The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-09-07
SOC any ono get past Ills battery After


tho poles wore SGT out lot of thin
stoci bars punched will, ton holes and
In each of tho holes was placed riilo
cartridge. lie put tho four loaded
bars in position AMI closed up aud
clampcd n sort OF steel door or lid
agninst tho brccch. On tho outside
Of this door were four bars tlat CORE.
spondcd with those OH the inside, and
when it was clcscl ho pulled lever
like ono on MI oll-fashioned printing
press. and tho whole thing went off
with roar and ratio that was terri
flying. Every outside stccl bar had
ten brads, ono opposite each cartridge.
and II jerk on tho lever set >cM all oil.
Then hc threw down tho door, flung
the bars with tho Ompty shells on tho
Ground anil put in tho next loaded set.
Then the first set was loaded up again.
"Wl,en the first volley was tirod il
just moved down the bushes around
ono of tho stakes as if q lawn mower
had boon run through them. Now.
Euldcr.' he GAIL. Il dou't see no signs OF
Indians and We lavc bcon hero over
three weeks. must use you for bnit.
You got OIL sam. tho fastest horse, and
scour around tho country. Keep IL
sharp lookout, and tho moment you
SC" IN Indian mako for here. Sam will
outrun 'cm every time, il you don't got
so close us 10 he in range of 'cm.
growlcd II good deal but had to 60.
My month wouldn't bo up for another
wook.
"Ilo first day I didn't got nibblc.
Next day l took compass and went
further from camp. liz tho afternoon
l thought saw II couple of moving
dots on one of tho far-away hills.
Anyhow. ! male for camp as quick us
l could. anil before ovonimg the Indians
were all around tho hill but they kept
out Ut range and seemed TO l,c siz ng
lis up. We kept watch nll night but
thcv made no move.
''In tho morning they matlc their nj.
tack. They seemed to have pickoted
their horses and wcro crawling ut us
through tho grass. Old stoycr was in
high feather. He watched thcm with
that oaglo cvc Of his nnl could tell
bv tho movements Of tho grass just
where they Were.
"'Now. tlleu.' he said. you lie low
and fill up tho steel bars with car
trdgcs rs l empty them. When ]
have fired two or three times bo ready
with pail Of water to throw over tho
gun barrels.
lie kept moving the machine from
one side to the other aud ut last rot il
where ho wanted it Then he took
hold of tho lever and watched the
grass. AL at once ho pulled. and tho
yell Tint rose from tho grass almost
drowned out ,l,a roar of the guns.
What was left OF the Indians sprang
up and ran. He got ono more shot ut
them and moved them down like
grain. For II couple OF days there was
no sign of Indians. aud then il seemed
they had got large rcinforcemcnts
They tried the other siLo of tho fort
uni came dashing at us on horseback;
Tho moment tho Indians were level
with tho stakes old Slower pulled his
qua. 1t was The most awful havoc
ever saw. Tho horses were wild and
tho old man fired eight volleys into
'em before what wus left got out oi
range.
"Ihat was tho last VIC saw Of In
lians. Tho old man insisted ON going
and counting tho doml. l tried to got
III not to, for l was sure the Indians
were just lying low and would NIB him.
But l was wrong. They knew when
they had enough and had left for son.o
healthier place. When the old man
camo back l,o said.
+" There's just sixteen of them for
every one they killed of mine. and
sixteen ovor which is nv share. Now,
if any ncc don't should happen to me
you just take tho horses aud get back
to the settlement AMI sell everything
you can to pay yourself. Your months
up today
II was pumping water at the timo
aud was not paying much attention to
StovcE. llo loaded UP the machine
and tied urope to the lever. Good bye,
Bol,lor.' he cried.
IL looked up and saw him standing
In front of tho barrels with tho rope
in lbs hand. Before could move ho
gave the ropo IL jerk and was GU. to
pieces.
II got back all right. but tho mistake
of my life WAS that l did not patent
old Stovor's machine gun" "-Lute
Sharp tu Dc!roit Free lres,.