But the twenty seconds I had delayed them had cooked
their goose, for outside was a squadron of cavalry swinging a circle
round the station; and we had barely reached the platform when the
bugle sounded "Halt," quickly followed by "Forward left." As the ranks
wheeled, and closed up as a solid line about us, I could have cheered
with delight. There was a moment's dramatic hush, in which we could
all hear the breathing of the winded horses, and then came the clatter
of sword and spurs, as an officer sprang from his saddle.
"I want Richard Gordon," the officer called.
I responded, "At your service, and badly in need of yours, Captain
Singer."
"Hope the delay hasn't spoilt things," said the captain. "We had a
cursed fool of a guide, who took the wrong trail and ran us into
Limestone Canon, where we had to camp for the night."
I explained the situation as quickly as I could, and the captain's
eyes gleamed. "I'd have given a bad quarter to have got here ten
minutes sooner and ridden my men over those scoundrels," he muttered.
"I saw them scatter as we rode up, and if I'd known what they'd been
doing we'd have given them a volley." Then he walked over to Mr. Camp
and said, "Give me those letters."
"I hold those letters by virtue of an order--" Camp began.
"Give me those letters," the captain interrupted.
"Do you intend a high-handed interference with the civil authorities?"
Judge Wilson demanded.
"Come, come," said the captain, sternly. "You have taken forcible
possession of United States property.
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