The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-12-05

suddenly as begun. Then, when
realization finally came, 1t was al
ready too late to stop the girl She
would be already on her long journey
What could he do? What immediate
steps could he hope to take for her
protection? Ordinarily he would not
have hesitated. but now decision
was not so easily made. OF his com.
mand scarcely thirty men remained
at Devere. a mere infantry guard, to-
gether with a small squad of cavalry
men, retained for courier service. His
only remaining commissioned officer
at the post was the partially disabled
cavalry captain, acting temporarily as
adjutant, because incapacitaLed for
taking the field. He had waited until
the last possible moment, trusting
that a shift in conditions might bring
back some available officer. Now he
had to choose between his duty as
commander and as father. Further
delay was impossible.
Devere was fort merely by cour-
tesy In reality it consisted only Of
a small stockade hastily built Of cot
tonwood timber, surrounding in partial
protection a half dozen shacks, and
one fairly decent log house. The
situation was upon slight elevation
overlooking the ford, some low bluffs,
bare of timber but green with June
grass to the northward, while in ev-
cry other direction extended an in
ternlinable sand-desert, ever shifting
beneath wind blasts, presenting as
desolate scene as eye could witness.
The yellow food of the river, still
swollen by melting mountain snow,
was hundred feet from the stockade
gate, and on it's bank stood the log
cavalry stables. Below, a scant half
mile away. were the only trees visible,
a scraggly grove of cottonwoods,
while down the face of the bluff and
across the fiat ran the slender rib
bon of trail. Monotonous, unchang-
ing, it was a desolate picture to watch
day after day in the hot summer.
In the gloom following an early
supper the two officers sat together
In the single room OF the cabin, a
candle sputtering on the table behind
them, smoking silently or modify dis
cussing the situation. Mcdonald was
forid and heavily built, his gray mus
tache hanging heavily over firm
mouth, while the Captain was of an
other type, tall, with dark eyes and
hair. The latter by chance opened
the important topic.
by the way, major" he said care
lessly, Il guess it is just as well you
stopped your daughter from coming
out to this hole. Lord, but it would
be an awful place for "a woman"
But l didn't returned the other
modify. Il put it OF too long"
Put it of! Good heavens, man,
didn't you write when you spoke about
doing SO? Do you actually mean the
girl is coming-here?"
Mcdonald groaned- ...
THAT is exactly what I mean,
Travers. Damme, l haven't thought
of anything else for a week. Oh,
know now I was an old fool even to
conceive of such trip, hut when ]
wrote her had no conception OF
what it was going to be like out here
There was not rumor of Indian
trouble a month ago, and when the
tribes did break out it was too late
for me, to get word back east. The
fact is, am in the devil Of a fix-
without even an officer whom 4 can
send to meet her, or turn her back.
If / should go myself 1t would mean
q tcourt-martial"
Travers stared into the darkness
through the open door, sucking at his
pipe.