The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1908-08-13
CHAPTER XVII.
The Trail Of Silent Murphy.


The young infantryman who had
been detailed for the important serv'
ice OF telegraph operator sat in the
Cheyenne ONCE. his feet on the rude
table. his face buried behind a news.
paper.
Could you inform mo where !
might find Silent Murphy. a govern
ment scout?"
The voice had the unmistakable ring
OF military authority. and the soldier
operator instinctiyely dropped his feet
to the floor
We'll. my lad. you are not dumb.
are you2"
The tclegrapher's momentary hest
tation vanished his ambition 10 be
come a martyr to the strict laws u
service secrecy was not sufficiently
strong tu cause him TO take the doubt
ful chances OF a lie. lie was here,
but has gone"
Where
The devil knows He rode north,
carrying dispatches for Custer"
"Whcu2"
oh three or four hours ago"
Hampton sworo softly but feryeut
Iy. behind his clinched teeth.
Where IS CUSTER"
Don't know exactly Supposed to
be with Terry and Gibbons. some
where near the mouth OF the Powder
although he may have left there By
this time. moving down the Yellow
stone Murphys orders we're TO inter
cept his column somewhere betweeu
the Rosebud and the Big Horn. Ma
other scout along this border would
take such detail. Hut that Old devil
Of a Murphy Just enjoys such trip
lie started on as happy as ever | see
him"
How far will he have to ride1"
"Oh. bout 800 miles as the crow
nics. a little west OF north, and the
better part OF the distance. they tell
me. it's almighty rough country ioi
nieht work But then Murphy. hs
knows the way all right Sorry you
didn't come along a little earhvT." hs
said. geuially. DO you know Muir
phy?"
I'm not quite. certain Did yos
happcn 70 notice peculiar black scAs
on the hack Of his right hand
Sure: looks like the half Of pear
lie said It was powder under the skim"
A new look OF reviving determinH
ton swept into Hampton's gloomy
eyes beyond doubt this must be bis
man.
How many horses did he have??"
Two"
Did you Dverhear him say anything
definite about his plans for tho tripi'
What, him? He never talks. that
fellow lie can't do nothing but sput'
ter " he tries hut | wrote out his or
ders. and they give him 10 the 25th Il
make the Big Horn. You wasn't plan
ming TO strike out after him, was
your"
# might risk n II | only thought
could Overtake him within two days.;
my business is of some importance"
We'll. stranger. | should reckon YOU
might do that with a dcg-gone good
outfit Murphy's sure 10 take things
pretty easy to-day. and he's almost
certain TO follow the old mining trail
as far AS the ford over the Belle
Fourche. and that's plain enough TO
travel. Beyond that poipt the devil
only knows where he will go. for then
is when his hard ridln' begins"
The moment the operator mentioned
that odd scar ON Murphy's hand. every
vestige OF hesitation vanished. Be-
yond any possibility OF doubt he war
on the right scent this time Murphy
was riding north upon a mission az
desperate as ever man was calles
upon 10 perform. Tho chance of his
coming forth alive from that Indian
haunted land was. as the operator
truthfully said barely one out Of o
hundred To the end. Go the death II
need were. be would follow
Cro Die CoNrlNUEDJ