Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-11-17
CHAPTER VII.


The cnptoin rested it across the rocks.
The captain was right in his suspi-
cions.
The bcsicging force of savages, dis
hcartened at their bloody repulse, had
quietly withdrawn behind the ridges in
hopes to lure the white men from their
stronghold.
They would have waited until the
wagons were strung ont in line and
Pressing forward, and then charge
would have brought victory. The man
who volunteered to act as scout had be
trayod the plot. His willfulness would
rost him his life, but it would save
twenty-three others.
Two minutes after that cry of alarm
had reached the men III the fort the In
dians could be seen all about them.
Conccalunont was useless, and the red
demons circled about the fort on their
ponies and kept up such a yelling that
one would have thought they regarded
sound as powder and bullet. They kept
up the hubbub for an hour, and then
dismOunted out of rife range to rest.
I'VE shall hear from that renegade
before long" said the captain, as he
noted crowd of Indians at a certain
point. Lave any of you men got az
old fashioned rife
Il have replied man named Peters.
Its not only old style, but heavy
enough to use as artillery. brought it
along because [ couldn't even give ii
III" 5,t - W. VS. fshed out of his wagon
and brought forward. 1t was the old
fashioned buffalo rife, carrying bullet
Ike II cavalry carbine, and its owner
had brought along Il few charges for it.
1t had scarcely been loaded when the
renegade stepped out from the crowd
with white flag and advanced TO with
in pistol shot Of the fort. Then he halt.
ed and sung out:
Bows, you have made a brave de
fcrse, but its 40 use in trying to hold
ont agin us. Ihars over two hundred
& Us we're yet, as you kin see by countin
up. and you don't show sense by holdin
out
What do you want of u.s." demanded
.Ac captain.
''WaAl, when | summoned We the
5;her day all we wanted was fur We to
turn back. Ye refused to, and we've
killed a couple Of warriors and wounded
lot more. We can't let ye off quite so
easy now
"What are your terms"
Now We begin TO talk sense If We
want to walk ont and leave the wagins
and horses fur us III give ye my word
ye shall go in peace That's lettin ye
off powerful easy, being as the reds are
mad al! the way through"
"Shau't we also leave our guns and
revolyers behind;' asked the captain in
sarcasm.
AS to that" replied the renegade
taking him seriously, lit might be q
good ijec 1t would show yer faitl
in MS"
You captured one of my men over
the ridge an hour ago"
we did That IS, we didn't capture
him, bat axed him to stop with us for :
visit. He's injoyin hisself as hearty as
you please"
Let him count your numbers anC
come in and give us the figures. If yor
are as strong as You say we may decide
to surrender
"We-we couldn't do that, we know
That's rayther aSin the rules of war
However, the mint ye march out wei
set him free to jine ye,'
Its no use!' called the captain in de
cided tones, I'VE won't talk slurende
until the man comes IN"
Tho renegade returned to his friend
and held brief council, after which h
came forward TO say:
Boys, can't hold em in much longe
no, can't. Ye must cum to term
or take the consequences.
"Wont you release the mani"
1--WE can't, 1t would only make on
more to fight us
Then go back to your friends and tel
them Well shoot down every horse, burr
every wagon and shoot each other be
fore we surrender"
There was a general howl of rag
among the Indians when this news wa
communicated, but no movement to at
tack. a water hole in the bod Of one o
the Bullios furnished them and tnei
ponies with a lnuited supply of tn
liquid, and they knew that the belea
gucred white men could not obtain
drop. 1t was only II question Of tim
when the climax would come. The red
skins were therefore content to pre-