The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1892-11-19

dtsns. Scores Of prisoner had bsen ear.
rie1 on along the entire frontier. and 70
LOOK Tor any particular one seemed q hone
lees tash. We knew, however, that the
two We wanted had made their start from
the grove on Mink creek, and We decided
20 make that our point OF departure. II
was then forty miles from the nearest mill.
tAry post. but we reached Il without scct.
dent. We had not yet unsaddled our horses
when Tom made adtscovery that furnished
us with clew. He picked up an Indian
tobacco pouch which had belonged TO q
Sioux. Up to this time Ne did NOT know
whether the pair we were after had been
captured by the Sioux or Cheyeunes. This
gave Us big starr In the right direction.
Although the two tribes had Joined hands
for the war. their territory still remained
the same, and their villages had mot been
moved. We must hear more to the west
and search among the Sioux.
u must not he imagined that we went
riding boldly around the country on our
errand. There were days and days that
we lay 10 hiding. II we moved ut all 1t
was by night. and then only short dis
tsnces. The country swarmed with red
skins, and there was never an hour that
we were not in danger. We were gradual
~ working toward the villages on the
Smoky Hill ford and its territories. and
our game was TO play hide and seek. As
both OF us understood the Sioux dialect, we
picked up bits OF information let fall now
and then by parties passing our hiding
places. and such were our precautions that
We worked our way over seventy miles
into the Indian country without leaving Q
trail anywhere.
We had one close call as we neared the
villages. We had advanced about ave
miles during the night over ground 70 hard
~ TO leave no trail, and were lying up for
the day In dry rsyine. About Q In the
morning. ~ ] WAS on watch. ! espied q
couple Of Indians 10 the east. They had been
sent from some war party with q message
TO one OF the villages They were riding
at gallop when first saw them. but Of .
sudden they halted. held q council, and
both rode into the rxvine about eighty rods
above our position. They could not have
seen our trail. nor had they reason to sus
pcct our presence. snd never could fathom
their action. They were coming right down
upon us. and had Tom awake Ia a jiffy.
just above US was sharp bend, and here
we took our stations. reyoiyers In hand.
The ponies OF the Indians came seramblins
along the rough path, one closely follow.
ing the other. and the first rider never
knew what hit him. The second saw us.
but was dead five seconds after, and we ct
once secured the ponies. We were a bit
anxious for the next hour, fearing that the
reports Of the revolvers might have reached
the earn OF Indians riding about: but no
one appeared. and the day wore away with.
out the slightest alarm. This was the
fourteenth day IL our advance, and the
thirty-fourtb day Of Mrs. Cherry's capture.
Let Us now return TO her.
The prisoners were marched across the
country to the Villages on the Smoky Hin
fork. The first Idea was TO put them all
70 the torture. but the chiefs finally de-
cided 10 hold them for while and see how
events would shape. Two sons Of promi.
nent chiefs and q great medicine man bad
bccn captured by the whites. and 1t might
be that they would have TO be ransomed
by giviog up prisoners. Mrs Cherry and
the Iawton boy were kept in one village,
while ell Others captured with them were
sent TO another. They were made to carry
wood and water, live on the food thrown
10 the dogs. and every hour In the DAY
were told OF the fate In store for them.
Both were beaten by Indian women and
boys. but they did not feel their lives in
peril. They slept in a tepee with m In
dian boy about IS years OF age and An old
hag Of a sqaaw.
On the afternoon OF the DAY we kille.,
the two Indians In the rasine Mr. Cherry
s~crrted ;omahAwk under the dried grass
composing her bed. II belonged TO the In
dian boy, but ht did not miss IL. She
heard them talking that day abou, mor
Ing camp. but nothing was done because
no orders came. Al midnight, when every
thing was quiet. Mrs. Cherry crept over &c
the Indian boy and sunk the blade OF the
iomAhawk In his skull. He raised hi,
arms. but made no ou,cry. aud was dead
In two or three minutes. She disposed O,
the old woman in the same way. and ther
waking up younk I.awton she took him b.
the hand and walked out Of the village.
Al O'Clock ID the morning. ms ! wa,
scouting on foot Go locate the village aud
Was within q rnile Of IL, I met Mrs.. Cherry
and the boy. She had the Indian boy,
bow and CULVER, and IAwton carried the
blood stained touaahawk. Wepushed bach
90 the ravine "a fast a. we could go, and
after reaching it we lost no time In mount
ing and heading 70 the south. We wer
not followed from the camp, as an orde,
reached It At daylight 10 move to . distan,
point. and we dotged the war parties until
another two hours would have carried "a
into post. We were then suddenly con
frontei by band OF thirty warriors, bu,
after race OF two miles we beat them In
securing possession Of a grove, aud fol
,hrse hours we held them at hay. Troop.
from the post then came 10 our rescue
I had tseen hit in the arm, Tom In III,
shoulder. Mrs. Cherry In the cheek ant
the boy lost two fingers by bullet. W,
bad killed thrcc warriors, wounded tw,
or three more and knocked over fou,
ponies The Indians were scared away
from the post very soon. What they did
with the captives among them We ncye,