Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1912-11-28

s.s.liHS nave ITO authority TO Or
u on such private service"
true. I'm volunteer
y I'll ask you for written order just
the same in case my troop command
er should ever object, and I'll need
coming up here"
you shall have the pick Of the
stables, sergeant" interjected the cav
airy captain. knocking the ashes
from his pipe. Anything else? Have
you had rest enough?"
-Four hours" and the sergeant
stood up again. "All require will be
two days rations, and few more re-
volver cartridges. The sooner I'm off
the better"
1t Re heard Travers' attempt at
conversation as the two stumbled to-
gether down the dark hill, he paid
small attention. At the stables, aided
by smoky lantern, he picked out .
+, tough-looking buckskin mustang, with
an evil eye; and, using his own saddle
and bride, he finally led the half-brok-
en- animal outside.
| That buckskin's the devils own"
| protested Travers, careful to keep TO
one side. ~
J IN take 1t out Of him before morn
Ing" was the reply. Come on. boy!
easy now-easy! How about the ra-
lions. captain?"
Garter will have them for you at
the gate Of the stockade. Do you know
the trail7"
We'll enough TO follow-yes."
! Mcdonald was waiting with Carter,
and the dim CLEAN Of the lantern re-
vealed his face.
! Remember. sergeant, you are to
make her turn back II you can. Tell
her wish her to do so-yes. this let
ter viii explain everything. but she
is a pretty high-spirited girl. and may
take the bit in her teeth-imagine
she'd rather be here with me, and
all that. II she does suppose you'll
have to let her have her own way
the Lord knows her mother always
did. Anyhow you'll stay with her till
she's safe"
/ II sure will" returned the sergeant,
gathering up his reins. "Good-by to
you"
"Good-by and good luck" and Nc
Donald put out his hand, which the
other took hesitatingly. The next in
slant he was in the saddle, and with q
wild leap the startled mustang round
ed the edge CT the bluff, flying into
the night.
All had occurred SO quickly that
Hamlin's mind had not yet fully nd
: justed itself to all the details. He
was naturally man OF few words, de-
Gliding on course of action quietly,
! yet not apt to deviate from any CON
1 clusion finally reached. But he had
! been hurried, pressed into this ad-
| venture, and now welcomed an op-
portunity to think 1t all out ccolly.
| At first, for half mile or more,
the plunging buckskin kept him busy.
bucking viciously. rearing, leaping
madly from side to side, practising
every known equine trick to dislodge
the grim rider In the saddle. The man
| fought out the. battle silently, inmov-
able as a rock. and apparently as IN
4 different. Twice his spurs brought
blood, and once, he struck the rearing
head with clenched fist The light OF
the stars revealed the faint lines of
the trail, and he was content to per
nit the maddened brute to race for
ward, until, finally mastered, the ami
NAL settled down into q swift gallop,
but with ears laid back in ugly def
ance. The riders gray, eyes smiled
pleasantly as he settled more com.
fortably into the saddle, peering out
from beneath the stir brim of his
scouting hat: then they hardened, and
the man swore softly under his
breath.
The peculiar nature of this mission
which he had taken upon himself had
been recalled. He was always doing
something like that-permitting him
self to become involved In the sEairs
of others. Now why should he be
here, riding alone through the dark
to prevent this unknown girl from
reaching Devere? She was nothing
to him-even that glimpse of he.
pictured face had not impressed him
greatly; rather interesting, to be
sure, but nothing extraordinary; be-
sides he was not a woman's man, and,
through years Of isolation, he had
grown to avoid contact with the sex
and he was under no possible obliga-