CHAPTER XII.
Ten minutes later, when the general and his little escort came dustilyinto the garrison, his first question on dismounting was for Willett,and it was Lilian who had to answer that she believed he was at Mr.Strong's. So thither, with but brief, though kindly, word with Mrs.Stannard, and as brief an expression of his satisfaction that Mrs.Archer had gone to see Harris, the veteran took his way. The horseswere led to stables. The other officers, hastening homeward, bowing inhurried, perfunctory fashion to the ladies, turned again at sound ofhis voice, and all three together entered the adjutant's house, anorderly remaining at the door. Lilian looked anxiously after them andMrs. Stannard inquiringly. "They have seen something, I know," said thegirl, "and something father is puzzled about. He would not have comeand gone without a kiss." Already Mrs. Stannard had noted his fondcustom, had marked its omission now when, ever since luncheon, he hadbeen away, and she, too, divined that he was preoccupied, evenperplexed. But once already she had too quickly spoken her thoughts,and there must be no more of that. In three minutes the little partycame forth again, Willett with them now, and, field-glasses in hand,away they strode to the northward edge of the plateau and went speedilyalong toward a point at the back of the hospital where there stood alittle platform, railed about with untrimmed pine, a rustic lookoutmuch affected by the men in the long evenings, but seldom visited whenthe sun was up. It took no time at all for half the remaining garrisonto turn out and, at respectful distance, stand curiously watching them,and little more for the other half to come flocking out of doors. "Seensomethin' from way up on the Picacho," explained the orderly, as hejogged by with the heated horses, "an' came back akiting!"
Two minutes more and the adjutant, Strong, came running from theplatform. "Don't unsaddle," he shouted. "Bring those horses back andget some more! Send the escort up here at once!"
The officers at the lookout had not even unslung their pistol belts,and Willett now was seen to set down his binocular and start away. Thegeneral called to him and he half turned and hurriedly answered: "Backjust as quick as I can get my Colt, sir." He was unfastening his blouseat the throat as he went, and even at the distance men could see howhot and flushed he looked, while the others seemed so hard, "tried out"and fit for anything. Presently the half dozen horsemen, who had beenwith their chief to the Picacho, came trotting forth from the corral,followed by two or three led horses. Strong mounted the first to reachhim and sent another to his quarters for Lieutenant Willett. ThenCaptain Bonner came strolling back as though quite unconcerned. "May aswell get the men under arms," said he to his alert first sergeant, andaway went every man of Company "C" on a run for the barracks.
"Needn't wait for Willett," the general was heard calling to Strong,who, with a little party, sat in saddle eagerly awaiting orders. Sodown the slope they went, just as the doctor and Mrs. Archer, apprisedin some way of the excitement, came forth and saw the dust cloud intheir wake, and the snorting troop horse pawing the sand in front ofStrong's. Old Bucketts, the quartermaster, came limping up the line,his florid features a deeper red, and all he could tell in answer toquestion was, "They see something beyond the Point. Who's that horsefor, orderly?"
"Loot'nt Willett, sir--said he'd be out in a minute."
But the minutes proved long, and Bucketts went in to help, if need be,and to get information, if possible. Willett had kicked off his fineuniform trousers and ununiform Oxfords, and was cursing the striker whohad hidden his scouting rig. "Why the devil didn't you go as you were?"asked Bucketts unsympathetically. "They're raising the dust far as theford already. What's up, anyhow?"
"Can't tell! Don't know! Nobody knows! They send scouts out--couriersout--messengers out, and spend hours wishing somebody'd come with news,and then when somebody's seen coming get rattled and send half thegarrison out to meet----"
But suddenly catching sight of the disapprobation on his caller's face,Willett broke off short. No wonder Buckett's looked astonished at suchlanguage from a staff officer. Nor was that veteran questioner long insizing up the cause. It added nothing to his respect for Willett, andnot a little to his concern. He knew by this time, as did almost everyman except the post commander, how and where Willett spent the nightand morning--knew that he had left the store only an hour or soprevious, as though to follow and find the bookkeeper--knew that Casehad been drinking, and saw now that Willett had been following suit.Without a word on that head, or another question as to the causes ofthe excitement, he stumped about the premises, busying himself inhunting for the missing items, and presently found them hanging under acalico curtain that Willett had already nearly torn down inunsuccessful, unseeing search. "Here you are," he said, tossing thegarments on the bed. "Here's your pistol, Colt's 44; every chamberloaded and ready for business. You'll use a different belt when you'vebeen a month in Arizona--and you'll shed top boots for 'Patchiemoccasins. Let me help you, Willett. You're a bit blown. Here, douseyour head in that----" and as he spoke Bucketts half filled a bowl andwent limping out to the olla for more and cooler water, leaving Willettfussing at his riding breeches and damning Strong's striker for beingaway among the gaping, staring, empty-headed gang at the bluff at themoment he was most needed.
As Bucketts was lifting the vessel from the cool depths of the hangingreservoir, he heard his name faintly called, and there, at the sidedoor of the doctor's quarters, pale and suffering, barefooted andmantled with a sheet, his arm and shoulder bandaged, stood Harris.
"Tell Willett to come out," he said. "I must see him before he goes."
"You go back to bed. I'll tell him," but Harris stood his grounddespite the fact that the attendant had laid a hand upon his unboundshoulder, and was begging him to return. Bucketts set the pitcherinside the door. "Here's cooler water, Willett," he said, "and here'sHarris at the door--says he must see you before you start."
Then, without waiting for answer, the quartermaster hurried along thepath to the front in search of the doctor; saw him far over back of thehospital, heading for the platform; saw Mrs. Archer, on her own verandaby this time, in eager talk with Mrs. Stannard, and Lilian drooping atthe corner pillar; hurried back to get his stick and to further rebukeHarris, when, afar down to the south-east came the sound of a shot,half-muffled by distance, and, gazing from the rear end of the littlegallery, he saw, a mile or more away across the stream and skirting thewillows, two horsemen coming at top speed; saw, emerging from thewillows at the near side of the ford, a man who walked heavily throughthe yielding sand, holding his hand to his face. He, too, had heard theshot and was making, 'cross lots, for home. It was Case, thebookkeeper, disturbed, perhaps, said Bucketts, in his siesta among thewillows and doing his best to gain shelter. Before Case could get afourth of the way across the barren flat, tacking perceptibly among thecactus and grease wood, the riders burst in sight again and wentlashing away to the store--two ranchmen or prospectors, said Bucketts,and they've been having the time of their life getting in. 'Tonio saidthe Tontos were all about them, and here was additional proof. The lastBucketts saw of Case he was lurching on toward the store, but, justthen, buttoning his riding jacket and girding on his revolver belt, outcame Willett.
"Well, what is it?" was his brief, almost sullen question. And thencame his classmate's answer--one that Bucketts long remembered.
"You are going up the valley, I take it, and there is an alarm of somekind. Now, Willett, remember this: no matter what you have seen orsuspect, the Apache-Mohaves had no part in the devil's work atBennett's. I have 'Tonio's word for it, and will bring proofs."
"Damn 'Tonio's word! He's a renegade and a deserter himself! He'splaying a deep, double game, and you yourself suspected it three daysago. Now he's proved it. I've no time to talk." And impatiently heturned away and sprang for his horse. A moment more and he was insaddle, had set spurs to his excited mount, and then, full gallop, wenttearing to the edge of the mesa, lifted his hat in salutation to thegeneral, and dove down the slope, across the lower bench, away throughan upper ford of the sluggish win
ter stream, and out upon the sandyflats beyond.
"Rides well," said the general, looking after him.
"_Rides_ very well," said the surgeon, looking after Strong. "Can yousee anything yet, sir?"
"Could see two horses ten minutes ago, with some running figures far upthe valley. Can't make 'em out at all. Strong'll fetch 'em--Strong andWillett. Good stock there, doctor!"
"Tiptop, where Strong is concerned," said the doctor grimly. The eventsof the earlier afternoon had tended to add to his disapprobation of theother. "There's something up at the store, sir, I think," he added,with a swift change of subject. "I saw men running that way just now.Here comes Bucketts!"
And Bucketts came, hobbling sturdily. "It's two ranchmen, I think, andthere was a shot down toward the south-east ten minutes ago."
The general looked back. Down in front of the log barracks Bonner'scompany, in fatigue dress, had formed ranks, and the sergeants weredistributing ammunition. Across the parade, the verandas of the Messand office buildings were deserted, but one or two men stood staringtoward the invisible plant of the trader. Close at hand, near thehospital and again lining the edge of the mesa, a score of yardsfarther to the left, a number of soldiers of the other company wereeagerly watching developments. Even with the naked eye, two miles ormore up the valley, Strong's little detachment, black dots ofskirmishers, could occasionally be sighted pushing on northward, while,at heavy gallop, heading for the front, Willett was still in plainview; but, at the moment, nothing could be seen of the objects thatwere the original cause of the excitement.
From the Picacho, it seems, both Strong and Bonner had made out throughtheir glasses two tiny black dots in the direction of Bennett's ruinedranch, coming slowly toward the post, but still five or six miles away.From the platform, forty minutes later, two horsemen had distinctlybeen seen moving swiftly about, close to the willows that lined, inplaces, the rocky stream bed. More than this, the general was sure hehad caught sight of three or four figures afoot, skipping activelyabout when moving at all. What he and his advisers believed was thatSergeant Woodrow and his comrades were, for some reason, trying to maketheir way back to Almy and had found Apaches barring the way. Thereforehad Strong and his little party been sent forth to meet, to aid, tobring them in. Therefore had Willett, of his own motion this time, andwithout the delegated authority he bore when following Harris, setforth at speed to overtake them, forgetful, in the eagerness of themoment and the possible over-excitement of his faculties, that he hadpromised Archer to be back just as soon as he'd got his Colt--thatcalibre 44 Colt now belted at his hip, with every chamber loaded.
And now as the eager watchers at the platform trained their glasses onthe distant field, Bucketts, taking up the handsome binocular left bythe aide-de-camp, had time to notice its fine silver mounting and theengraved "H. Willett, U.S.A.," in exactly the same script as thatwhich adorned the revolver. Then, as he adjusted it to his eyes, itoccurred to him to tell the doctor of Harris's coming to the side door,and of his most earnest language and manner, whereat the general turnedsharply:
"What's that? Harris said no Apache-Mohaves?"
"No Apache-Mohaves in the affair at Bennett's Ranch, sir, on 'Tonio'sauthority, and Willett scoffed at both statement and 'Tonio."
"By heaven," said Archer, "'Tonio was right in saying we were cut off,isolated here, and if he hadn't slipped away in that mysterious fashionI'd rather take his word than--than Willett's impressions. Where hasWillett been--all morning--anyhow? He never came near me!"
Everybody within earshot knew, and nobody answered. Archer lookedqueerly about him. Bonner and Briggs gazed fixedly through theirglasses. Bucketts was absorbed in the adjustment of his. The doctorsaid he must go over and give Harris a rebuke for getting up, andstarted forthwith, and Archer, without further question, turned againto his survey. He was of the old army--and knew the signs.
For a moment every living object up the valley seemed to be shut fromview. Bonner, by way of changing the subject, had so far "white-lied"as to exclaim "There they are again!--er--no," but the ruse wasunnecessary; Archer understood. Almost at the moment, however, came asound from the open windows of the matron's room, adjoining thehospital, against which all present would willingly have closed theirears--the prolonged, heart-breaking, moaning cry of a woman robbed ofall she held dearest--poor Mrs. Bennett waking once more to her direfulsorrows, and filling the air with her hopeless wail. For a moment itdominated all other sound. "For heaven's sake, doctor," cried Archer tothe assistant, "can't you and Bentley devise something to still thatpoor creature? Has she lost her mind, too?"
"Sounds like it, sir. There's only one thing that will bring itback--that's those babies."
"If anybody can get 'em it will be Stannard," answered the generalprayerfully. "This, whatever it is, up the valley may be news from himand of them! God grant it!"
"Look!" cried Bonner at the instant. "I see Willett! See him?--gallopingup that---- Why, hell and blazes--I beg your pardon, general--he's 'wayout beyond Strong's people! See 'em--down there by the willows? Wherein---- Gad! d'ye see that? Why, his horse jumped and shied as if he'd----Look! He's running away! He's gone!"
Gone he had. Not once again, before the going down of the sun, now justtangent to the western heights, did they catch sight of Willett orWillett's horse. One after another the watchers again found Strongwithin the field of vision and followed him down to and across thestream, and others of the mounted party were seen, some wearilyfollowing their officer, others moving about a point among the willowswhere last had been seen the two strangers whose odd movements led tothe going forth of the searching party. But it was half an hour later,and light was growing dim in the valley, while the eastward crests ofthe Mogollon were all ablaze, when a single rider was made out cominghomeward at speed. It was dusk at Almy when his panting horse struggledpainfully up the slope and, dismounting, a weary rider saluted the postcommander and handed him a note. By this time Mrs. Archer, Mrs.Stannard and Lilian, too, were on the platform, and the mother's armstole instinctively about the daughter's slender waist, while every eyewas on the general as he quickly opened, then slowly read aloud thepencilled words:
"We have the couriers safe. They are from up the Verde, badly scared and worn out. Say they have been chased by Indians ever since three o'clock, were almost out of ammunition. Lieutenant Willett, venturing too far on the east side, while we were to the west of the stream, must have encountered some of them. We heard firing, and followed. Found his horse dead among the rocks and Willett lying near, stunned, but certainly not shot. Could see nothing of his assailants. Ambulance needed. Respectfully,
"STRONG."
Mrs. Archer's arm wound still closer about her daughter's tremblingform. Lilian said no word, but her face was white, her soft lips werequivering. Mrs. Stannard sympathetically closed in on the other side,as the general gave brief directions, and presently, between the two,the girl walked slowly away, only the general following with his eyes.Bentley went back once again to quietly tell the news to Harris, butwas ready when the ambulance stopped at his door. Lilian had beenpersuaded to go and lie down, said Mrs. Archer, when her grave-facedhusband came home at dark. "That is best," was all he said, but heturned and took his fond wife's face between his hands and kissed itthrice, then went forth again to meet the coming couriers. It seemstheir orders were to deliver their despatch in person to the commanderof Camp Almy, and, sending them on for refreshments, he read by thelight of a lantern the message from the commander of the District ofthe Verde. Young warriors by the hundred were out, said the agent atthe reservation, even the Apache-Mohaves. Mail messengers, ranch peopleand others had been murdered close to Camp Sandy. Friendly Indiansreport soldiers killed in Dead Man's Canon in revenge for death ofComes Flying, accidentally shot. Captain Tanner and Lieutenant Ray areout from Camps Sandy and Cameron, with strong commands, and will try tocommunicate with Almy. "Nothing has been heard of Lieutenant Harris andhis scouts," said the despatch, "but
rumors are rife as to Indiandepredations near you. It is feared that in your advanced position youmay be surrounded, and communication cut off, but no fears areentertained as to your ability to take care of yourself. If you stillhave cavalry scouting in the Tonto basin, warn them of conditions andreport when possible."
"So much for so much," said the general. "Now for Willett," and a milefarther out he met the ambulance coming in, Willett and the doctoraboard, the former with a broken collar-bone and a bad headache.Moreover, Willett was in vicious mood.
"General Archer," said he, "the shot that killed my horse was meant forme, and the Indian who fired the shot was Harris's paragon, 'Tonio."