The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-07-31
SHIFTING SANDS
 RY ELEANOR M. INGRAM

a broiled parroe oA ~ e'' An'-by George!
 ua was out of his saddle in an instant and scrambMng up the bank.
 .sNfe1ons!" he shouted gleefully. ..aFv favorite kind, an. a tree of 'em!"
 Garril turned to watch him, scan n,ng tbe papaya tree that was the op- feet of pursuit; then suddenly stiff fened in his saddle.
 "Graeme, stop!" he ordered per emptorily. stop"
 RiNv hastened his climbing, his eyes on the cool, luscious fruit.
 .'It won't take a minute" he called back. Don't be a grouch, old man."
 Something whirred through the air with a snake-like mss. The Ameri cams shoulders were gripped hard; he was jerked bacKward fully ten feet and. slipping. rolled down into the road.
 "carril." he called chokingly, Car ril!',
 The thin coils of rope around him glided off as he stood up. Carrn was calmly recoiling the 1asso. without either rnirth or apology.
 "Carril?" Billy sputtered, wrath fully comprehendi,rg what had hap pened.
 When you are out here obey or ders," Carri1 advised laconically. "But what do you mean by treatiu' me like that? I'm not takin' or ders.''
 Carril finished the last coil, hung the lasso in it's place on the saddle, and as the American came up to him laid a hand on his shoulder, and fac ed him toward the papaya tree. Up its trunk a small, yellowish insect | wao crawling. at the very spot BtlHy had intended to grasp. Death in a couple of hours," he observed "Out here, Graeme. obey | orders first. and quarrel with them | afterward. Mount. please; we are wasting tine."
 Billy mounted. And he ate his | square of milk-cHocolate without | fruit.
 l As darkness fell with tropic abrupt | ness they rode nto the small camp | Carril had mentioned. Fresh horses | were readily supplied them and they | pushed on with renewed speed. l Hour after hour they forced their way through black, narrow trails, | stumbling through water courses and | up and down ravrnes; brushed by | branches and low swinging vines at | whose cool touch Billy would nearly fling himself off his horse in horrt- fled recollection or scorpions ana | snakes.
 l What's the matter with our stop pin and get some breath?" Billy pro- posed once. shrinking rom the slap | of a wet leaf.
 | "You can But should not ad- wise it.''
 The mere suggestion of being here alone was enough; the subject was
 hastily abandoned. | Out the darkness a challenge 1 Start1lnO effect Afar | through the trees g--amed the red of | g. camp fire.
 "Amigo!" Carril responded. 'sThis is Lieutenant Carril reporting to Col onel Zuniga. CaM the officer of the guard"
 There was a brief delay and some colloquy Billy was too weary to heed, | then the sound of weapons brought to a salute. The two travellers rode for | ward.
 The open space was dotted by dy- | ing camp-fires and tents, and the dark shapes of men wrapped in blankets and asleep. The visitors dismounted before an Indian hut, evil | dently pressed into service as head | quarters. A sentry made way for | them. Sa1uting.
 stepped almost dazzled Billy after the | long obscurity. But he stopped | near the door and watched Carril go | forward, realizing himself to be mere | ly spectator.
 l Five men in the regimenta1 green and gold were seated in three sides | of a rude table. The table was lit | tered with maps and papers, but the attention of the men was not on | them. They had the air of what | they werS-a counsel interrupted to
 become . court
 l Opposite them, between two sol | diers, dropped the man whose case | was ended. He was making no re- | siStance or protest a study in pas
 drew him back to make way for
 the arriving officer he saw Carril's
 face.
 "Senor Teniente!" he cried, his
 voice rising to shriek All the
 stoica1 submission of his bearing
 gave place to wild excitement as he
 flung himself forward. dragging hi.
 arms from his captors and extending
 his bound hands to CarriI. "Senor save me! Tell them that I knew
 nothing-that I obeyed order.
 am to be shot!''
 Carril stepped past him, sa1utins
 the men at the table, who prnctili,
 ousiy returned the courtesy. Lieutenant Carrill. do yoa know
 questioned
 the presiding officer, whom Billy
 guessed to be Colonel Zuniga. His story is true, sir" Carril
 stated with the singular quietnes: that had puzzled Billy Graerne al day. "He is not at fault in thf
 affair.""
 Ihere was stir around the table
 Not at fault?' exclaimed Zunigs notly Reccolect yourself, sir. Thi. | IS the w foiJ his duty and give warning of the ap
 preach of the rebel forces caused tn loss Of a train of ammunition ane supplies in the northern campaign
 lie was supposed to have been honor ably killed at his post, until day be
 lore yesterday he was accidental,
 louno lurking in the house of a wo
 man near here. This traitor and de ? serter you declare-is not at fault 9
 He was not on duty at the tim,