The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-09-12


5Iinded By the glare. IolIed heavily in
their deep cavalry saddles. with en-
@;nsted eyes staring modify ahead
3iG,ng alone, and slightly in ad-
vance of the main body. his mount
rangy. brOad-chested roam, streaked
18th aIkali dust. the dropping head
telling plainly of wearied muscles. was
the officer in command. He was a
glsasa1t-faced. stalwart young fellow.
with the trim figure of a trained ath-
iete. possessing square chin smooth
ly shaver. his intelligent blue eyes
half concealed beneath his hat brim.
which had been drawn low TO shade
them from the glare, one hand press
ing upon his saddle holster as he
leaned over to rest. No insignia Of
rank served to distinguish him from
those equally dusty fellows plodding
5ioomily behind, but a broad stripe of
yellow running down the seams of his
trousers, together with his high boots,
bespoke the cavalry service, while the
front Of his battered campaign hat
bore the decorations of two crossed
sabers, with a gilded "7' prominent
between. His attire was completed by
a coarse blue shirt, unbottoned at the
throat, about which had been loosely
knOtted a darker cOlOred silk handker-
chief. and across the back Of the sad
de was fastened a uniform jacket, the
single shoulder strap revealed pre-
senting the plain yellow of a second
lieutenant
Attaining to the summit Of d slight
knoll. whence a somewhat wider vista
lay outspread, he partially turned his
face toward the men struggling along
in the rear, while his hand swept
across the dreary scene.
ii that line Of trees over yondcr
indicates the course of the Bear Wa
ter, Carson" he questioned quietly,
where are We expected to hit the trail
leading down to the ford?"
The sergeant, thus addressed. a lit
tie stocRy fellow wearing q closely
clipped gray moustache spurred his
exhausted horse into brief trot, and
drew up short by the officers side, his
heavy eyes scanning the vague dis.
lance, even while his right hand was
uplifted in perfunctory salute
There's no trail know about along
this bank sir" he replied respectfully.
but the big cottonwood with the dead
branch forklng out at the top is the
ford guide"
They rode down in moody silence
into the next depression, and began
YEARLY climbing the long hill opposite.
apparently the last before coming di-
rectly down the banks of the stream.
AS his barely moving horse topped the
uneven summit. the lieutenant sudden
ly drew in his rein. and uttering an
exclamation Of surprise. bent forward.
staring intontly down in his immedi-
ate front For a single instant he ap-
peared to doubt the evidence Of his
own eyes; then he swung hastily from
out the saddle, all WEAKNESS forgotten.
Ny Cod" he cried. sharply, his
eyes suspiciously sweeping the bare
slope There are two bodies lying
here-white people,"
They lay all doubled up in the coarse
grass, exactly as they had fallen. the
man resting face downward. the
slender figure of the girl clasped vice
like in his arms. with her tightly
closed eyes upturned toward the glar-
ing sun. Never once questioning but
that he was confronting the closing
scene of grewsome tragedy, the thor
oushly aroused lieutenant dropped
upon his knees beside them, HIS eyes
already moist with sympathy, his anx-
ious fingers feeling for a possible
heartbeat. 4 moment of hushed,
breathless suspense followed, and then
he began flinging terse, eager com
mands across his shoulder to where
his men were clustered
Here, Carson, Perry, Ronk, lay
hold quick. and break this fellows
clasp he cried, briefly The girl
retains spark of life yet, but the
mans arms fairly crush her"
With all the rightly Of actual death
those clutching hands held their tena-
cious grip, but the aroused soldiers
wrenched the interlaced fingers apart
with every tenderness possible in such
emergency shocked at noting the ex-
preston Of intense agony stamped
upon the mans face when thus eX-
posed to view The whole terrible
story was engraven there-how he
had toiled. agonized, suffered, before
finally yielding to the inevitable and
plunging forward in Inconsistencies,
written as legibly as though by a pen.
Carson. who in his long service had
witnessed much Of death and suffer
ing. bent tenderly above him, seeking
for some faint evidence of lingering
life, The anxious lieutenant, bare.
headed under the hot sun-glare, strobe
hastily across from beside the uncon-
scious but breathing girl. and stood
gazing doubtfully down upon them.
Any life, sergeant" he demanded,
his voice rendered husky by sympathy
He doesn't seem entirely gone. sir"
and Carson glanced up into the Off
GERS face his own eyes filled with
feeling. Il can distinguish just wee
bit Of breathing. but it's so weak the
pulse hardly stirs."
What do you make of it,"