The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-11-21

Ene rear, MAKING the night resound with
their war whoops and dropping an occa-
sional shot whenever they thought it would
tell. A stern chase is proverbially long
one, and undoubtedly il would have proved
so in this case had not the boys horse in
crossing piece Of rough ground STUN
bled. He would have fallen had not he
been instantly checked up. BY this acct
dent the Indians were enabled 70 gain some
distance, when they opened fire with
surer aim.
Bangl bangl and the bullets whistled
uncomfortably close to our young hero's
ear.
Squirting his animal he sought to get out
of range, and nobly did his faithful friend
respond. Bang bang, the guns rang out
again, and the boy felt singing sensa-
ton in his left shoulder, his bride arm
falling useless by his side. The agony of
the wound was intense, the motion of the
horse rendering it more so, but still he re-
tanned his seat, knowing that upon his
ability to get through rested the salvation
of hundred lives. Bearing now little
TO the southeast he struck the trail and flu
riously dashed along it. The sound Of his
pursuers grew fainter, then ceased, but he
did not seem to hear, for a strange diZzi-
ness came over him, and he swayed in his
saddle like drunken man. Clutching at
the pommel he murmured as he thought
the night grew darker, "Oh, God, let me
live an hour, only an hourp'
So the night sped on. Sometimes the
horse would relapse into a trot and anon
resume his swinging lope.
"Ohl that morning would come: thst
night would fold up its funeral garment
and the glad sunshine smile upon the
earth once norel'
How cold the night seemed 10 the boy
hero as he half fainting sat in the saddle
with ms head upon his breast and the
warm blood trickling from his wound.
Would Cache never appear?
But, just as the rosy fingers of the morn
crept up from the east, he saw with his
dying eyes the long black shadow of the
timber that studded the banks Of the
creek, and as his weary comrade uttered
joyful neigh, bugle call rang out upon
the morning air, the sound of which
Frightened up the boys face, while his
horse shook its head, neighed again and
galloped on.
The sound of the horses hoofs brought a
number of men outside their tents, who,
seeing the pale, deathlike face of the do
patch bearer and the limp arm hanging by
his side, knew instinctively what was the
matter.
The latter, seeing the men around him,
drew out his blood soaked dispatch and
hoarsely Whispering The general - dis
patch-quick!" would have fallen from his
horse had not trooper rushed forward
and catching him in his arms lifted him
tenderly to the ground
With the break of day the Indians, ut
tering their wild war whoops, had charged
upon the camp. BraveIy had they been
repulsed, only TO come on again and again
until their superior numbers should tell
upon the white men. Now they were upon
the ramparts and the defenders, almost all
of whom were grievOusly wounded, but
who seemingly felt NOT their wounds in
the presence of the enemy, heroically dis
puted every step. At last, just as a por-
ton OF the breastwoTE had fallen in and
the Indians sprung like panthers at their
prey, on the little square Of white men
who had hastily collected around their
wounded, resolving 70 die az men with
their faces TO the foe, a ringing cheer was
heard and the relief force came laundering
down the slope. And, a. the clear, rapid
notes Of the charge" echoed across the
plain, each drop of blood in those troop
ers' veins jincied exultingly against its
neighbor as they dashed among the foe.
There was a crash-cheers--a vol.ey of
musSetry, and the Indians were dying
across the prairie, pursued by the troopers
whose carmined saber5 were busy convert
ing, a. an officer of the regular army once
said, bad Indians into good ones by giving
them the route to tae happy hunting
grounds.
The fight was over and portion OF Col. |
Maci,'s command was saved.
That night in a hospital tent there stood I
a number of soldiers around the couch of |
one on whom death had cast its shadow
There was a soTrOwful look upon the faces |
of the watchers as they silently awaited |
the issue. At lest the boy opened his eyes |
and looked around; then as a smile Of |
pride lit H., his face he murmured as his |
-yelids slowly dropped, Il got there"
The angel becOkoned and the two went |
hand in hand into the silent land.
"He's gone, they told the men who had /
gathered outside The tent awaiting the /
news-gone; aud the evening wind took up /
the refrain and sighed it TO the trees,
which shook their heads as if in doubt,
while the stars yelled their tremulous
light, as heaven in It's pity sprinkled its
tears upon The camp-William X. Robert
son in Kansas City Times.