Delta chief., 1883-08-15

lone horse looks back He sees that he
is not being pushed, and he RECEIVERS
courage. He no longer runs in a
straight line, but he sweeps away to the
left-swerves away to the right, and
changes his gait to a trot. When he
hears the shouts of pursuit and the
louder thump of hoef-beats he will
straighten away and show the pursuers
a gait which nothing but a whirlwind
can equal.
Look! 1t it only quarter of mile
now to the turn in the valley. The lone
horse has suddenly stopped to sniff the
air. His ears are pointed straight ahead,
his eyes grow larger and take on a
frightened look, and he half wheels as
if he would gollop back to those who
have seemingly pursued. Five, eight,
ten seconds, and with a snort of alarm
he breaks into a terrific run, takes the
extreme left of the valley, and goes tear
ing out of sight, as if followed by lions.
Haiti
The grim sergeant sees signs in the
actions of the horse. Every trooper is
looking ahead and to the right. The
green valley runs into the fringe, the
frinp" into dense thicket, the thicket in
to rock and pine and mountain slope.
No eye can penetrate that fringe. The
Indians may be in ambush there, or the
horse NAV have scented wolf or grizzly.
Forward ~
No man knows what danger turks in
the fringe, but the order was to scout
beyond the bend. To disobey is igno-
miny and disgrace; to ride forward is
wait. There is no air stirring in the
valley Every limb and bough is as still
as if made OF iron. There is silence
which weighs like heavy burden, and
the harsh note of hawk or buzzard
would be a relief.
Here is the bend. The valley contin-
ues as before-no wider-no narrower
level and unbroken. The wild horse
was out of sight long ago. and the six
troopers see nothing but the green grass
as their eyes sweep the valley from side
to side.
Turn the bend and ride down the
valley for mile or so, and keep your
eyes open TO discover any pass leading
out. -
Halt"
Ii is more than mile beyond the
bend. No pass has been discovered.
No signs of trail have been picked up.
The sergeant has raised himself up for
long and careful scrutiny, when an
exclamation causes him TO turn his face
mp the valley. Out of the fringe ride
the demons who have been lurking there
TO drink blood. Fve-ten-twenty-
fifty-ihc line has no end. Ii stretches
clear across the valley before word
has been spoken. Then it faces TO the
right and 200 Indians in war paint face
the grim old sergeant and his five troop
crs.
.'lnto linc-right dress -
1t j. the sergeant who whispers the
order. Six To POO. but he will face the
danger. To retreat down the valley is
To be overtaken one by one and shot
from the saddle or reserved for torture.
Down the valley there is no hope up
the valley is the camp and rescue. The
two lines face each other for moment
without movement
Now. men. one volley-sling car
bincs-draw sabrcs and charge ~
sheet of ilamc-a roar-a cloud of
smoke. and six horses spring forward
Then there is grand yell. rush by
every horse and rider, and u whirlpool
begins 10 circle. Sabres flash and
clang-arrows whistlc-revolvers pop
voices shout and scream. and then
the whirlpool ceases. II is not three
minutes since the first carbine was fired
but the tragedy is ended. Every trooper
is down and scalped, hah dozen red
skins are dead or dying, II dozen horses
are struggling or staggering. and turn
ing the bend at mad gallop is the SER
gcants riderlcss horse. He carries an
arrow in his shoulder. and there is
blood on the saddle. In five minutes
he will be in the camp. and the notes
of the bugle will prove that the lost
trail has been found.