The Bossier banner., 1893-10-12
BLOTTED OUT.
How Many of the Western Plainsmen
Passed Away.

| Passed Away.
AS the sun lifts its fiery face above
| the plains and the light fog suddenly
disappears there is chorus of yells
from the Indians. On ridge, right in
the eye of the sun, with his back to
the east and his gray eye carefully
scanning the country to the west, is
the old scout Thirty painted devils
were on his trail when the sun went
down last evening. There are still
thirty as the sun climbs above the sur
face of the plains. During the night
his trail has zig-zagged like that of
serpent. He went far to the north.
He doubled back for two or three miles
and bent to the south. After midnight
he muffied the feet of his mule that
they might leave no trace. In the
saddle-on foot-pushing ahead-halt-
ing-he brought all his craft to bear to
throw them off the trail.
Like the wolves which skulk in the
timber of the foothills afar to the west
like the bloodhounds let loose when
convict escapes from southern camp
like devils set free from hell to search
for prey, they have kept his trail and
now have him in sight. He is an old
man-old and gray and bronzed. His
has been a life of peril and adventure.
Strip off the buckskin and you will
find the scars of bullets, arrows, knives
and tomahawks. Not the slightest
shadow of fear rests on his face as he
surveys the band scarcely rif1e-shot
away. He had hoped to outwit them.
He had failed, but he does not even be-
tray surprise or disappointment. No
use to look to the north or the south or
behind him. No help can come to him.
A dozen scouts would charge and scat
ter the band; five or six would make a
running fight of it; one single man
what chance has he?
waugh. Looks like they had me!
Reckon it might as well be here as ten
miles further on, and it might as well
be to-day as next week. Lay down,
old boy! This looks like the last jour
ney we shall ever make in company?'
He swung himself out of the saddle
and the mule lay down. After the
first outburst the Indians were silent.
1t was a tableau that brave man
could admire. The scout was doing
Just what they expected of a brave
man. He could not hope to escape, but
he could hope to die game.
Suddenly, at a signal from the right
of the line, each warrior wheeled his
horse to the left and began riding in a
circle. Not shout was uttered. In
five minutes the scout was enclosed
- a. 4ha o.fh h h
barrel of his rifle resting over the back
of his mule, and he calmly waited fol
the circle to narrow.
Thar she comes!" muttered the
scout as three or four bullets came
singing over his head. ''Out of the
thirty I ought to get three or four
Here goes fur the first!'
At the crack of hts rife q warrior
lurched in his saddle, swayed abou
for moment, and then pitched heavily
to the ground. His one shot was re
piled to by a score, and bullets cut the
grass all about him.
Three or four of us could do it y
sighed the scout, as he made ready t.
fire again, but with only one it
bound to be wiped out. Thar goes No
., and he must hev bin a good one from
the way they yell Waugh! but they'v'
hit mel Keep quiet, Reuben! View
both got it, but we want another deat
Iniun out thar afore we go under. w
might as well hev a chief as warrior
Soho! Give me ten seconds. That
it-count him with the other two! Hi
again, old boy? Som II Thirty to one
and no kivers is too big odds. Shall w
try fur No. 4? I'll take that feller o.
the spotted cayuse. Can't do it, Reu
ben-can't git the gun to my face
What's the matter with the varmint
out thar? They war in plain sight
minute ago, but now l can't SEQ 'en
Gone? Keep quiet till you hear ou
fellers yell-till git another shot-til
; the darkness thins out and | kin Sc
whar' we arp
Long before noon the buzzards wer
feasting. Before the night had passe
the wolves had left no traces of tn
: tragedy except here and there gil:
tening bone, to be hidden by the gras
after the first shower.
'sWhat becu1n of ole Bill?" som
, scout will repeat at fort or camp c
, evening campfire. ''Wall, he sot ou
frum Camp Henderson fur Fort Wa
lace one night and never showed u
agin. Reckon the reds got him, bu
nobody'll ever know till the Lord cal
us together at the Judgment day
Detroit Free Press.