The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-10-28

A PAYMASTER'S FLIGHT.
By ALEXANDER ELY.

ted States cavalry IN the Far west L
was detailed one day to command
eight men acting as a guard to Major
B., who had paid off the force at our
post and was going to pay those at
the next. He was a small, baldhead-
ed, lean man, except a round stomach,
which begins to p%rotrude upon some
people after they pass forty, with a
crafty eye and a silent tongue. The
only words he spoke were directions
as to handling his safe, a small af-
fair that could easily be lifted by two
men and for which a place was ar
ranged on a blackboard wagon which
the major always used to transport
= the treasure. His clerk drove the
horse, while the paymaster sat be-
side him, the safe between his legs.
The country through which We es-
corted the paymaster contained a
wild and lawless people. I thought
at the time that eight men, though
drilled soldiers and we'll armed, were
a small guard for such a purpose.
Whether the major thought so or not
I didn't know at the time, for he
said nothing about it. I learned af-
terward that the colonel commanding
wouldn't give him any more, and the
paymaster entered on the trip under
protest.
We were crossing a part of what is
called the Great American desert or
h -alkali plains, with nothing there
higher than a mans waist. I rode
a couple of hundred yards in advance,
keeping a sharp lookout in every d.
rection. For more than half a day
not a living thing except the men,
bers of our party and gophers was
in sight. But suddenly in turning 20
look to our right and rear I saw on a
rise far in the distance a mounted
figure looking at us. I judged from
the general outline of horse and man
that he was an Indian. After what
appeared to be e careful survey of us
he disappeared on the other side of
the rise.
1 felt a bit uneasy. Turning, I d.
rected each mar to see that his arms
and ammunition were in order and
notified the paymaster of what I had
seen. 1t didn't seem to trouble him
much. We logged on for a few miles
and when emerging from low ground
suddenly heard a mingling of yells
and saw on our right a motley crew
several times as large as our own
coming down on us. They were evil
IDENTIFY a mixture of road agents and
cowboys, with a sprinkling Of Indi-
ans. Their leader rode in advance, a
revolver in each hand, the only one
Of the lot who was not yelling.
l had just time to draw my men up
in line between the oEcomers and the
blackboard before they came within
close range, and l told each man to
pick one in front of him as nearly as
he could estimate. My men were
armed with repeating rifles, while the
attacking party had some guns, but
mostly revolvers. I waited till they
came within 800 yards before I gave
the order to fire. Nearly every one
of my troops brought down his man.
The gang hesitated, and 1 gave a Sec
0nd order to fire. This halted them;
but rallied by their leader, they came
on, bringing us within range of their
revolvers, and my men began to get
hurt. For some minutes there was a
continued firing on both sides, several
of my men being put out of the fight,
though but one was killed. My eff.
fective force was reduced to four
men besides myself, Major B., and his
clerk. 1t began to look as though
the robbers were going to get the
safe.
Suddenly l was astonished to see
Major B., who had stood in the buck
board using a rifle, jump down from
the wagon, cut the traces, spring on
the horses back, and away he went
like an arrow. The act demoralized
my force so that they broke. ] failed
to rally them, and we were all soon
tumbling after the paymaster. His
clerk mounted the horse of the man
who had been killed and Joined il
the fight.
Never have 1 been so incensed II
my life. The paymaster, a commits
stoned officer. by his cowardly act hat
cast discredit on me and my lei
had the modification to see the ban
dts ride down on the safe and cape
joyfully about it. All l could do wa!
to help the wounded men Of my com
mand along, supporting them by turf
in their saddles.
But what surprised me was tn
f1eetness of the majors horse. I an
no Judge of horsefesh, and had mis-
taken the animal that drew the buck
board for a mere beast of burden
Looking ahead, l could see the pay
master miles in advance, fleeing a
for dear life, and in time he disap
peared altogether. For once in m,
life l placed money before human
life and wished he were in the SAT
and the funds were on his horse.
thought with some satisfaction hov
l would prefer charges of coWardic
against him as soon as we reache'
the post we were making for.
The bandits, having secured tn
safe, paid no further attention to US
and we rode on to our destination
What was my establishment on ridin
into the garrison to see Major B. sit
ting coolly smoking before an extern
porized desk with heaps of bills be
fore him paying off the enlisted mer
,1o,