Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1913-04-24

| were his orders Dy every gesture OF
his arm. The Sergeant grasped the
girls hand, his own eyes barely above
the sand ridge, his lips whispering
back.
mo, don't move; I'll tell you every
thing. The stage has been Quilted and
set on fire. Now they are coming with
the ponies. Most of them are direct
ly opposite studying the marks we
left on the sand OF the bank. Yes,
they look across here, but the chief is
sure we have gone the other way; he
is waving his hand up the river now,
and talking. Now he is getting on his
| horse; there are ten or twelve of
them. One fellow is pointing across
here, but no one agrees with him.
Now Roman Nose is giving orders.
Hear that yell! They're off now. rid
Ing up stream. flashing their ponies in
to a run. All of them? No; quite a
bunch are going back to the coach. |
don't believe they are going to hang
around here long, though, for they are
driving in all their ponies"
But won't those others come back
when they discover we have not gone
up the river?"
81 wish l could answer that" he re-
piled earnestly. But 1t all depends
on what those devils know of the
whereabouts of troops. They are North
ern Indians, and must have broken
through the scouting details sent out
from Wallace and Dodge. Some Of the
boys are bound to be after them, and
there is more chance for them to get
back safely along the mountains than
In the other direction. don't sup
pose an Indian in the bunch was ever
south of the Arkansas. Wait! Those
fellows are going to move now; going
for good, too-they are taking the
dead Indians with them"
They we're little more than black
dots at that distance, yet the sun was
up by this time and his keen vision
could distinguish every movement.
Creep up here, and you can see
Also" he said quietly. "They are far
enough away now so that it is SAFE"
There was a moment of breathless
quiet, the two fugitives peering eau
tiously over the sand ridge. To the
girl 1t was confusion of, figures rush
ing back and forth about the smoking
ruins of the stage; occasionally faint
yell echoed across the river, and she
could distinguish a savage on his
pony gesticulating as he rode back
and forth. But the Sergeant compre-
hended the scene. His eyes met hers
and read her bewilderment.
"They are going all right, and In a
hurry. It's plain enough they are
afraid to stay there any longer. See,
they are flashing bodies on to the
ponies. All, that is what wanted to
be sure about-that fellow is heading
west on the trail; now the others are
moving"
Then you are sure Roman Nose
will not return? That-that we are
safe?"
Eyes; wouldn't hesitate to go back
as soon as the last of them disappear
over the ridge" pointing up the river.
"They knew they had to go that way;
Roman Nose and his band hoped we'd
taken that direction, and hurried on
ahead to catch us If he could. They
are afraid to stay about here any long
er. Look how they are flashing those
ponies; there, the last of them are
| leaving"
They lay there in the sand. already
becoming warm under the rays of the
sun, trying to assure themselves that
all danger of discovery had vanished.
There was no movement on the oppo-
site shore, only the blue spiral Of
smoke curling up against the bluff,
marking where the stage had stood.
About this, outlined upon the brown
grass, appeared darker patches rep
resenting dead ponies and the bodies
of Moylan and Gonzales. where they
had been tumbled, scalped and other
wise mutiIated. Down by the river a
wounded pony tried to follow the dis
appearing cavalcade, but fell, giving
vent to one scream of agony. Then all
was silent. motionless, the last strag-
gler clubbing his horse pitilessly as he
vanished over the ridge.
Hamlin sat up, his eyes smiling.
I'VE are the lucky ones, Miss Nc
Donald" he said, his manner uncon-
sciously more formal now that the
danger had passed and swift realiza-
ton of who his companion was recur-
ring to his mind. Something must
have frightened them" He shaded his
eyes, staring at the bluffs opposite.
But, there is nothing in sight from
here. Well, the best thing we can do
is to eat breakfast. May l have the
haversack. and see what 1t is stocked
WITH"
Certainly not. There is so little
can do. do not propose yielding
any prerogative." And she drew her
head through the strap. letting the
leather bag fall to the sand. Il am
afraid there is no cloth here. Would
you dare light fire?"
Hardly, even II we had fuel" he
answered. watching her with interest
She glanced up into his face. hel
cheeks reddening.
why don't you want me to de