long as Mullins
stuck to his story Plume knew 1t would
never do for him to leave. "A day or two
more and ne may abate or amend his state
ment. wrote Graham. Indeed, IL Norah
shaughnessy were not there to prompt-to
prop-his memory, Graham thought it like
enough that even now the soldier would
ma nave Wavered. But never 5ot or title had
ment, e'"'e
There was two women" he said, "wid
tneir shawls over their heads" and those
two. refusing to halt at his demand, had
Deen overtaken and one of them seized. to
his bitter cost. for the other had driven a
keen-bladed knife through his rtbs even
as ne sought to examine his captive. s"rhev
wouidnt spake." said he. $50 what could I
90 QUE pull the shawl from the face of her
to see could she be recosnizedr" Then
came the fierce, cat-like spring of the taller
OF the two Then the well nigh fatal
thrust What afterwards became of the
women he could say no more than the
dead; Norah might rave about its being
the Frenchwoman that did it to protect the
majors lady-this he spoke in whisnered
confidence and only in reply to direct oues-
tion-but 1t wouldn't be for the likes of him
70 presume. Mullins, 1t seems, was a SOL
der of the old school,
Then came fresh and dire anxiety at
Sandy. Four days after BIakely's start
there appeared two swarthy runners from
the way of Beaver creek. They bore mis-
sive scrawled on the paper lining of
cracker box. and 1t read about as follows:
Camp in Sunset Pass. November &
Commanding Offcer, Camp Sandy:
Scouting parties returning find no trace