Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-12-21
CHAPTER XI.

Nrf1[z27ff$y Ter IllUe any occurrences,
W however trifing, could get in |
slant attention of the lonely garrison. |
Troopers in various stages of dress |
came tumbling out upon the long porch |
at barracks. Others looked from the |
many windows of the big frame struc-
ture The washerwomen and their
hopefuls blocked the doorways of
"tClothespin row." officers everywhere
at headquarters, at the suffers, in
their homes-and their wives and fam
flies up and down the Zine remarked
the signal But when Lounsbury
brought up beside Fraser, and the two
seemed to be occupying themselves
with nothing in particular. the onlook-
ars laid the shot to an overventure
some water rat and so withdrew from
their points of vantage.
'sWhat is itT was the storekeeper's
FIRST breathless demand.
The young officer, hands on hips,
nodded straight ahead. You see those
willows just below the cut7" he asked.
well, there's a queer black bunch in
1@m."
Eyes. Is it man?"
Il think So"
~Moved?"
'tNot yet"
'4Come on then. Maybe he's aiming
Cor the coulee mouth, SOS to sneak up
20 the Lancasters' from behind"
They charged away across the mile
OF ice.
me as went byT' painted Lounsbury.
Look, iook!" cried Fraser. "'Now,
he's movingr'
They stopped to loosen their revolv-
ers, 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 bIanketed Indian.
ACharleyv' exclaimed the oficer. As
ne spoke the outcast, shouldering
bundle of sticks. began to climb the
cut
The two men looked at each other
and burst into a laugh.
"Fraser," said Lounsbury, ibid you
ever hear of the fellow that stalked a
deer all day and then found 1t was a
speck on his glasses?"
"That's one on me-" admitted the
lieutenant sheepishly 81 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"
eyes. From what understand
they're pretty good to him"
They followed leisurely and took up
o 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, al
wish when l had Matthews covered
that I'd just marched him up the cou-
lee and on to Clark'sr'
"Good idea. Too bad you didn't"
"But I'll tell you this: I'm not going
b stay out here all night just to shoe
him of. I've a good mind to happen
IN down there. sort him ont and do the
marching act anyhow"
snow, look here" reminded Fraser,
'.that wouldn't do. You don't want to
hill Matthews, and you don't want to
b killed. 1t d be one or the other If
yon poked your nose In there"
what do you adviser
"Iie low till you see a good oppor.
tunity. think the chap'll come out"
"But suppose he doesn'tT'
You'll have to stay here, that's ali
Res1 "a A.
"Oh. don't like to ask you to do
that, old man. We ought to be able
b think up some kind of a scheme"
The sun was fast declining. Soon II
disappeared behind the river bluffs
when the boom of the evening gun
gwelled the last note Of retreat"
Fraser sighed. The trumpet had
suggested a certain dire possibility.
81 don't care for the cold" he de
elared but-but"-ruefully-" you
suppose the K. o. IL give me more
than a month in quarters for this
There's that dance at the majors next
week. I'd like awfulIy to go. If Tn
under arrest can't. And who'll feed
my horse and my rattlesnakesT
"SOme sassy sergeant II shoot youI
uenu Oh nag sald the stoFekeeper
"and the rattlers II be requested tc
devour one another. When that's
over I'll break it gently to you land
you must be mum that the K. O. IS
discipllning you simply to keep his
face. He knows suggested it himself
that I'm TO be helped out by some OF
you fellows"
"Well that's better" returned Fra
ser, relieved And while they walked
back and forth he launched into q
defense Of his pets
"'Fiend of a nag" he quoted
why, Buckskin's a tactician. Knows