Foes in Ambush

root pipe. Southward and a few hundred feet below his perch the Yuma road came twisting through the pass, and then disappeared in the gathering darkness across the desert pla

nt light was just twinkling. There lay Ceralvo's, and nowhere else, save where the embers of the cook fire still glowed in a deep crevice among the rocks, was there light of any kind to be seen. A lonely spot was this in which to spend one's days, yet the

musement on his lips, Sergeant Wing sauntered over a

you wishing yourse

eant; it may be hotter, but it isn'

esponse, "and," added he, with a whimsical smil

er couldn't you let me look into that business over at Ceralvo's instead of Jac

ce them that we'd lost our grip or were in for a funeral. Jackson, now, rides in as blithe as a May morning,-a May morning

with Pat Donovan and those 'C' troop fellows

ke? I think they're not. I flagged old Feeny hal

ho rode back here with

y' they call him in 'C' troop.

s at Ceralvo's miles away; but Wing only laughed again, and, still puffing away at his pipe, went on down the winding trail to where in the deep shelter of the rocky walls a pool of water

bly return your way, empty-handed. Signal if they have passed. Latham knows your code and we have a good glass. Send man to Ceralvo's with orders for them to join at once if they haven't come, and flag or torch when they pass you. It's my belief they've gone there." This was signed by Feeny, and over and again had Wing been speculating as to what it all meant. When the escort with the ambulance and paymaster went through before the dawn, Feeny had roused him to ask

e a hail from aloft

ough the climb of four hundred feet were a mere bagatelle. "What's up?-Jackson here?" he asked, short of

ke! Where are y

mewhere down in the dark ca?on

mething's comi

d. Then came the click of iron-shod hoofs, the crack of the long mule-whip, and a resonant imprecation in Spanish levelled at the invisible draught a

from Yuma, making for Moren

were here. I'm Ned Harvey." And the taller horseman held ou

Harvey, and wh

ord behind us, going to visit the old folks

ladies to pass through here since I came on duty at the

ays and four or five men. We knew there wo

at Ceralvo's or see

her's very suspicious of that

The paymaster's escort threw off a detachment towards the Gila this morning, an

he head of the slough. We haven't passed anybody, have

oof-trails leading to Ceralvo's," w

id Wing, as the four-mule team came laboring up to the spot and willingly halted, the

. Sweet and silvery it sounded to the trooper's

urly pate of hers out of the door. I want you to know Mr. Win

nly a trifle older and more serious, yet every whit as pretty. Wing raised his old felt hat and mentally cursed the luck that had sent him down there in his ragged shirt-sle

rest sight in all the world here; but I remember you well when you came to Yuma

r girl. "I hated the idea of going there to school. Fan, here, was willing enough, but I had

said Miss Harvey; "there were some

what did they care for a chit of four

very day Mr. Drummond helped

en," protested Miss Ruth, promptly, "and nobody had

e elder sister. "I never told of her, Ned,-wasn't I good?-but Ruth

Drummond who was wit

court at the Presidio, and-wasn't madame mean?-she wouldn't allow him to call on Ruth at the

hand to silence her sister, but the hand dropped, startl

or to-morrow. He's been scouting the Santa Maria and th

ght; but with Jackson still away and Pike still plunged in gloom, with, moreover, new and stirring emotions to investigate and analyze, Wing strolled off by himself, passed around the rocky buttress at the point and came to the broad ledge overlooking the eastward way to the distant range. Here a mass of tinder, dry baked by weeks' exposure to the burning sunshine, stood in a pyramid of firewood ready to burst in flame at first touch of the torch. Close at hand were the stacks of reserve fuel. "Never light this until you know the Indians are raiding west of the Christobal," were his orders. But well he knew that once ignited it could be seen for many a league. Here again he filled his faithful pipe and, moving safe distance away, lighted its charge and tossed the match-stump among the jagged rocks below. He saw the spark go sailing downward, unwafted from its course by faintest breath of air. Then he heard Pike's growl or something like it, and called to him to ask if he heard Jackson.

Concord wagon wherein, all unconscious of the dang

leaned out of the saddle to reach his ear. "Not a word to alarm th

vain had Feeny begged him to think of his money, to remember that outlaws would resort to any trick to rob him of his guard, and might have even overpowered Wing and his party and then lighted the beacon. The chain of evidence, the straight story told by his morning visitor, the awful news contained in the pencilled note brought in by Mullan, were considerations too potent to be slighted. In vain did Feeny point out to him that if Apaches were really in the neighborhood Wing would not be content with starting the fire, but would surely signal whither to go in search of them, and that no vestige of signal-torch had appeared. Old Plummer vowed he could never again know a moment of peace if he neglected to do anything or everyt

ed in his serapé. Approaching Murphy by the side farthest from Plummer and the sergeant, h

ave himself from a fall, but, as he straightened up, his face was one not to be looked at without a shudder; grinding teeth, snapping, flashing eyes, vengeful contortions of brow and jaw, hate, fury, and revenge, all were quivering with the muscles under that swarthy skin, and the gleaming knife was clasped in his upraised hand as, driving into the ranch and out of sight of the hated "Gringos," he burst into the room where sat his wife and daughter, and raging aloud, t

to be lurking, to warn that impulsive Greaser not to show his head outside his room if he didn't want it blown off his shoulders; never failing on his return to stir up both recumbent forms with angry foot, and then to shower in equal portions cold water and hot imprecations upon them. To Pedro he had intrusted the duty of caring for the horses of his prostrate comrades. Every faculty he possessed was on the alert, watching for the faintest sign of treachery or hostility from within, listening with dread but stern determination for the first sound of hoof-beats from without. It must have been about ten o'clock when, leaving Mr. Dawes, the clerk, seated in the dark interior beside the safe, Feeny stepped forth to mak

ourth or fifth time, "and warn any damned cut-throat with you to keep

he conveyed his orders to the master of the ranch, but Moreno himself had made no audible reply, a

ose doors into the corral, I could pen Moreno and whatever he has here at his back. It's that gan

he staff official's forgetfulness of self and his funds in his determination to aid the wretched women whom he firmly believed to have been run off

yet, sir?" he quest

heard something like the crack of

until to-morrow night, and no stage would dare pull out

of thing. How do you work this affair when you want to reload, sergeant? I'

d the cylinder springs, and, touching the lever, showed his superior by the feel rather than sight how

inute I look to hear the hoof-beats of the Morales gang, surrounding us here on every side. If they'll only hold off till towards morning and I can brace u

here are no Apaches in this

was expected along escorting his sisters home. They knew you had never seen him and could easily be made to believe the story. Everything has been done to hold us back, first at Ceralvo's and afterwards here, until they could gather all t

ness to the southeast. Old Plummer's heart beat like a hammer as he listened for the hail. A moment more he could hear hoo

omes t

prised; but with the promptness born of f

ien

ou, and wh

from Tucson, looking fo

y on escort duty. How

ta Maria. The rest are some miles behind with relay mules.

and come up alone, Mr. Harvey

st as their morning visitor declared he was expected to do. Was it possible after all that the tale was true,-that the children were there at the Gila, making wide détour around Ceralvo's and taking the northward route

e coming man, "and I know a cavalryman's challenge when I

never met you, Mr. Harvey, but we all know you by reputation. Just tell me your business and

oreno's this evening; but a scouting-party in the mountains warned us to hide

here; but that light across the valley is the warning beacon at P

Apaches are out west of the Santa Maria or the Christ

. Come to the ranch. Major Plummer's there,

t stood at the entrance of the ranch, clinging to the horse-rail for support, listen

was my son,-my

Harvey; but some of my men we

the inner darkness Moreno's voice, tremulous w

you. I saw him but an instant, but

nd your men have

t Feeny

towards the

And Plummer produced the crumpled page while Feeny held the light. Feverishly Har

u come with me, George. Send the others on our trail as soon as they get in. Give me another pi

rkness and distance. With wild dread spurring him on, the father was gone to the rescue of h