San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-11-22

~ -.s|.'..'..
A solitary and 1Ceu nigh exhausted
trooper.
Since you ask me, sir, most dis
tinctly oppose its being referred to Major
Berrien. He is doing we'll, but the ex-
element might bring on fever-and dis
aSter."
1t was DR.. Holden who spoke-and
very firmly spoke-to Colonel Farguhar
four days after the little fight beyond
the Porcupine. The colonel sat with
bowed head, grave and thoughtful. Be-
fore him stood his surgeon, respectful
but most earnest in manner. Beside
him on the narrow field bed sat Rolfe,
with face of gloom-three or four letters
end telegram in his gauntleted hand.
Already the wintry twilight was settling
down; the wind that had been moaning
through the fimsy shelter for the last
hour, was now whistling in gathering
wrath and Tapping every loose rag of
canvas about the crowded cantonment
Mules and horses at the picket lines
with one accord were turning tail to the
black northwest and paving the hard
and frozen ground in nervous disquiet.
The orderly who suddenly stepped with
in the tent was followed by few whirl-
ing flakes of snow, and the first match
he struck in the effort to light the
colonels field lamp was pulled out in
twinkling.
Give my compliments to Mr.. Brew
Oh IL 10, cfa hn
colonel after a moments silence, and
the orderly vanished.
In the camp of the Twelfth, where
Berrien was universally beloved, three
names had been on every lip since the
battalion's return-those of the gallant
major himself, of Lieutenant Brewster
and of Sergeant Ellis. Painfully shot
and stunned and bruised though he was,
Berrien's wits had never left him. He
was positive that the rush of war parties
toward the old road portended mischief,
and despite the lateness of the hour he
ordered the battalion to saddle at once
and march to the Porcupine. From the
abandoned lodge poles found along the
banks experienced hands had quickly
dashed together a comfortable litter.
Between these imprOvised shafts two of
the most sedate of the elderly pack
mules were harnessed fore and aft. A
bed of robes and blankets was hung
midway, and while ROlfe and Hazlett
pushed ahead, scouting every ridge and
ravine with their keen eyed skirmishers,
Gorham and Thorpe followed, escorting
their beloved chief.
Just as was anticipated, at nightfall
| the distant flash and report of rifles
proved that the hostiles were busily at
work in some deviltry or other and,
launching forward at the gallOp, Rolfe's
long line swooped down into the valley
in time to send the yelling circle Of
| mounted warriors whirling away into
| the ravines beyond the stream, and to
rescue little squad of scouts and troop
ers, mere handful, who had ventured
forth with dispatches for Berrien's COM
mand and were fighting for life behind
their slaughtered horses. Two were
| already sorely wounded and all would
doubtless have lost their scalps but for
| the veteran majors clear Judgment and
the sense of duty that triumphed over
| physical pain.
The Guild mans clear grit all
through" sand his invariable eulogists,
the troopers. But there would have
been no dear old man left to them, as
Ellis and Scott had borne testimony. had
| it not been for Brewster's daring charge
| into the midst of the red warriors. 1t
was his bullet that laid low the savage
brandisher of the knife just as he would
have gashed the brave old ajor's throat;
but white Wolf" had counted his last
coup and, stripped of his fnery, lay
stiffening on the prairie painted corpse,
awaiting funeral honors at the hands o:
his bowling comrades.
Every soldiers heart rejoiced that II
was Brewster who saved the majors
life, for Brewster, of all the subalterns,
was first favorite among the rank and
| file. And as for Ellis, though he was
too exclusive-''too much like as though
he wanted to be an officer"-tO be gener
ally popular among the men, he had al
ways commanded their respect, and his
, unexpected prowess on this occasion
won their genuine admiration. Wha
, nerve the fellow had, to be sure, to Ii,
there playing pOssum" just as though
he were stone dead and ripe for scalp
ing, and so tempt his assailants out from
the cover of the ravine. and then nevel