The National tribune., 1892-04-07

In q little more than ~ minutes t0ey arrived
at the heavy belt of timber on the north side
of the peninsula that completely hid the dug
ont from view. They pulled up their ponies
without uttering word, when Schmutz dis
mounted. handed his bride reins to Winona,
and crept forward toward the river to recon-
hotter He listened warily to catch the slight
est sound, casting watchful glances in every
direction, for his own and Winona's life de-
pended upon his caution, as he had no idea how
close the savages might be.
Suddenly he esped fresh tracks of ponies on
the soft ground. He stopped, looked all about
him with intense anxiety, hardly daring to
move lest the echo of his own footsteps should
betray him. All was still; Winona, seated on
Ginger, could see him, and he occasionally put
his finger to his lips, indicating that she must
keep perfectly silent.
Winona hardly dared to breathe, and could
hear her own heart beat, but not with fear, for
she held her cooked rifle in position in front
of her ready for use at instant's warning,
and was cool and collected under the terrible
strain.
Schmutz continued to advance cautiously,
inch by inch, until be arrived at the projecting
| angle Of great limestone ledge that concealed
| the site of the dugout Peeping carefully over
the top, he looked upon a scene that almost
stagnated tho blood in his veins. Only a few
yards distant, lazly reclining on the buffalo
| grass, were four dog soldiers of the Cheyenne
| bands decorated in their war paint, bonnets
on, and fully armed, while near them, prone
upon the ground, lay the seal less and horribly
mutilated corpses of Tom Brady and his wife.
One glance at the terrible scene satisfied the now
| shuddering youth that he and Winona were too
| late. The bloody work was ended, and he
| groaned for his carelessness in forgetting to
warn his neighbor in the early morning, when
| he first started out.
But Molly, the baby! Where was she?
| Schmutz guardedly scanned the spot where the
savages were listlessly smoking their pipes,
and, satisfying himself that the four he saw
there were the only ones in the vicinity, con-
Guided that the raidng party had evidently
broken up into small bands, and his courage
| rose accordingly.
| Creeping little nearer the ruins of the dug
| out, he discovered the child Molly. alive and
| apparently uniniured. seated at the foot of a
| large elm, innocently playing with gaudy-
colored and beaded quirt which the Indians
had g ven her to keep her quiet.
He now felt confident that it was the saw
ages intention to carry off the baby, in the
| hope OF getting a large ransom from the Gov
| eminent for her return uniDjured-au old
| trick of theirs. He knew that not moment
| must be lost in the attempt to circumvent
their purpose; So as hurriedly as his critical
| position would permit, he retraced his steps to
where he had left Winona, and reported to her
the exact condition of affairs.
WInona permitted only q single sigh to
| escape her, and then, bracing her nerves for
the occasion, said under her breath to Schmutz:
1--WE must and will save that baby! / have
plan, George. Wen go as quickly as possible
| back through the timber until we reach the
| edge of the little prairie west of the dugout.
I'll take the lead from there. you follow to
| cover my retreat. We can both make the
woods on the other side before the Indians
recover from their establishment, and you may
be sure that. if Molly is still at the foot Of that
| tree, she will be with u.s."
"All right" said Schmutz, "PI be close to
you"
Both had spoken IN whispers; each had
| perfect confidence in the courage Of the other,
and they started on their mission. Winona
was such expert horsewoman that she could
ride at full speed and pick up her hat or hand
| kerchief of the ground. Besides, Ginger was
under such perfect control Of her voice, under
| standing her wishes at the softest word or
| slightest touch, that she could make him go
| almost anywhere and do almost anything.
| Winona and Schmutz led their animals as
noselessly as possible around the upper end Of
| the limestone ledge. There he mounted again.
keeping in the shadow Of the trees until they
arrived directly opposite the four Indians, who
were still lying on the grass.
Winona gathered up her bridle-rein, made
loop, so that it would stay on her left above
| the elbow, fastened her rife to the rear OF her
saddle gave one significant look at George, in
| dicatng that she ready, and, under her
| breath saying to Ginger Now !" dashed like
an arrow out into the opening.
She made straight for the elm where Molly
| sat, snatched the child up with her right hand
| as she swung herself clear over, threw the baby
| gently across the saddle in front of her, then
bending her body close along the neck of her
| faithful pony cried out loudly, "Ginger!
| what's the matter? "-her signal to him when
she wanted his utmost speed. Upon hearing
those familiar words Ginger doubled himself,
his belly almost to the ground as he fairly few
over the little prairie for a couple of hundred
yards exposed to the gaze of the bewildered
savages.
Schmutz was close behind Winona, rife in
hand, and just as he passed the group of In
dians, who had risen to their feet. he drew a
| bead on the nearest one to him, topping him
over. The other three were surprised at the
sudden appariti0n of the young girl and her
boldness that it paralyzed them. They did not
fire a shot at the rapidly retreating figures for
moment, and when they did, having recovered
their dazed senses, Winona and Schmutz were
far beyond range, safe in the friendly shelter of
the timber on the other side Of the opening
The savages did not dare to follow them and
as soon as Winona and Schmutz felt assured of
that fact they pulled up TO let their ponies now
white with foam, walk mile or two after their
terrible exertion. They had not proceeded
thus more than three miles before they met Col.
Keogh with part Of two companies Of the 9TH
Cav. en- route north to dispense the Indians
He conveyed to Winona the cheerful inteIli-
gence that her parents aud the Aylesfords were
out of all danger. He had passed them Oh the
trail only short distance after he left camp
/ He had told them to wait on the Elk Horn
until evening to see how many more settlers
came in, and then one Of his Lieutenants with
detachment of troopers remaining there for
that purpose, would escort them to Fort Harker,
whore the Commanding General had established
| rendezvous for the refugees.
Just after SHUTDOWN the relatively happy
Winona and her friends, accompanie led by Lieut.
Hale, of the cavalry, arrived at tho fort, where
preparations had been made to receive them,
| notice Of their coming having been sent in by
| Jack Hart the scout, upon their meeting Col.
| keogh early in the afternoon.
Molly grew up to womauhood, was properly
educated through the kindness of the ladies of
/ the fort, and married when IL to respectable
| ranchman, whose claim now includes that On
| which Molly was born, which, Of course. she
| inherited. passed delightful week at the
| old place last Summer SO full of horrd mem
cries to Winona and Schmutz but only a trad-
| tion to Molly, who remembers nothing of her
| wonderful escape, as she was too young.
Playing under the cottonw0ods and ems,
saw three happy little girls, Molly's children,
perfect prototypes of their mother as l recol-
| lect her in the dark days of the Spilman Creek
massacre. The sunshone as of old, tho birds were
/ singing US sweetly as ON that morning when
! Molly was saved by the brave Winona, but the
harvest of blood of that year has been followed
| by many seasons Of agricultural gladness, and