The Morning herald., 1877-10-03
4 FAMOUS SCOUT.

received last week report that among Glib
hons wounded was the famous scout, Beid.
ler-X., for short-known far and wide as
the most daring scout in the mountains. II
was he who piloted Conners in the freezing
cold Of Utah winter up the Bear River
Valley to the encampment of the Snakes,
and enabled him to gain his remarkable
victory over the savages. 1t was he who
tracked the Piegans into the Teton Noun
tains and marked out the route which
Bakers column pursued when he surprised
LonghorseIs band in the gray dawn of a
winters morning and literally swept them
from the face Of the earth. He followed
Gibbon last year to the Yellowstone, and
tracked for him a pathway across the Big
Horn Mountains up to the scene of the Gus
ter massacre. When the battle ground had
been reached, and scattered around it lay
the bodies of the slain-when all the par
ticulars Of the dreadful slaughter had been
gathered $50 far, indeed, as they were to be
obtained from that savage waste of desola-
ton and murder), messenger was sought
to carry the news to Fort Ellis. 1t must
be understood that this was terrible un-
dertaking. The mountains literally
swarmed with hostile Sioux. There We're
ninety nine chances out of hundred that
the messenger would never reach his desti-
nation. It was an even chance that he
would be killed and scalped before he got
out of sight of the command. But still, the
necessity of sending the message was i'm
perative. To order any one to take it was
ike signing his death warrant, and even the
brave Gibbon shrank from this. He called
up half dozen men and proposed to them
the undertaking. The bravest of them
shrank from the trial. "Boys," said Glib
bon, II can't order you on this desperate
hazard, for I believe in my soul it is almost
certain death, and yet I must do my duty
and send the message. If none of the
scouts will go I will I'D my nephew"
The person indicated was a brave young
officer just from West Point, and this was
his first experience in warfare. What
chance had he? Sitting few PAGES apart
from the group of officers and men was,
Beidler, cleaning his gun and polishing his
equipments-a stout, heavy-built man of
forty years of age. Hard service had rem
dered rugged his set, determined face, and
exposure had grizzled his hair. But there
was frank and manly look in the full,
black eye, and about the finely curved
mouth, touch of tenderness. His voice
wss sweet as a woman's. Even the rugged
nature of this desperate service had not de-
stroyed the symmetry of his hands, which
were clean and taper as girls. But in the
slender fingers dwelt the strength of giant
"a deadly hand for his foes, but cordial
and kind as charity for all upon whom he
he looked in friendship. As Gibbon ceased
speaking the frontiersmans voice rose clear
and distinct
'NeveF mind, General, III carry your
message"
Gibbon turned toward him in surprise.
what, you, X-Why, man, I couldn't
ak you to do such thing; besides, you
are our pilot"
'Yes, I know, but don't mind the ven
tare. Anyway, I'll carry the message"
"You know better than I do, X. that it's
, deadly venture. I wouldn't have dared
TO ask you."
"1t's all right, General. Get your letter
ready and'let me have it at dark"
Then, rising to his feet, he limpedaway,
Tor K Beidler was lame. An Indian bullet
In one of the wild forays of the border had
ahattered his hip, and although the wound
had long since healed it had left him lame
for life. Two hours later, when the
shadows of a mountain twilight were falling
thick and dusky over the valley he eau.
tously rode down the canyon of the Little
Horn and disappeared from view. About
the incidents of that desperate ride of 4OC
miles-of his hair-breadth escapes-of his
desperate adventures it would be impossi-
In the limits of an article like this to give
anything like an adequate description. II
will suffice to say that the message was car
ned, and when the writer saw him tw,
weeks later, preparing for his return tri]
down the Yellowstone, he seemed as care
leE and talked as unconce4nedly about it a.