Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-11-27
your scalp nailed on?''

your scalp nailed on?''
do YOU mistrust this man."
Never saw one Wit that | didn't. I'm
going to bet my rife agin key Of powder
that you don't come back.
As soon as were out of sight of the fort
| motiOned for the Indian to take the lead.
He seemed to take it as matter of course.
and be led off with lope and led it for
six or seven miles without hault. | had
not only to keep an eye on him, but scan
the country as well. He appeared to be on
the lookout, as well he might be if his
story was true, and at II o'clock we ap
preached the spot where he claimed to have
hidden his property. | had kept him in
the lead all the time, and we mad more or
less shelter along the bank of the stream.
Half mile from the grove drew rein and
said:
Il will wait here while my brother goes
forward after his property.
rs the swift rider tired with his ride %
he sarcastically answered.
Zone must keep watch for danger.
will do that, for you will be busy"
''lf my white brother is afraid he need
not 60
IF MY red brother has a cache in the
grove let him look for it. If not, we will
return to the fort
He hesitated a moment, and then, sat
isfed that | was on my guard he walked
away and soon disappeared in the grove.
had every confidence that the trees
sheltered a band of redskins, and it would
not have -urprised me in the least to have
seen body of them dash out. was there
fore taken aback. at the end of about a
quarter of an hour, to see Little Smoke
reappear with a backload of stuff from his
cache He came straight toward me, but
very slowly. and haulted every few yards
to adjust his burden. | was carefully
watching him when my horse shifted the
air uneasily and all at once it came to me
that was being stalked. left the center
of the cottonwood for the open ground, and
as I rode away two bullets tipped close to
my head having been fired from the OPP
posite bank of the stream. At the same
moment Little Smoke dropped his goods
and fired on me with his musket While
half dozen Indians in my rear were vel
ling and shooting, | rode down to within
200 feet of the smooth-tongued traitor and
dropped him dead in his tracks. There
were five Indians in the ambuscade, and
they mounted their ponies and pursued me
for three or four miles, but | got safely
away.
The second attempt was made in De-
cember. A half-breed Cheyenne-an old
man with a very honest face-came into
the fort and reported that a white man, a
trapper was in camp on the river above
us with broken leg, and he had volun-
teered to come in and report the case
The distance was not over FIVE miles, but
the snow lay deep on the ground, and it
was very sharp weather. The old man
probably reasoned that [ would be sent out
to guide the relief party. He was asked
tC do so but refused, even under promise
of a gallon of whisky. This refusal
aroused my suspicion, and instead of GO
ing out as a relief corps {. dozen men went
armed to the teeth. The place designated
WAS a grove, and we approached it as near
as possible under cover, and then made
sudden dash. Eight pounted Indians
rushed out on the other side. There were
evidences that they had been thera in camp
two or three days,
In the spring when war had been for
mally declared, most of my work was
along the Smoky Hill stage route. When
the stages finally ceased running carried
ployes, or guided them safely to the posts.
Lookout Station, twenty miles beyond
Fort Hays, was more exposed to attack
than any other on the route. The nut for
the shelter of the men was half wood, half
mud. Two stables filed with hay and
oats fanked it, and stood dangerously
near.
While at every other station the men
had made dugouts for their protection, this
prose- ution has been neglected at Lookout
Small bands of Indians had appeared and
been stood off by the well-armed men, and
they had come to believe that they could
defeat any force likely to appear. On the
morning of April Is / was approaching
Lookout with 600 Winchester cartridges
for the men, when, just as the day fairly
broke, was discovered and pursued by a
band of Indians. got into the station
after lively chase, and in an hour it was
surrounded by over hundred redskins.
had been recognized, and they sent a flag
of truce to offer the three men their lives
if they would hand me over. This offer
was twice repeated. and then the Indians
settled down to besiege the station. Dur
ing the day the firing was kept up at long
range. All the horses in the stables were
killed before noon but none of US was
wounded. As night came | determined
to get away, being under orders to report
at Hays as soon as possible, the men en-
couraged me to go, saying they could hold
the place until | sent assistance.
Abodt o'clock | crept out of the hut,
crawled on my hands and knees into the
ing against Indians,sI got beyond thelines
and headed for the fort. | was only three
miles away when saw the glare of burn
ing stables, which the redskins had crept
up TO and fired. The hut caught from
the stables. when the three brave fellows
were finally driven out they were shot
down by the horde in waiting, and thus
every vestige of the station was wi ped out.
New York Sun.
AN ATTEMPTED EXPLOSION