The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-12-10

~ ssssse - osSS1o<As Ux<ssy !
They would not let such IN oPportYfy
psss. They can mus.er t,dr to one, 4yep
if ~. counted IN To- tsansssrs. COZ
Blank, at the new pat to which 10 we're
bound; had wripen to Capt. White, who
was to comms6d the train:
my wie is to come out with you.
Sec that 1y previous jnstructions are car
ried orr She knows what they are"
AID we had mot marched an hour
when Capt. White sent for me and said:
.cagpoFal, Jon win oct = special
guar. ) o. thisd Wagon"
"vef3
1.-THE colonel's wife Is in that wagon,
,roaably know"
sNn case the Indians are too strong for
us, they must not find her alive. That's
ALL"
I rode back to the third wagon and
placed my horse at the nigh forewheel,
and lifted my cap to the lady, who had
been provided with comfortable seat by
herself. She was little bit of woman,
not over rs years old, and married to the
colonel only two years before. She looked
at me out of her big blue eyes and
smiled, but she could not steady her
voice as she leaned forward and inquired
"Corporal, do you think we shall he
attacked2"
"Quite likely, ma'am, but We may
squeeze through"
"And if attacked, and you can't beat
the Indians of, YOU
"Yes; very WE'LL"
We both understood. l had been es-
pecially detailed to kill her if saw that
we were to be wiped out! The thought
of it made me dizzy as I rode along.
Now and then glanced up at her to find
her face white and her eyes anxiously
searching the horizon. had my orders,
and was there to obey them, but could I
do it2 If was the last living man of
that train, could raise my carbine and
become her murderer
At o'clock on the afternoon of the
second day out we saw dozen mounted
Indians on a ridge to the right, and closed
up the train. To the left were success
sion of ridges and if there was any force
of hostiles about they were hidden be-
hind them. The coloncl's wife was the
first to discover the Indians at the right
She was looking at me as l glanced up.
1--WE shall be attacked2" she quer;ed.
"Within ten minutes. ma'am."
"Well. you-you-"
"Yes'm, but hope We shall beat them
Off"
The redskins in the right now began
to ride to and fro and whoop and yell
and seek to draw our attention and force
the train to halt. Orders had been given
the day before to keep moving in case of
attack. In closing up the wagons had
doubled the line, moving two abreast.
The borsemen fell into their places at
once-twenty on side, five in front and
five in rear. Some of the teamsters had
carbines, while all had revolvers. Half a
mile beyond where we had seen the 6rst
Indian the attack was made, and it was a
bold one. AS we came opposite valley
running back into the ridges hundred
or more mounted Indians came charging
down on us. The valley was just about
as wide as the train was long, and there
fore the twenty of US on that side had a
chance at the reds as they came on in q
mob, shooting, shouting and seemingly
determined to ride over US.
"Corporal!"
It was the voice Of the colonel's wife,
just as we were preparing to fire.
"Yes'm, l remember" I replied, as l
lowered my carbine to look up at her.
We poured the fire of our carbines into
the charging mass and checked its rush.
The Indians then passed to the front and
rear, so as to assail US on all sides.
There were fully 300 of them, and had
the train halted but for minute they
would have had US wiped out. A part
of them had been ordered to fire only
at the mules attached to the wagons. A
they were kept moving only three or four
were struck and none disabled.
'CorporalI'
There was fighting in front and rear
and both sides, and the bullets were fly.
ing about us in spiteful way. Five had
passed through-the covering of the Wagon
beside me.
Corporal, are you going Toto"
"Not yet; we are holding our own!''
replied, az turned to open FIRE again.
We were gradually getting out of thu
trap. Farther on the ground was oper
and to Our advantage. The Indian alwayl
does his bes> fighting 1t the start. Herr
and there we had man wounded, bu
there was no tonfusion-no hating
Whenever they eathxed as if to charg'
we opened fire on the slot and scattered
them. Our fire was rapid and we'll sus
tanned, and at the end of . 4sarter of Al
hour We had them beaten Wewere Jus
drawing clear of the ridge when a bulle
struck the third wagon teamster in tn
shoulder, and he fell forward on his sad