The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-06-21

ydNHeu Hllle, lOOKeu out
M into the night, and shiv-
N ri cred. He made his way to
the saddle rack, and throw
ing the familiar burden over one shoul-
der, staggered under its weight out TO
the picket line.
Pretty chilly for old Arizony, ell,
Mac?" he said TO the sentry, as he un-
tied Dick and led the horse away for
feed.
Damer sauntered TO the cook house.
A roaring fire awaited him, with a
quart cup of black coffee and several
slabs of bacon and bread. AS he ate,
he managed to have very comfortable
growl with the cook.
ITS holy terror, Doc, amt it," he
said. Here we've been in bloomin'
canon four months guarding this old
water hole, and ridin' over to meet Il
troop every day. Why, if it wasn't fur
them graves we'd never know Geron-
imo was alive. Lord only knows, l
wish they'd kill him or give him up
fur Charley Ross, an lei us get back
I'm sick of boot leg and sow belly"
"That's itn' answered Doc. "You fell
lers come growlin' at me. Where
do you 'spose I'm goin' to get taters an
onions? Am l one of them fellers that
kin say, Let there be taters an onions
an there they be? Go chase Yourself"
The cook was ruler of the camp.
Damer fed. AS he cinched up his
horse, he vented his unexpended energy
on the latigo strap. A snap Of teeth,
and kick, warned him he had reached
the limit. With "Whoa Dick, durn
ye'r' he slipped the bit in the horses
mouth, and buckled the throat latch.
Then he looked to his weapons. He
placed cartridge in the chamber of his
carbine, closed the breech block, set
the hammer at safety, and slipped
the carbine in its boot. He spun the
cylinder of his six-shooter, and let the
hammer rest on the empty chamber.
He mounted; and, as he started, two
swarthy figures appeared in the semi
darkness-for it was nearing daybreak
and stood by his side. They were the
Indian scouts who were to accompany
him on his twenty-five mile search for
every chance trail of the hostile
Apaches.
"Helloaw exclaimed the soldier. big
Head, and Pretty, too! Well, run
along. I'll meet you at the hill"
The Indians slipped away as Damer
drew up his reins and touched his horse
with the spurs. Past G troop, with
their Sibley tents, he rode; past the
graves, where his comrades had been
killed by the Apache band, short
month ago; and on beyond the suffers
tent.
The gray Of morning had heightened
now. The walls of Gaudaloupe Canon
showed the splendid art Of nature on
either side. Titan bronzes mingled
with the green of the fields. Piles Of
Hriftwood-the aftermath Of cloud
bursts-made the setting for perspec-
tive Of great mural designs in chaos,
needing only some master hand to ar
range them. Birds twittered, as they
sought precarious breakfasts.
1t was all lost on Damer. He whit
tied pipeful of tobacco from WELL
seasoned plug and lighted his pipe.
Soon his horse was climbing the
canon's side.
He dismounted, as he reached the
top, to take up the slack in the cinch.
The sun just then asserted his full
power. A flash of light from the east;
tncandescent rays beaming skyward,
like an Aurora; a rim of white fire from
the edge Of the mountains; full burst
ing forth of the glory of another day
and the sun of Arizona had begun
once more its scorching and parching
of famished plain and bleaching noun
tain.
Damer never saw the daily miracle. |
Just now, he was swearing vigorously |
at Dick, who swelled himself after the |
manner Of well-seasoned cavalry horses
to resist the tightening Of the cinch. |
"A few punches in the ribs settled the |
matter. Dick assumed normal proper
tions. 1t was force of habit that |
caused him to play the trick. He knew
that a loose saddle meant disaster. A |
gallop-a sudden shy from a prairie |
dog hole-tha crash of the trooper as |
saddle and man slipped under his belly;
and Dick would have killed his master
before he could have stopped himself.
Damer swung into the saddle, settled |
himself, let the bride reins fall loose.
and started along the we'll worn trail,
only horse wide. Lizards scuttled in |
and out The whirr of a rattlesnake |
cracked sharply. Prairie dogs chat
tered; and the little owls sat blinking,
one legged and solemn.
"Blame you! What do you mean"
1t was the familiar expletive, with the
troopers affection for his horse as the |
undertone, and the startled anxiety Of |
the man who was half soldier, half |
scout, in the phrasing.
A cavalry horse shows the repug-
nance for an Indian scent of his
brother, the Indian cayuse, for the oder
Of white man. The rider had been