Foes in Ambush

shining faintly in contrast with the ruddy glow of some distant beacon in the mountains beneath. Ever since nightfall the rock buttress at the pass had been refle

ttom of the ca?on and thanking Providence it was not alkali. The lieutenant commanding, a tall, wiry, keen-faced young fellow, had made the rounds of his camp at sunset, carefully picking up and scrutinizing the feet of his horses and sending the farrier to tack on here and there a starting shoe. Gaunt and sunburned were his short-coupled California chargers, as were thei

say it was to Cer

nty-two mi

o More

pointed out across the plain, lying like a dun-

barley and w

nty,

it here, I suppose, unti

ble to rest at all to-day. I've fed

ment, pensively studying the

s people not having heard about

rough this morning early. It's nothing new anyhow. I've never known the time when the

dark shadows were creeping slowly out across the plain. Over the great expanse not so much as the faintest spark could be seen. Aloft, the greater stars were beginning to peep through the veil of pallid blue, while over the distant pass the sun's fair hand-maiden and train-bearer, with slow, stately mien, was sinking in the wake of her lord, as though following him to his rest. Not a breath of air was astir. The night came on still as the realms of solitude. Only the low chatter of the men, the occasional stamp of iron-shod hoof or the munching jaws of the tired steeds br

r,-out to

plain a column of flame was darting upward, gaining force and volume with every moment. The lieutenant never even paused to raise the glass to his eyes. No magnifying power was needed to see

It's the beacon

ddles were deftly set, the crude buckles of the old days, long since replaced by cincha loop, snapped into place; lariats coiled and swung from the cantle-rings; dusty old bits and bridles adjusted; then came the slipping into carbine-slings and thimble-belts, the quick lacing of Indian moccasin or

I leave a small guard with the pack

them here. We must head for Ceralvo's at once.

. I didn't know they ever we

speed wherever we may be, and means only one thing,-'Apaches here.' Sergeant Wing is not the man to

re; there's nothing to tempt them along that range until they get

not, se

rise, his foot in the stirrup, and looked at the speaker, a keen-eye

not,

, sir, and haven't crossed a sign, and because I understand now what I

was

rth of Ceralvo's, I should say, just

't you re

faded out entirely; but it's my belief the Indians are between us and the

ng, Lieutenant Drummond mounted and rode slowly down the winding trail among the boulders. At the foot of the slope, where the water lay gleaming

younger soldier's first question. "I underst

ths ago, after the stage

w rein to lift his horse's head. "I think you were so fran

out here, lieutenant. They fired me for drinking too much at the wrong time.

e past of a man who spoke so frankly and who made no effort to conceal his weakness, "you w

from being killed, and between keeping sober and losing my li

nsible for the safety of your pa

was taking chances to let Judge Gillette and that infantry quartermaster try to go through without escort. I begged to throw up the job that very night, but they held me to my contract, and I had to go. We were jumped not ten mile

k his watch and his money and everything he had on except his u

s, sir, between T

ith the cavalry before? Yo

or other," said Bland, calmly, as his ho

ur side

reply. "I was born in Texas

hat trail to Crittenden as we ride. We ma

ant to go northward towards the Gila to head off any parties of the Apaches that might be striv

re we've been scouting all the week. No, I'll march straight t

u can only pursue, and a

ompany clerk, but begged off, saying he loved a horse and cavalry work too well to be mured in an office. He was silence and reticence itself on matters affecting other people, but the soul of frankness, apparently, where he was personally concerned. Anybody was welcome to know his past, he said. He was raised in Texas; had lived for years on the frontier; had been through Arizona with a bull-team in the 50's, and had 'listed under the banner of the Lone Star when Texas went the way of all the sisterhood of Southern (not border) States, and then, being stranded after the war, had "bullwhacked" again through New Mexico; had drifted again across the Mimbres and down to the old Spanish-Mexican town of Tucson; had tried prospecting, mail-riding, buck-board driving, gambling; had been one of the sheriff's posse that cleaned out Sonora Bil

accordance with human nature and the merits of the case that a man should quit drinking when he quit the army, but that a man with the blot of an occasional spree on hi

to keep an eye on him from this out. If he don't dhrink next pay-day, look out

n Bland with the eye of suspicion. There was one sergeant who repudiated him entirely, and who openly professed his disbelief in Bland's account of himself, and that was Feeny. "He may have testimonials from all Texas," said he, hotly

ican. He shaved clean all but the heavy moustache that drooped over his firm lips, and the sprinkling of gray about the brows, temples, and moustache was most becoming to his peculiar style. One prominent mark had he which the descriptive book of his company referred to simply as "sabre-scar on right jaw," but it deserved mention more extended, for the whitish streak ran like a groove from just below the ear-tip to the angle of

found himself more than once speculating as to his real past, not the past of his imagination or of his easy off-hand description. By this time, in perfect silence save for the occasional clink of canteen, the gurgle of imprisoned water, or, once in

keep three or four hundred yards ahead of us. Better take those with the freshest horses, as I want them to

nd here, sir," was th

of the old hands and older heads on, and

? When we started it was understood that we were to take the sh

signal-station, then we learn where to strike for the Indians. Did y

and since the lieutenant joined they've never

to be gained and every chance of being cut off by troops fro

ter's coming along this week; they heard it from the quar

of the detachment commander as he had been direc

this?" asked D

Quinn, and I think Bland here was talking wi

enant, as he whirled suddenly in

poke of it. It's about the most welcome piece of news t

t his detachment, it naturally results that a greater freedom of intercourse and speech is developed between the commander and some, at least, of

ve no telegraph, and yet three days ago we knew that Major Plummer was starting on his first trip. He ought to have been at Ceralvo's last night. By Jupiter! suppos

hand might distract his attention from hails or signals farther out. Suddenly he heard an exclamation ahead, the snort of a frightened horse, then some muffled objurgations, a rider urging a reluctant steed to approach some suspicious object, and, spurring his own spirited charger forward

nd I can't get him near it again." With that he pushed out to the front while the others listened expectant. A moment

's Corporal Donovan and

Bland was about the first of the column

both draggy and weary. From the point where lay Donovan and his steed there was but one horse-track. Whirling sharply around, the rider had sent his mount at thundering gallop back across the valley; then a hundred yards away, in long curve, had reined him to the southeast. The troopers who followed the hoof-marks out about an eighth of a

od!" muttered

. Move out farther, some of you fellows, and see where they hid their horses. Corporal Donovan was with 'C' troop down the Gila last week, sir. They were to meet and escort the paymaster most like. It's my belief he was one of

s and come riding hard to reach the spot, when the unseen foe crouching across their path had suddenly fired the fatal shots. Now, where was the paymaster? Where the escort? Where the men who fed the signal-fire,-the fire that long before midnight had died utterly away. Whither should the weary detachment direct its march? Ceralvo's lay a dozen miles off to the northwest, Moreno's perhaps eight or nine to the southeast. Why had the escaped trooper headed his fleeing steed in that direction? Had there been pursuit? Ay, ten minutes' search over the still and desolate pla

ant! Look!-out here to

urly way through the excited throng. One moment mo

sir. By God! they've