Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-28
CHAPTER V-Continued.

Two Apaches, somewhat bedraggled, but
by no means betraying anxiety or fear,
stood in front of the guardhouse porch
surrounded by several men of the guard.
To Hazletts question. What have we
here?" after being advanced" by the
corporal of the third relief. the sergeant
came forward and reported.
Lieut. Hunter of San Carlos, just back
from his scout, sir, sent these two beggars
in because what they told might be true.
He picked them up on the lower Salado.
Corporal Speed who brought them in, says
they want to swap news for something to
eat They had nothing but bareback, so they
sent EN- here. This one speaks Spanish, he
says, and as far 1 can make out he
will talk If we'll feed him. The company
cooks just being called, sir, and I
thought 1t worth trying. Corporal Linck
went on the run for the trader. He talks
Spanish and 'Patchie both. l told him 10
tell the major
But Hazlett could not wait. He turned
on the first and nearest "Quiere comer?"
he asked in the vernacular of the land. The
Indian simply nodded. He had been long
schooled to waiting. His news was market
able, as he well understood. and would fetch
it's price. Tell our cooks to heat some
hash, quick, and sent a lot of it here-and
bread and Coffee said the captain to the
drummer of the guard, and the little chap
started instantly ana at speed. Inc Apache
noted, though without sign. Gran CAPT
tan's' word was good enough for him. Then
Hazlett turned on him again, and again
with the lingo of the far southwest-the len
qua castellana crossed with the heather
dialect of the Tonic Apache:
''Sabe teniente chiquito-Fane?"
A nod was the instant answer.
'Muerto?
A shake of the shaggy black head. Then
four grimy fingers were uplifted
What? Cuatro-solamente cuatro?" ques-
toned Hazlett, hopefully, eagerly. only
four killed."
My God!' muttered the sergeant forget
full of discipline in the access of relief and
Joy. He says only four are killed-only
four, and the lieutenant not one of them
Go fetch him tubful, Johnny. He shall
eat till he busts if l have to go hungry"
And then the poyglot trader and the first
relay of rations arrived together. The raw
enous Indians fell to at the trenchers and
for few minutes only cultural monosyl-
tables could be extracted from either. Haz-
lett fastened back to his quarters his first
thought for Nell.
She was waiting at the door and almost
sobbed aloud at his joyous words Il believe
Fame is safe, and that but few were killed
Hunter sent in two Tontos-men whom he
caught down the Salado." At sight of the
majors hurrying form Hazlett stepped one
moment inside the door Probably he would
have done so anyway. Then FASTENED back
to the group. Poole. the trader, turned
promptly to him, which was uncomplimen-
tary TO the commanding Oncer, out ne mad
known and respected HaZlett three long
years He had not yet learned to respect
his post commander.
These fellows tell it straight, captain"
said he Fame was corralled in the pass.
they say and fought like -. Four SOL
diers were killed. and a lot of Indians.
Solalay and his people all got away. Soda
lay wounded, but able to travel. He's far
out of reach by this time"
And in this way came the earliest reports
to the little garrison of the serious affair
in which many comrades had been en-
gagged, and in the course of which, doubt
less, others, too. had fallen, painfully
wounded if not done to death. There was
little sleep the remaining hours of the
night, for either officer or man. Any mo-
ment might bring further signals from the
agency, any hour be fraught with tidings
from the field Piggott ordered the sentries
doubled. the outposts reinforced, the infan-
try under arms Knowing our depleted
strength" said he. ''t might occur to the
Apaches that now would be a capital time
to attack the post" Hazlett mustered his
men without a word of reply. Knowing"
said he to himself that Turner and his
troopers were close at their heels, the
Apaches probably were making the best
time of which they were capable, getting
valleys and into the rocks, the Apache
afoot could make two miles to the troopers
one. Dozens, as they knew, were already
back. Dozens more were coming, and just
at dawn the outlying pickets heard afar off
to the northwest the soft. yet stirring peal
OF the cavalry trumpet and the crackle of
carbine and rifle. Turner's fellows had
caught up with a lot of laggaEds possibly
conveying Indian wounded While still in
the flats of the Salado and were teaching
them the error of their ways.
Then it could not be long before there
came official tidngs from the seat of war.
1t was not. The drums and flies played
their perfunctory reveille at o'clock to a
garrison already wide awake, and the look