Evening star., 1903-08-03
from assembled Sandy. as the first kiss of
the rising sun lighted on the bald pate

from assembled Sandy. as the first kiss Of
the rising sun lighted on the bald pate
OF Squaw Peak, huge sentinel OF the. valley.
looming from the darkness and shadows
and the miSts Of the shallow stream that
slept in many silent pool along its mas
sive, rocky base. With but a few hurried.
embarrassed words. Clarice Plume had said
adieu to Sandy, thinking never to see 1t
again. They stood and watched her past
the one unlighted house. the northern
most along the row. They know not that
Mr.. BIakely was at the moment bidding
adieu to others in far humber station. They
only noted that, even at the last, he was
not there to wave a goodbye to the woman
who had once so Influenced his life. Slowly
then the little group dissolved and drifted
away. She had gone unchallenged of any
authority, though the fate Of Mullins still
hung in the balance. Obviously. then. 1t
was not she whom Byrne's report had I'M
plicated If indeed that report had named
anybody. There had been no occasion for
been neither coroner nor jury to serve had
they been called for. Camp Sandy stood
in little world of its own. the only civil
funcuonary within forty miles being a
ranchman dwelling seven miles down
stream. who held some territorial warrant
as justice of the peace.
But Norah Shaughnessy. from the gable
window Of the Trumans' quarters. shook q
hard-clinching Irish fist and showered male
diction after the swiftly speeding ambu-
lance. IVAN O. ye," she sobbed, dealt Pat
Mullins q coward and cruel blow, and I'll
know which, as soon as ever that poor bye
can spake the truth" She would have said
1t to that hated French woman herself had
not mother and mistress both forbade her
leaving the room until the Plumes were
gone.
Three trunks had been stacked up and se-
cured on the hanging rack at the rear Of
the Concord. Others, with certain chests
and boxes, had been loaded into one big
wagon and sent ahead. The ambulance.
with the Dalys and the little escort Of seven
on the northward flats. and the cloud Of
their combined dust hung long on the scar
red fianks as the first rays OF the rising
sun came gliding the rocks at Boulder Point
and what was left OF the garrison at Sandy
turned out for reveille.
That evening, for the first time since his
injury. Mr.. Blakely took his horse and rode
away southwark in the soft moonlight, and
had not returned when tattoo sounded. The
post trader, coming up with the latest San
Francisco papers, said he had stopped O
moment to ask at the store whether Schan-
fore referred to. had recently visited the
post.
That evening. too. for the first time since
his dangerous wound. Trooper Mullins
awoke from his long delirium. weak as a
little child: asked for Norah. and what in
the world was the matter with him-in
bed and bandages. and DR.. Graham. look
ing into the poor lads dim. half-opening
eyes. sent a messenger to Captain Cutters
quarters to ask would the captain come At
once to hospital. This was at O'clock.
Less than two hours later q mounted or
derly set forth with dispatches from the
temporary post commander to Colonel
Byrne at Prescott. A wire from that
point about sundown had announced tho
safe arrival OF the party from Camp