Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-01-07
The Scouts Last Shot.

The Scouts Last Shot.
1t is ten O'Clock in the morning. The
honey-bees are darting over the prairie
in search of the sweet flowers, butter
flies float on lazy wings, and birds are
singing their sweetest songs. It is o
scene Of deepest peace. Away to the
right is the Little Bear Range noun
tains-to the left the prairie ocean ex-
tends as far as the eye can reach. Ten
miles ahead is a grove of cotton wood
and spring-behind are thirty half
naked savages on horseback.
Here is frontier scout as the pivot
On which the scenery swings. On his
way from fort to fort with dispatches,
his trail has been struck by war party
OF Pawnees, and they have hung to it
since dark last night, following it across
the levels and over the swells at a slow
but never.ending gallop. They knew
that be was full hundred miles from
help, and they knew that his bloody
scalp would add another to their tro-
phies.
"You're rubbed out man! " said the
scout as he looked back at dusk and
saw them coming at slow gallop over
his trail. They could not have over.
taken him in dash of two miles, but
in . 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 q front of half q
mile, followed the implacable foe,
gaining little, losing little, but ever
confident.
When the sun came up from his
prairie bed not savage was missing.
The scout turned in his saddle and
counted them, looked ahead for land.
marks and coolly said:
"You took the chances and you have
lost, bnt you viii die game"
The mustang was almost blown. For
the last half hour he had labored heav-
lily, and had almost been held up by the
bite.
"The grove would have been better
place, but the end would have been the
same" said the scout as he drew up and
dismounted.
The Indians were two miles away.
In ten minutes they would be within
riae-shot.
Goodbye, old pardLf 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 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 Indians.
No shout OF triumph was sent across
the prairie as he was brought to bay.
That had been a strange chase. They
had suddenly appeared on his trail
without sound, seeming to rise out of
some fssure in the hower.covered
prairie. Not once through the long
night had the scout heard from them,
except as he dropped from the saddle
and placed his ear to the ground. But
for the steady thud! thudl Of their
horses feet he might have almost made
himself believe that he was being pur-
sued by shadows.
"Sixteen bullets in this Winchester
and six in the revolver" soliloouized
the scout as the Indians were within a
mile OF the spot. Did they mean to
ride him downP Each rider was bent
over his horses neck, and each horse
kept the pace he had for hours.
"My sculp is worth the sculp of ten
Indians!" 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 rife for o
shot. Then the band divided right and
left and inclosed him in q circle. Not o
shout from any tongue. It might have
been called o still hunt.
The line was out of rife.shot at first
but it gradually worked nearer and
nearer, and at last the report of the
scouts rifle broke the stiffness of tbe
morning.
"Twenty-nine Left" he said, as he
threw out the empty shell.
Not shot came from the Indians in
reply. Every warrior threw himself OF
the opposite side OF his horse, and tho
hardy ponies followed the circle at {
steady gallop.
Twenty-eight left" said the scou
as be fired again.
No shout or shot in reply, but tn,
circle was growing narrower.
Twenty-seven left!"
Three OF the horses in the ring wer.
galloping without riders.
"Twenty-six left!"
The scout had fred coolly and DELHI
erately. 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.