Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1881-01-13
THE SCOUTS LAST SHOT.

flowers butterflies h',at on lazy
wings, apd birds are singing their
sw..trst snngs. 1t is u scene "f
decpest peace. Away the right Is
the Little Bear Range of mountsins
to the k.f' the prairie ocean ex-
tends AS fair as the eye can reach.
Ten miles al;"ad IS grove "f woots
and a spripg-behiId are thirty
halt naked ssvagrs on horseback.
Here 10 n frontier scout as the
pivot on which the scenery swings.
On lis Way from fort to fort
Will, dispatches has trail bag been
st,urk by a war party Of P"wnees.
and they have hung to it since dark
last nj ght. following it across tn.
lrVels aid oEer the syells ii p slow
hut never ending gall"p. Tine,
knew that he was full hundred
milc. from help, and they knew
tina, his bla"dy scalp would ado
anpther to their trophies.
.Ton re rubbed ont man said
The scout rs lie l,"ked back AZ dusk
anc say them coming at u slow
galInp oyer his tr"il, Fney could
tot have ovcrtAk"n rim in DASH
of two miles, bat i'll n gallon ot
fifty they would tire him ont.
At an easy gAlIcp of tve H,i!es
AN hour the mustang forged ahead
thro' the long and weary night,
changing his pace only when the
rider got down and ran beside him.
Two miles behind him, riding
thirty abr. asst and covering a front
OF half mile, followed the inpla-
cable foe, gaining q little, losing a
little, but ever confident.
When the sun came up from hit
prairie bod not savage Was miss
ing. The scont turned in his sad
die and counted them, looked ahead
for landmarks and cody said:
4ou took the chances and You
have lost, bnt you will die game
The mustang was almost blown.
For the last half hour he had la
bared heavily, and had almost been
hsid up by the bits.
The grave would have been a
belter place, but the end would
have been the same said the scout
as he drew up and dis,nopnted,
The Indians We're two miles
away. In ten minutes they would
be within rife-shot,
'Gnod hye, old pard, must d"
it, said the Sc )u:, MS he tonk hold
OF the mustangs head and drew
his knife across the faithful en-
uurne's throat.
He wanted q breas'.work, aid
here II had it. Two minutes we're
tine enough TO cut the bri.ile and
SADDLE to pieces, and then he
mounted the bod ut his dead friend
AMI calmly waited the appraacA at
the iniians.
N" shout of triumph was sent
across the prairie as he was Wrought
to bay. That had been strange
chase. They had sud- ierly appear.
ed "n his trail without q sound
seeming, to arise out of some tis-
sure in the flower covered prairie.
Mt once through the long nj ght
mad the &C. 'ut iieari from Them cx-
cept a. he dr.'rped from the saddle
aud placed Iii, ear to the ground.
But tor the tesdy thud, OF their
horses. feet he might nave almost
made hin, elf believe that he wa,
being pursued by shadows.
"SlAteen bullets in rs,is Winches
ter and six i'll the re.olver,' s"lilo,
quized the SCOUT as the Indians
were WITHIN y nile of the spot. DID
they neap to ride d.Wns Each
rider was bent over his horse's neck.
aud each horse kept the pace he
had tor hops.
My scalp Is Wartl, the scalpa of
ten 1n.iians! said the scout as he
raised his r.fl :, but mebbe can't
get eyer six or seven.'
Straight at him rode the line Of
thirty red skins until ls raised h is
rifle for shot. Then the bani ii :
vidcd right and le,t aud inclosed
hIm III u CIRCLE. Not u shout from
any tongue. 1t might have been
called still hunt.
The line Was out of rifle SHOT at
first but il gradually warked near
er and nearer, and At last the report
of the scouts rife broke the still
ness OF the morning.
Twenty nine lett ! he said As As
threw ont the empty shell.
Not shot came from the Iudi-
ans in reply. Every warrior threw
himself on the opposite side al his
horse, and the hardy ponies follow
ed the circle at steady gallop.
'Twenty-eigift leh Z said the
scout as he fired again.
No shout or shot in reply, but
the circle was growing narrower.
sIwenty-seven left !!
Three of the horses in the ring
we're gafloping wi hout riders.
Twenty left!
The scout had fired coolly and