Sunset Pass | Page 3

they would be out here to the northeast. I'm
going ahead."
"Well, Captain Gwynne, I give up. If you're bound to go there's no use
talking. Stop one moment though!" He spurred his broncho close to the

window, and thrusting in his wiry arm drew little Nell close to him,
bent and kissed tenderly her bonny face.
[Illustration: HE DREW LITTLE NELL CLOSE TO HIM.]
"God guard you, baby," he murmured, as finally he set her down.
"Adios, Ned, my lad," and he shook the little man heartily by the hand.
"Good luck all! Now I must gallop to make up time." He turned quickly
away and went "loping" down the trail, but his gauntlet was drawn
across his eyes two or three times before he disappeared from view.
Two white little faces gazed wistfully after him and then into each
other's eyes. Irish Kate muttered a blessing on the gallant fellow's head.
"Come on, Jim," said the captain, with darkening face, and presently
the little train was again in motion, winding over the range that, once
passed, brings them in view of Snow Lake with the gloomy, jagged
rocks bounding the horizon far beyond. There is a deep cleft that one
sees in that barrier just as he emerges from the pine woods along the
ridge, and that distant cleft is Sunset Pass.
Though seldom traveled, the mountain road from Fort Verde over to
Fort Wingate was almost always in fair condition. Rains were very few
and did little damage, and so at a rapid, jingling trot the wagons lunged
ahead while the captain and Pike, the retired trooper, rode easily
alongside or made occasional scouts to the front.
Knowing that his children must have heard his talk with Sieber, the
captain soon dropped back opposite the open window and thrust in his
hand for the little ones to shake.
"You're not afraid to go ahead, Ned, my boy! I knew I could count on
you," said he heartily. "And Nell can hardly be afraid with you and her
old dragoon dad to guard her. Isn't it so, pet?"
And the wan little face smiled back to prove Nellie's confidence in
father, while Ned stoutly answered:
"I'm never afraid to go anywhere you want me to go, father. And then I
haven't had a chance to try my rifle yet."

The boy held up to view a dainty little Ballard target gun--a toy of a
thing--but something of which he was evidently very proud.
"And then we've got good old Pike, papa--and Kate here--I'm sure she
could fight," piped up little Nell, but there was no assent to this
proposition from the lips of poor Kate. All along she had opposed the
journey, and was filled with dread whenever it was spoken of. Vainly
had she implored the officers and ladies at Prescott to prohibit the
captain from making so rash an attempt. Nothing would avail. As
ill-luck would have it the lieutenant colonel recently gazetted to the
infantry regiment stationed in Northern Arizona had just come safely
through from Wingate with exactly such an "outfit," but without such
guards, and Captain Gwynne declared that what man had done man
could do. There were plenty of people who would have taken her off
the captain's hands, but nothing would induce the faithful creature to
leave the motherless "childer." She loved them both--and if they were
to go through danger she would go with them. All the same she stood
sturdily out in her resentment toward the captain and would not answer
now. Jim, too, on the driver's seat, was gloomily silent. Manuelito with
the mules in rear had listened to Sieber's warning with undisguised
dismay. Only Pike--ex-corporal of the captain's troop--rode
unconcernedly ahead. What cared he for Apaches? He had fought them
time and again.
Nevertheless when Captain Gwynne came cantering out to the front
and joined his old non-commissioned officer, it was with some surprise
that he listened to Pike's salutation.
"May I say a word to the captain?"
"Certainly, Pike; say on."
"I was watching Manuelito, sir, while the captain was talking with
Sieber. Them greasers are a bad lot, sir--one and all. There isn't one of
'em I'd trust as far as I could sling a bull by the tail. That Manuelito is
just stampeded by what he's heard, and while he dare not whirl about
and go now, I warn the captain to have an eye on the mules to-night.
He'll skip back for the Verde with only one of them rather than try

Sunset Pass to-morrow."
"Why! confound it, Pike, that fellow has been in my service five years
and never failed me yet."
"True enough, sir; but the captain never took him campaigning. They
do very well around camp, sir, but they'd rather face the gates