Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-27
CHAPTER IV-Continued.


torch was slowly swinging to and fro. CIV
ing the call Attention! News!" and now.
excitement adding to his worries, Piggott
turned to Lafferty. who had seated HIM
self at the edge of the board walk. his ell
bows on his knees, his face in bis hands,
and was now topping over In the sleep Of
utter exhaustion. Here, wake up, man.
cried the major. This Is no time for sleep
ing! Run and call the signal sergeant! Tell
him to bring his kit! Tell him to come Ike
a shot!" and as Lafferty stumbled half
blindly away Piggott feverishly resumed
his stare at the distant agency Just as he
feared there was blaze among the timber
far up the range. There was another far
over to the southwest at the very apex
of Sombrero Peak.
And then came the sergeant of the guard
plotting the officer-of-the day, and in that
officer Piggott knew he need look for
neither sympathy nor consolation. SOL
der every inch of him was Captain HaZ-
lett of the Infantry, a man who held his
tongue and temper both in leash and did
his duty, a man who knew more about the
Apache and Apache land than Piggott
probably could ever learn. They had rub
bed each others fur the wrong way from
the first week of their association at the
post. Piggott was timid, irresolute, vacil-
lating. Hazlett was vigorous In speech
in action prompt and bold" Hazlett had
no use" he frankly said, for the Indian
agent at the reservation. Piggott was
afraid of him, because that functionary of
the bureau had what Piggott sorely desired
influence There had been controversy be-
tween Hazlett and the agent over the lat
ter's injustice to a sergeant on duty with
the agency guard. Piggott decided in the
agents favor, and found inside of six days
that he had decided wrong. He should
have set the sergeant right at once and
off cia Y h1Ir he fer
The sergeant had returned to his COM
pany, hurt and Inundated. The whole COM
mand sided with the sergeant, but had
to side" in silence. Pggott sought the
support of his next in cavalry rank, Cap
tain Turner and Turner told him frankly
that HaZlett had known that agent three
long years before he, Piggott, ever saw
him. and, knowing Hazlett's reputation and
having been warned to that of the agent,
Piggott should have known better than to
decide as he did. Then instead of sending
for both Hazlett and his aggrieved sergeant
and making manly reparation. the major
sulked in his tent and swore there was no
more loyalty in the cavalry.
And now it was Capt. Hazlett himself
who came striding up the board walk In
the faint and silvery moonlight. 1t was
Sergt Craig erstwhile of the agency guard,
who came bounding over the acequias that
bordered the parade, followed by two active
fellow soldiers. bearing their long torch
wandS and the paraphernalia for night sig
summons at such an hour. Captain and
sergeant both well knew how the major
had insisted that the original stories were
exaggerated; had refused to believe the re-
ports of. outlying sentres and patrols to the
effect that Indians by the dozen were leav-
ing the reservation and slipping southwest
ward. And now It had fallen to their lot
TO be witness and tranSmitter, respectively,
OF important message coming in at the dead
of night; one, moreover that could only add
Sorely to Piggotts discontinue
See what they want as quick as you
can, sergeant" he cried in nervous haste.
They may have been waving an hour.
Sentries can hardly see that torch with the
naked eye. Certainly can't"
Sentry No. did see it, SIR observed
Capt. HaZlett very quietly. He had Just re-
ported it when the adjutant came for me.
doubt their having swung more than very
few minutes"
Meantime Craig and his men, bending
over their kits, had been busily at work.
Presently at the tip of long, jointed staff
a copper torch firmly set, the match
applied, and bright flame burst on the
night Then up 1t went to the vertical in
the strong grasp of a tall infantryman.
Answer at once. Never mind the rest"
said the captain, while his men went on
setting foot torch and flame shades, and
then as the post adjutant, bringing his own
glasses came hurrying back TO join them,
with powerful sweep the long torch was
whrled swiftly down twice in quick sue
cession to the bearers left; twice again;
Twice a thlrQ tlmet then from the vertical it
sank slowly to earth directly in front
'22-22-22-9' Is signaled. "All right We see
you. We're ready. Go ahead with your
message" 1t said. And, though 1t was all
Greek to him, Piggott gazed through his
biEocular; the adjutant brought his glass
to bear, while the sergeant steadied the
long telescope against a tree box, and sta
toned one man, with pad and pencil, to
record the message as it fell from the re-
ceivers lips. In breathless silence all
watched and waited, listening intently A
moment of silence and the sergeant began
slowly to speak. BE ready, Klein" he
murmured, to the recorder. Here it
comes"
Only those who had glasses, and good
ones, SO great was the distance, could fol-
low the swift. tiny, sparklike circling of the
little red spot against the black back
ground of the Mesa. Craigs lips began to
witch again. ITO commanding officer"
said he. That's easy. Nowl S-o-l-a-l-a-y.
CThree) escaped. (Three, three In
d-i-a-n-s CThree) Say CThree) now Three)
Safe (Three) Sierra CThree) B-I-a-n-c-a
Crhree three. Fame CThree) and Qhree)
ALL CThree) d-e-c-l-a-r-e-d CThree) KILL
ed (Three three Sig Waters, Agt. Three
three three)," concluded the sergeant, with
professional gravity. up, Smith! Ac-
kHowledger And while the signal man
slowly swung the message I'VE under
stand" with misery in his trembling voice
the major turned to Capt. Hazlett
Can you believe that-possible?
Quite, sir" said Hazlett dryly, IF Tur-
ner obeyed the orders 1 hear were-given
him." which was near to characterization
as Hazlett had ever been known to go.