Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-12-15

1t was 10 o'clock in the morning. The
honeybees are darting over the prairie In
search of the sweet flowers, butterflies hoat
on lazy wings, and birds are singing their
sweetest songs. 1t is scene OF deepest
peace. Away to the right is the Little Bear
Range of mountains-to the left the prairie
ocean extends as lar as the eye can reach
Ten miles ahead is grove OF cottonwoods
ana spring-behind the thirty balf-naked
savages on horseback.
Here is frontier scout as the pivot on
which the scen-ry swings. On his way
from fort to fort with dispatches his trail
has been struck by a war party of Pawnees,
and they have hung to it since dark last
night, following it across the levels and
over the swells at slow but never-ending
gallop. They knew that he was full hun
dred miles from help, and they knew that
his bloody scalp would add another to their
trophies.
you're rubbed out man." said the
scout as he looked back at dnsk and saw
them coming at slow gallop over his trail.
They could not have overtaken him in
dash of two miles, but in a gallop of fifty
they would tire him out.
AT an easy gallop of five miles an hour
the mustang forged ahead through the long
and weary night, changing his pace only
when the rider got down and ran beside him.
Two miles behind him, riding thirty
abreast and covering front of half mile,
ollowedthe implacable foe, gaining little,
but ever confident.
When the sun came up from his prairie
had missing 'Ihp scout
turned in his saddle and counted them,
looked ahead for landmarks and coolly said;
"You took the chances and you havelost,
but you will die game"
The mustang was almost blown For the
last half hour he had labored heavily. and
had almost been held up by the bits.
The grove would have been the same"
said the scout as he drew up and dismount-
ed.
The Indians were two miles away. In
ten minutes thsy would be within rifle
shot.
Goodbye, old pard-I must do it, " said
the scout, as he took hold of the mustangs
head and drew his knife across The faithful
equine's throat.
He wanted a breast-work, and here he
had it. Two minutes were time enough to
cut bride and saddle to pieces, and then he
mounted the body of his dead friend and
calmly waited the approach of the Indiads.
No shout of triumph was sent across the
prairie as he was brought to bay. That had
been a strange chase. They had suddenly
disappeared on his trail without sound,
seeming to rise out Of some fissure in the
a.. Not thrnrrUh
the long night had the scout heard from
them except as he dropped from the saddle
and placed hi ear to the ground. But for
tie steady thudl thud! of the horses feet
he might have almost made himself believe
that he was being pursued by shadows.
ssSixteen bullets III this Winchester and
six in the revolver" soliloquized the scout
as the Indians were within a mile of the
spot Did they mean to ride him down.
Each rider was bent over his horses neck,
and each horse kept the pace he had tor
hours.
"My scalp is worth the scalp OF ten In
dlans.n SAID the scout as he raised his rifle,
''but mebbe can't get over six or seven.
Straight at him rode the line of thirty
redskins until he raised his rlfe for a shot.
Then the band divided right and left and
lnclosed him in circle. Not a shout from
any tongue. 1t might have been called
still hunt.
The line was out of rihe-shot at first, but
1t gradually worked nearer and nearer, and
at last the report of the scouts rifle broke
the stiffness of the morning.
ssTwenty-nine left!" he SAID as he threw
out the empty shell.
Not a shot came from the Indians in re-
ply. Every warrior threw himself on the
opposite side of his horse, and the hardy
ponies followed the circle at a steady gal
lop.
.srwenty-eight left,' said the scout as he
fired again.
No shout or shot in reply, but the circle
was growing narrower.
Twenty left"
Three of the horses in the ring were gal
Looping without riders.
"Twenty-six left.'
The scout had fired coolly and deliber-
ately, shooting every victim through the
head. His rifle had longer range than
those of the Indians, but now they were
near enough to open In reply.
twenty-five left.' he said as another
savage fell into the grass with wild scream
Of rage and pain.
Five of the thirty were dead Now q
yell runs around the circle, and every horse