Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-03-06
CHAPTER xXVIIi.-continued,


Il say, Cap" he said, Jerking tho
words out to the mules hard trot, and
grasping his saddle pommel desper-
ately, Il softer reckon as how ther'll
be some fun back thar afore long less
Ill signs fail"
"Why?" stared at him, now thor
eughly aroused to the thought that
he had important news to communi-
cate.
Wal" he explained slowly, "wh1n
ye whit OF, sorter TUX a notion ter
look bout Bit Used ter be an OIL
stompin' ground O mine. So Dutchy
an me- clumb thet big hill back O.
whar We halted. and by gum, down
thar In Their gully on t. other side
thaTs 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-
eors?" ! questioned sternly. How
many were there? and what did they
hook Hke?"
He scratched the back Of his head
thoughtfully, and answered with care
tul elaboration. "Durn it, l didn't
i1ne ye till after I'd started, an |
reckon - how 1t took me all O tew
mile ter git this yere blame muel up
tor 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. EN-,
but l list don't know. They wusn't
dressed like sojers O either army, an
reckon they're out O Their hills"
l glanced at my little handful of
men. scarcely knowing what decision
It might be wise to make. Undoubt-
IDLY they would light II occasion
arose. but tho odds were terribly
heavy: besides. If Brennan came. and
bis party got away that same even
Ing, as was planned for them to do,
then it might not be necessary for US
70 strike Z blow. l was certainly in
40 mood to expose my small command
merely to save the empty house from
destruction.
'Ebers." l said. turning toward the
6SrGeant, who sat his horse with ex-
pressionless face, "yo' 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 gom.
Maniac Tonfo3n
horses. but dey vos dressed-vot you
coils it?-all coer not ner same"
mot in uniform?"
dot vos II"
Have any Of the rest Of you seen
snything that looked suspicious?" |
asked. glancing around into the diff.
ferent faces.
Maybe I did," answered one of the
troopers named Earl las we rode up
The first hill after leaving the house
my horse picked up stone. and had
to stop and get 1t out. reckon | tell
behind quarter of a mile or more,
and just as l 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
'ode regular like. and all of them
wore caps. 1t was so far off couldn t
tell the color OF their clothes, but
them caps made me think they was
Feds" y
! chose my course at once. This un-
doubtedly must have been Brennan's
party
Thank you, my man; it would have
BEEN better If you had reported that
to Nc at once" l said However. |
understand the situation much better
now. Sergeant, We will go into camp
here. Post p1ckets In both directions.
but put your most careful men on
that hill yonder. let them report
promptly any signs OF fire to the
'outheast. or any sound Of guns"
We completed all our cooking be-
'~re dark. and when thu night finally
closed down about US 1t proved to be
an exceedingly black one, although
the skies were clear Sleep was an
impossibility for me, az my mind waa
In constant turmoil
Ebers was lying next me upon the
grass, solemnly putting at his huge
pipe, and held my watch to the glow
In tts bowl in order to see the time
1t was nearly midnight.
Those fellows ought to be at II
before this" said to him, If they
intend to accomplish anything to
ID night"
:I dink 50 too." he answered slowly
n = viii SEQ dot der guard is all right
San' den viii get some sleep. for l an
! p1ettX mQch done CD already"