Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-08-25
IN d the leaa4 VINO aubJects them 70

rorfbNvar.l hank: the men dish cunt, mr.
saddle. ana presently. with side Ines IL
hand. each trooper leading MS iaitnIui
stepd. the four herds are guided to the
senarate grazing grounds already chosen
and ..pre-empted" by wide awake supal-
ferns or ser-eants There the side lines
are carefully adjusted, the brides slipped
~ three or four men remain in sad
Ale AS here guard and the horses are
Jeff 10 craze. Rich with nutriment Is
mat crisp. dry bunch grasp-rlch and
nlentiful. The mules OF the pack train
brav with imp4tience to shed their loads
and ioin their envied four footed com
rades. but presently they. too, follow
,n0 the bell. are streaming ont upon
the guarded prairie, rolling IN luxury
mon the frosty earth and kicking their
legs in air ia genuine delight. From
dozen little fires among the bare limbed
cottouwoods the thin smoke is curling
aIoft, and the rattle of tin cup and plate
and the iovial voices of the men seem
10 clanor for their soldier rations. In
long rows the saddles and equipments
We're aligned upon the turf, each mans
carbine and belt at his saddle. Huge
rolls Of robes and blankets are unstrap-
ped and spread TO air, and all this time,
while the troop officers are looking TO
the comfort and security Of their horses,
Major Berrien, followed by single or
DERBY. is riding about from point TO
point to satisfy himself that the guards
are stationed where best they can Sc
cure the bivouac against surprise.
The ridge 70 the southwest is higher
than those which limit the view at other
points. and thither Berrien is now riding
at easy Iope Rolfe and Hazlett, watch
ing him for a moment. exchange an APP
preciatiye nod as they hear from the
group of soldiers at the nearest camp
fire some brawny son of the old sod re-
mark, Just luck at the ould man now;
sure it's "a smart redskin that viii ever
get through the pickets he posts. Not
since the days Of old Major Slowtrot,
old Pap" Thomas, has there been a
battalion commander better loved by
the rank and file. They know nothing
will ever induce him to forget one pre-
caution for their safety, and reward his
care with loyalty of devotion good to
see. Watching him still further, Haz-
lett notes that a distant vedette has sig
nailed. and that Berrien, slowly now. is
riding mp the slope to join him. A ser
geant has some question to ask at the
moment, and when Hazlett again looks
out TO the southwest, major, orderly and
vedette have disappeared from view
around little shoulder of bluff. Other
vedettes can be seen at their posts on all
sides. and a few dismounted sentries
living prone where, unseen themselves.
they can scan the country to their front.
But Hazlett's curiosity is excited by the
fact that two men, mere specks in the
distance. are budding together at the
crest half mile away to the southwest
and evidently watching something ont
at their front and motioning to the SER
geant back with the supports. Presently
this trooper, too. trots ont to join them.
Berrien and his party are still out of
sight from camp.
Captain, may ! borrow your field
glassess" asked Mr.. Brewster. swinging
up to the fire where Hazlett stands. Il
have lent mine to the sergeant Of the
guard"
Did You see where the major wents"
asks Hazlett by way Of reply. rs he
hands the desired mstrumen,.
Il last saw him at the point yonder.
He rode around il with Sergeant Ellis
and couple of men, and that vedette
must have been calling to him. 1t
seems to me they've been gone some
time; so Gorham says can ride ont and
find out what it means
I'D go with you. Brewster, but my
horse is out at herd Take the glasses
with You, anyhow" Brewster's biz
black is led up at the moment, and the
lieutenant quickly mounts and canters
easily away.
Meantime. old Berrien, who has noted
the signals of the vedette referred to,
has joined him. with the brief inquiry,
What is it. ScottT'
why. sir. was posted here by the
sergeant, and he had no sooner gone
than saw what took to be horsemen
in the valley several miles out yonder to
the southwest. The major can see the
whole country from butte that lies
perhaps three hundred yards farther out
beyond this ridge. But here comes the
sergeant back, sir"
Il Is Ellis, cantering briskly from the
advanced position Scott has designated,
and coming to them now around the
shoulder of the bluff little to the right.
That Ellis has seen something is evil
dent; his face shows il in an instant
IAN Indian war party. major. per-
haps a dozen, rode from behind a long
ridge over to the west and down into
the valley of what | take to be a branch
Of the Porcupine. That butte hides a
good deal Of the valley; but we can see
il from there, though"
lyon three men come with me" says
Berrien quietly. I'VE must look into
this
Two minutes lope brings them to the
1 t...s. r~la,r 10. ..o,,+a3