The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-02-01
CHAPTER xxvlm.-continued.

Il 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" l stared at him, now thor
oughly aroused to the thought that
he had important news to communi-
cate.
WAL" he explained slowly, "whin
ye whit of, l sorter TUX a notion ter
look bout a bit. Used ter be an OIL
stompin' ground O. mine. So Drtchy
an me clumb thet big hill back O.
whar we halted, and by gum. down
thar in ther gully on t. other side
thar's a burned big camp O. fellers."
refined up short. and with uplifted
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 like?"
He scratched the back of his head
thoughtfully, and answered with care.
full elaboration. "Durn it, didn't
jine ye till after y'd started, an. |
reckon as how it 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 l cudn't git close 'nough
ter tell zackly. Dutchy thought thar
wus nigh onter two hundred O. 'em.
but l jist don't know. They wusn't
dressed like sojers O. either army. an
! reckon they're out o. Their hills"
glanced al my little handful of
men, scarcely knowing what decision
it might be wise to make. Undoubt.
eddy they would fight if 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 it might not be necessary for us
to strike a blow. I was certainly in
no mood to expose my small command
merely to save the empty house from
destruction.
"Ebers," l said, turning toward the
Sergeant, who sat his horse. with ex-
pressionless face, you were with the
guide when he discovered this camp.
How many do you think it contained?
and who were they?"
Vel, dere vos more as two som.
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 | did," answered one of the
troopers named Earl. LAS 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 | tell
behind a quarter of a mile or more.
and just as | started | looked back.
and a party of ten or twelve fellows
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. 1t was so far off l couldn't
tell the color of their clothes, but
them caps made me think they was
Feds"
chose my course st once. This un:
doubredly must have been Brennan's
party.
Thank you, my man; it would have
oeen better If you had reported that
to me at once" l said However, |
understand the situation much better
now. Sergeant, we will go into camp
here. Post pickets In both directions.
but put your most careful men on
that hill yonder. Let them report
promptly any signs of fire TO the
southeast. or any sound of guns"
We completed all our cooking be-
fore dark, and when the night finally