The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1913-05-22

1aNAA 49, NOAAoANg 1A NASJ hOeS
toward the main road. There was
maybe a dozen in that party"
We followed the general direction
the fellows seemed Il have taken,
Conroy and l on foot. scanning the
trail by aid OF a pine knot. The dust
lay thick on the clay road through
the cut, where we had charged the
foragers, and il was easy TO see the
band had turned east. There was but
n conclusion possible; II this was
Fagin's gang OF c~utthroats, as l sus-
pected. then they were either return
ing to their sand caves In Monmouth
county after a raid, or else were start
ing forth on some new project near
at hand. Whichever was true, Elm
hurst lay In the direction taken. De-
termined to learn the truth, we
pressed forward, riding rapidly, yet
exercising ths precautlon OF keeping
two scouts well In advance. II must
have been nearly three o'clock when
we reached the summit Of the low hill
within a few hundred yards OF the
house. and found the two scouts
awaiting us.
My first glance across the ravine
revealed the outlines Of the house
above the low trees Of the orchard.
All appeared ~peaceable enough. and /
felt a sudden relief. There were lights
burning on the lower floor, streaming
through several windows, while up
stairs one window was ablaze. Late
as 1t was. this illumination was not
surprising. however, as the care OF the
wounded man would necessitate night
watchers, while, no doubt, Claire
would anticipate by reaching there
before morning. All this flashed over
me, as my eyes hastily surveyed the
familiar surroundings. Then l be-
came aware that the older scout was
reporting.
There's quite a bunch Of horses
picketed down there in the ravine.
sir" he said. pointing toward the
right.
How many?"
ooh. maybe twenty-five or thirty:
Joe an l couldn't get very close. as
there's a couple Of men on guard on
top OF the bank. A hundred feet down
you a e EN- plain against the
sky"
Wasn't what you saw a cattle
herdr"
NO, SIR" positively. They're
horses, picketed In line like a cavalry
troop. and they've got their saddles
on"
What this all meant could not be
guessed at, but there must be some
scheme OF deviltry under way.
Have either Of you crossed the n-
vine?" l asked, endeayoring to reach
some conclusion.
Eyes. sir. Joe did. He was up In
the edge OF the orchard!"
See any men?"
mot q man. sir. outside" answered
the other. But / saw shadows against
the curtains on that lower floor. I
couldn't tell how many; they Just
come an go. only they wasn't dressed
alike"
One thing vas sufficiently certain
we could gain little information re-
naming where we were.
Sergeant" l said, determining
swiftly on a course OF action. take
your men, dismounted. across the ra-
vine, and into the orchard. Keep un-
der cover, but get as close to the
house as you can safely. Picket your
horses back there beside the road"
And you. sir?"
IN take Tom with me. and well
circle that horse herd. and come up
to the house from the rear l want
TO discover where those fellows are.
and what they are UP to. See this
whistle, sergeant"
yes, cir"
1T gives a sharp. shrill blast. II I
blow It twice. get your men inside
the house instantly. I'll not sound
1t unless I need you at once. Wen
wait here until you get across"
They disappeared into the black
depths OF the ravine, moving cautious
ly and with little noise. Tom and
plunged down the steep slope. feeling
our way through the darkness, but
moving to the right, toward where
the scouts had Indicated the horses
were being herded. We skirted these.
creeping along the opposite bank be-
hind q fringe OF bushes. certain that
the darkness concealed our move
ments from the two men on guard.
We crossed fifty feet above, gained
the top OF the bank, and crawled
down. sheltered from observation, un-
TIL we were directly above the two
guards. Peering cautiously over, we
could easily distinguish the black out
lines on the hillside below.
One man was standing up. leaning
against the trunk OF q small tree,
while the other was sitting on the
ground, his head bent forward, and
his hat drawn low over his eye Mel
Their had utteredsa sound. but az my
eyes strained through the darkness l
began to perceive details which
awakered = new suspicion. The fel-
low standing up wore . cap and no
coat. and HIS hands were cJssped
about q short, sawed-off gun. He had
none Of Tho appearance Of the sol.
dier, but tho other man apparently
was IN uniform. although ! could not
distinguish it, eharaSeer. What I'm
SANITY aktzscts4 ~ attentioA was ~
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