Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1912-01-25
CHAPTER xxvIII.-continued.

II say. Cap" he said, jerking the
words out to the mules hard trot. and
grasping his saddle pommel desper.
ately, Il sorter reckon as how ther'll
be some fun back thar afore long less
all signs fail"
"Why?" | stared at him, now thor.
oughly aroused to the thought that
he had important news to communi.
cate.
WAL" he explained slowly, "whin
ye wint off. sorter TUX notion ter
look bout q bit. Used ter be an OIL
/stompin' ground O. mine. So Dutchy
an me clumb tibet big hill back o.
whar we halted. and by gum. down
thar in Their gully on { other side
thar's burned big camp o. fellers."
{ ] refined up short, and with uplirted
hand signalled the men behind TO
halt.
why didn't you tell me this be.
fore?" ! questioned sternly. How
many were there? and what did they
look llke?"
He scratched the back of his head
thoughtfully. and answered with care
full deliberation. "Durn 1t, ! didn't
jine ye till after I'd started. an
reckon as how 1t took me all o. tew
mile ter git this yere blame muel up
ter whar | cud talk Thar's quite a
smart bunch, but they had some pick.
cts out. an ! cudn't git close 'nough
ter tell zackly. Dutchy thought thar
Wus nigh onter two hundred o. 'em,
but jist don't know. They wusn't
dressed like sojers O. either army, an
reckon they're out O. Their hills"
I glanced at my little handful of
men. scarcely knowing what decision
It might be wise to make. Undoubt.
edly they would fight II occasion
arose. but the odds were terribly
heavy; besides. If Brennan came, and
his party got away that same even.
ing, as was planned for them to do,
then 1t might not be necessary for us
70 strike a blow | was certainly in
no mood to expose my small command
merely to save the empty house from
destruction.
"Ebers." | said, turning toward the
Sergeant. who sat his horse with ex.
pressiOnless face, you we're with the
guide when he discovered this camp
How many do you think 1t contained?
and who were they?"
vel, dere vos more as two gom.
panies, Captain. und dere vos some
horses, but dey vos dressed-vot you
calls it?-all ober not ner same"
''Not in uniform?"
dot Vos It"
Have any of the rest of you seen
anything that looked suspicious?"
asked, glancing around into the diff
ferent faces.
Maybe I did," answered one Of the
troopers named Earl. "As we rode up
the first hill after leaving the house
my horse picked up a stone. and had
to stop and get It out. reckon fell
behind a quarter Of a mile or more.
and Just as | started | looked back.
1uu q paASy VI Ich VI NWCANG AOAAOWb
was Just riding in through them big
gates onto the front lawn. But them
fellows was soldiers for sure; they
rode regular like. and all Of them
wore caps. Il was so far on couldn't
tell the color Of their clothes. but
them caps made me think they was
Feds"
: chose my course at once. This un-
doubtedly must have been Brennan's
party.
THANK you, my man; It would have
been better II you had reported that |
70 me at once" l said However. I
understand the situation much better
now. Sergeant, We win 90 into camp |
here. Post pickets in both directions.
but put your most careful men on
that hlIl yonder. Let them report
promptly any signs Of IRE to the
southeast or any sound Of guns"
We completed al our cooking be-
lore dark and when The nisht nnally [