Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1913-05-01

post Kept him ignorant. At first he
was convinced that It was merely
local disturbance and would end as
suddenly as begun. Then. when
realization finally came, it 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 a decision
was not so easily made. or his COM
mand scarcely thirty men remained
at Devere. a mere infantry guard, to-
gether with a small squad CT 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 incapacitated for
taking the field. He had waited until
the last possible moment, trusting
that 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 a fort merely by cour-
tesy. In reality 1t consisted only. of
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
terminable sand-desert, ever shifting
beneath wind blasts, presenting as
desolate a 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 its bank stood the log
cavalry stables. Below, a scant half
mile away, we're the only trees visible,
a scraggly grove of cottonwoods.
while down the face of the bluff and
across the fat ran the slender RIB
bon Of trail. Monotonous. unchang-
ing. II was 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 moodily dis
cussing the situation. Mcdonald was
ford and heavily built, his gray mus
tache hanging heavily over a 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 1t is just as well you
stopped your daughter from coming
out to this hole. Lord. but it would
be an awful place for woman"
But didn't" returned the other
moodily. Il put It off too long"
Put 1t on 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 mean,
Travers. Damme, l haven't thought
of anything else for week. oh. |
know now | was an old fool even to
conceive of such a trip, but when |
wrote her ! had no conception of
what 1t was going to be like out here.
trouble month ago. and when the
Aribes did break out 1t was too late
for me to get word back east. The
fact liz, | am In the devil of a Az
without even an officer whom | can
send to meet her. or turn her back.
II should go myself II would mean
a court-martial"
through the open door. sucking at his
pipe
by George. you are in pickle"
he acknowledged slowly. II supposed
she had been headed off long ago.
Haven't heard you mention the mat
ter since We first got here. Where
do you suppose the lass is by now?"
Near as | can tell she would leave
Ripley the 18th"
"Humph! Then starting tonight. a
good rider might intercept her at
Fort Dodge. She would be In no dan
ger travelling alone for that distance.
The regular stages are running yet.
suppose?"
Yes; so far as know"
Under guard?"
Only from the Caches to Fort
Union; there has been no trouble
along the lower Arkansas yet The
troops from Dodge are scouting the
country north. and we are supposed
to keep things clear OF hostiles down
this way"
Supposed to--yes: but we can't
patrol FIVE hundred miles of desert
with hundred men, most OF them
dough-boys. The devils can break
through any time they get ready
you know that At this minute there
isn't mile of safe country between
Dodge and Union. II she was my
daughter"
You'd do what7" broke In Melon
aid. jumping to his feet, I'D give my
life to know what to dol"
why. I'd sent somebody to meet
her-to turn her back II that was pos
sible. Peyton would look after her
there at Ripley until you could ar.
range"
That's easy enough to say. Travers.
but tell me who is there to send? Do
you chance to know an enlisted man
out yonder who would do-whom you
would trust to take care of young
girl alone?"
The captain bent his head on one
hand. silent for some minutes.
They are tough lot. major; that's
fact. when you stop to call the roll.
Those recruits we got at Leavenworth
were mostly rough.necks-seven OF
them In the guard-house tonight. Our
best men are all out with a wave
o. his hand to the south. It's only
the riff-raff we've got left. at De
we're"