, 1908-07-16

crusted eyes staring moodily ahead.
Riding alone, and slightly in ad-
vance of the main body. his mount a
rangy, broad-chested roam. streaked
with alkali dust, the dropping head
telling plainly of wearied muscles. was
the officer in command. He was a
pleasant-faced. stalwart young fellow.
with the trim figure of q trained ath-
lete, possessing . square chin smooth-
ly shaven. his Intelligent blue eyes
half concealed beneath his hat brim.
which had been drawn low to shade
them from the glare, 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
gloomily behind, but . 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 sildsd "7" prominent
between. His attire was completed by
q 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
die was fastened q uniform jacket, the
single shoulder stray revealed pre-
senting the plain yellow of a second
lieutenant.
Attaining to the summit of a slight
knoll. whence q 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.
If that line OF trees over yonder
indicates the course of the lei 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 stocky fellow wearing a closely
clipped gray moustache, spurred his
exhausted horse into a brief trot. and
drew up short by the officers side. his
heavy eyes scanning the vague dis,
lance. ever 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 forking out At h 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 d.
rsctly 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 ~intently down in his immedi-
ate front. Fol a single instant he ap-
peared to doubt the evidence of his
own eyes; then ne swung hastily from
out the saddle, all WEAKNESS forgotten.
my God!" he cried, sharply, his
eyes suspiciously sweeping he bare
slope. There are two bodies lying
here-white people!"
p u coarse
grass, exactly as they had faIeHs inc
man resting C downward, tn
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 a grewsome tragedy, the thor
oughly aroused lieutenant dropped
upon his knees beside them, his eyes
already moist with sympathy, his anx-
ious fingers feeling for q possible
heartbeat. A moment of hushed,
GREATNESS suspense followed, and then
he began finging terse. eager com
mands across his shoulder to where
his men we're clustered.
Here! Carson. Perry. Ronk. lay
hold quick, and break this fellows
clasp" be cried, briefly. The girl
retains a 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 sx-
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 unconsciousness,
written as legibly as though by = 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
-.l.-
Amy 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 wi eyes filed with
feeling. Il can distinguish just a wee
bit Of breathing. but it's so weak the