Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-15


 willows just below the cut?' he asked. "WelI, there's queer black bunch in 'em."
 "Yes. Is it a manT
 q think so." "Moved?"
 "Not yet"
 Come on then. Maybe he's aiming for the coulee mouth, sos to sneak up to the Lancasters' from behind"
 They charged away across the mile of ice.
 'If it's Matthews why didn't he wing 1 me as went by" panted Lounsbury.
 Look, look!' cried Fraser. "Now, he's movingv'
 They stopped to loosen their revolv- CTS, after which they started again, cautiously.
 The tops of the willows were shak- ing. Presently they spread outward, and the "black bunch" heightened. Then 1t emerged and was resolved into blhnketed Indian.
 "Charleyw exclaimed the officer As he spoke the outcast, shouldering bundle of sticks, began to climb the cut
 The two men looked at each other and burst into laugh.
 Fraser" said Lounsbury, "dld you ever hear of the fellow that stalked deer all day and then found it was a speck on his glasses|'
 That's one on me-" admitted the lieutenant sheepishly. q knew nobody had come out of that door-but you see we were in the stable awhile"
 'Charley'-that squaw Indian they told me about, eh? Pretty good to them"
 'Yes. From what I understand they're pretty good to him."
 They followed leisurely and took up a stand in the cottonwoods above the landing to discuss the situation. At the very outset Lounsbury determined not to speak of the plan that included Mrs. Martins aid, the rebuff he had suffered from the section boss having decided him against it.
 "By George" he said regretfully, q wish when I had Matthews covered that I'd just marched him up the cou- lee and on to Clark's!
 Good idea. Too bad you didn't"
 But I'll tell you this: I'm not going to stay out here all night just to shoo him off. I've a good mind to happen in down there, sort him out and do the marching act anyhow"
 "Now, look here," reminded Fraser, 'that wouldn't do. You don't want to kill Matthews, and you don't want to be killed. It d be one or the other if you poked your nose in there."
 "What do you adviser"
 "Lie low till you see a good oppor- tunity think the chap'll come out"
 "But suppose he doesn't?"
 You'll have to stay here, that's all. I'll divide the watch with you"
 "Oh. I don't like to ask you to do that, old man. We ought to be able to think up some kind of a scheme"
 The sun was fast declining. Soon it disappeared behind the river bluffs, when the boom of the evening gun swelled the last note of retreat"
 Fraser sighed. The trumpet had suggested a certain dire possibility.
 "I don't care for the cold" he de- clared, "but-but" ut"-ruefully-"do you suppose the K. O. I'll give me more than a month in quarters for this? There's that dance at the majors next week. I'd like awfully to go. If I'm under arrest I can't. And who'll feed my horse and my rottlesnakesf"
 Some sassy sergeant 'iI'shoot your fiend of a nag" said the storekeeper, "and the rattlers II be requested to devour one another. When that's over I'll break it gently to you (and you must be mumD that the K. O. is di5ciplining you simply to keep his face. He knOws-suggested it himself that Tn to be helped out by some of you fellows"
 Well, that's better" returned F-a- scr, relieved. And while they walked back and forth he launched into a defense of his pets.
 Flend Of a nag, be quoted. "why, Buckskin's a tactlcian. Knows what the trumpet says better than I do."
 Night settled swiftly. Despite Louns- bury's prophecy the temperature was not unbearable The wind died with the glow in the west. leaving the air so still that, to the watchers among the trees, sounds from Brannon min gled distinctly with the near laughter and talk of Shanty Town. No moon rose. Only a few stars burned their faint way through the quickly hidden rents of the sheltering cloud covering that, knitting here. breaking there. again overlapping in soft folds before an urgent sky breeze. swagged low above the ground.
 With darkness the two left the grove for the ledge upon which was Shanty Town and stationed themselves where they could still see whoever went in or out of the Troopers Delight Mat thews did not appear. Numerous men fin uniform did They made noisy ex- its and went brawIInZ along to other | shanties- They skuIked out of the I willows. fitted across the bit of snow 1 crusted beach below the saloons and | scrambled up 70 hurry in
 When Nvro ho=zrS or u1ora had rzo1a