The new North-west., 1892-11-26

hour one rode away to the west to bear
information to the chiefs in waiting.
The gold hunters must be wiped out
to the last man. Their number had
Deen counted over and over, their
weapons noted and the chances calcu-
lated The time was not yet. The lay
OF TIE ground was not suitable and
enongh Indians i,ad notcolne up They
dared not attack with tifty--a hundred
"a hundred and fifty. They would
move upon the little band with two hun
dred or more-four or five to one. That
! is Indian bravery
When Il dozen OF them have run down
hunter and lifted his scalp there are
| shouts Of victory of bolsting-a
war dance about his body. They never
figure on odds--unless against them.
selves
When the train was ready to move on
| after its halt the leader called al the
men together for counsel. He had been
soldier, as had many of the men. He
knew what to expect, and was prudent
ly preparing for it, Each horseman and
| each driver was given orders for e1ner
gency, and every man received them
willingly and with d desire TO obey.
AS the train moved on it was closed
up as solidly as possible, and each driver
had his weapons at hand. It was an
hour before the Indians showed their
hand. Then one after another appeared
in sight out Of rifle range, until fifty
could be counted. A train Of emiyrants
| would have been ratified at sight Of
these, and there would have been con-
fusion and disagreement as how best to
act. When you have an enemy alarmed
you have him half whipped. No one
knows this better than an Indian.
The men Of an eniyrant train would
have begun firing, and thus wasted their
ammunition. The bolder spirits would
have voted for a charge, thus giving the
devils hiding behind the rocks and
ridges with cooked rifles chance to
pick them off. =."...~ -
The men OF the train fired no shot and
made no halt Never a wagon moved
faster or slower. 1t was a great pillow
cutting it's way through the earth over
4 all distractions.
Anxious? Yes. Your brave man may
even tremble in the presence Of danger
1t is only a drunkard or q fool who puts
up his life against chance and betrays
no emotion. Not anxious about the four
score warriors galloping about them ant
now becoming derisive and defiant, bu1
about what was TO come farther on, anC
what the odds against them would be.
"Never halt in the presence Of al
enemy unless you fortify," says mill
tary authority.
so long as you are moving, the enemy
cannot mass against any one point, say:
another.
An old veteran commanded the trai1
4 and rode in advance Of if. He saw thu
lay Of the country changing, and as h'
reached ridge he could look down ant
see where the attack would be made
The natural roadway ran down for
mile between dry gu1lies. These guile
had been scooped out by the heavy rain
falls of perhaps a century, for here tn
watershed ran sharply to the north 70
many miles. ..z- "--.-"
The Indians had massed in these ra
vines and the train would be i'll trap.
"Never do what your enemy hope
you will do" is another military maxim
The captain made a rapid survey 9
the ground and turned to the north
Here was plateau strewed with bowl
ders, but tolerably level. A battle mus
be fought. Here was the place to fight il
It is midafternoon now. Come wit
me and | will show you a sight to be re
membered forever. There is going
be fight which men will talk OF aroun
hearthstones for the next twenty years
CHAPTER Ill.