The sun., 1893-07-09
Taking the Odds.

We had Just mounted our horses after BIT
OF breakfast when the indians appeared on
ridge IL miles away. They had Picked vi
our trail at daylight and followed It at ful
gallon. We we're on the broad plains. with the
nearest post 80 miles away.
"How many. Texas?" asked tho Lieute nc 4,
OF the scout.
"A million mebbe but 200 for surel" wat
the growing reply.
Every man shaded his eyes with his hand
from the morning sun and took o long look.
Two hundred warriors to fifteen troopers is
big odds. but there was no exoftement-no
confusion. The foremost Indians we're
within a mile Of us and their yells plainly
reached our ears when tho officer uttered
his command. and we moved Off at a steady
could not even hope to hold our ' own. for we
ness, The Lieutenant and tho scout, riding
side by side at the head OF the little column,
o Pase sss ssS tS make stsnS o
or days Of the most iiendish torture q merci-
less savage can invent and intict, but not a
SSes rSeT sa sass the
animal are .lsii nat to his head. and but tfF ior
the hand on the bride each would bolt away at
the top OF his speed and exhaust himself at the
w ascend and descend swell after swell.
SRS q turned asn BY
Wse, knSS i from the note oi triumph IN their
@ Ths sSs lack and Msch hs
casts rapid glance % over SSs S esrty part sGHH and his his
ansSssz The ss SS hss S' h
pace PAGE, cannot nm last e !, much m longer.
no pst hSer fTS
the % piass S i, foI stand The Haeo e increased
up the hillside It is a last effort. Four or dss
mile. The top Of the hilI is a ar plateau % about
y wh ashH ths ossr from
me nto e1ee and iead and push them
popl Gallant old troop horses eSory ~ one; one. rbSp but
they must brbs be tsaorced The dead horses
Below Ss a tn
%U1Pack the spare. ,ammunition and then
ls1 Pas tISst sSs e TGRf Rf lndan Hold
are not up In time to mako a rush. They part
WARS %s the h sPs
looked for from the distant post. and L matters
nGs Srsatsas s aee s{ 81 s The he'll a9 @
make ready for charge The base Of the hill hiii
covers about two acres Of ground. Warriors
136 The lieutenant counts them and gives
Us vs. the % number The odds M are nine to ono but
decent %oathfal a,s fur You to SSsw ~Sn on
and we have the n speneera Every
man works himself down where he can secure
pI1tsect9}n n} and md, deadly aim. and Of sudden.
dashes Tor the, crest No orders are sivenD o
none needed. No man fred over fiye shots.
to be seem We rose up and cheered, and our |
cheers were answered By howls and lamenta-
Told you 30" .rrowled the scout. There's |
over thirty varmints who won't banker arter |
bo BY ali TSs ns
mad. and when an 1njun's mad he haIn't got |
We were as ready as we could be when the
entire band made grand rush; Tho din was
terrific. but every gun had a dead rest. and
impetus Of the rush carried some OF the war
rtors up, to tho breastwork.. but only to die
II, lbs naSsr Ss o sa
doubled. and wounded mon were limping and
eYYssf YoafSo a,fsst,Po Sfoeon their
an shot ne dboDPed warrior
And so they did. Deieat brought panic. and
every warrior who could ride Ralloped away
The Comanehcs had murdered his faith her. and
shout deia nco ii him. followed BY % the rsp"Tts ets
of his revolver BY and by all Of us climbed
sf ssad dea rSrre the Mta5s
When the paniG- stricken survivors reach their
'VWEs ssE Is wiz HID be Essshte 2stsd Horse-ranv
Day WHO'RE are our husbands and sons and
And Gray Feather will answer for all:
THE buzZarl and wolf are feastInG on them
ths fo9t Saod of MI piles away We followed
emp on . hill We fought them. I but na instead
isM MAN non9 anI Iers as G nd
5 no longer a warrior. but a dog solder" sol dl"'n'"e
Gould Have Learned ir He Had Wanted to.
The cabin stood at least mile back from
he Mississippi River at Plaquemnes. below
'aton Rouge and we all went to bed carly. 1t
ldn't seem more than an hour to mo when
lie owner OF tho place put his head into the
DOM and called out:
Stranger, do yo' want to know whar 20 are
No. Tn not partleular," I replied. only half
wa wase and wondgring what sort OF joke he
About n midoisht In sihs'fs Il: en ealIeG IeG again:
o. hav aGS St tG about ya 20 are at
hsd aono non % md told "R2a' HIM so so 1should have
sked Tor IN explanaion. but was o'G too sle"pS "
, rouse IN. Somewhere. between 2 aud 3
9 poppead his head in for tho third time and
Jar @ at HDso wS@f to Know aS% tell 20
! nlint wake up enough to talk back. and
c oIdn disturb me again until nftor day |
cht This time he shook me By tho shoulder !
Stranger. do yo' know wbar yo' arc at ?" !.
m at PlaIuemincs. OF course!" / replied.
= !. reused ui. This Is tho fourth time you've
los, fourth time: and reckon you'd better I
,n@ 2, ogt on N. roof with the rest OF us" t
- Rooif RoofY Has any hing happened" I
" sunthin. has happened. The house and (
IiSrybofy i, in 4 has been saiin' down tho, ole /
Z. mlGht want to know whar yo' was at" g
OF course do" | yelled as jumped into n
mer two foot deep on the floor. I
. Manl. we're Jest pnssin tho lower land OF j
% Dc l9tlen's nlantashnn, RnI 9y the way we've o
,me It : mattcr Of lorty-eight mi lies bnck to a
har yo' turned In last night. No reason to I,
i eG eNSt@a: hc stranGor Moro risht in the chan
oman, and children how got - good grip on n
70 - rooi, ana are THyther, njoyin' tho scenery, s
7. and didn't know but yo felt tho same way !,
ID I'D lay 1t up aG'ln' me II didn't tell yo.m Y