Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-11-27
IN PANTHER VALLEY.
A Revenge That Was Bought with . rsi
rible Price.

A Revenge That Was Bought with q Ter
rible Price.
At g O'Clock in the afternoon, as we were
marching up the eastern branch of Tongue
river, a man in citizens dress came riding
furiously from the east. For five minutes
after he reached us he could not answer an
inquiry. Then he wept and raved by turns,
and it was quarter of an hour before he
told his story. 1t was the one so often heard
In those days-an emigrant family-a dash
by a small band of Misunderstanding, scalp
ing and making captive. His two children
were dead, and his wife was carried away
ON the saddle before warrior. He was
wounded by arrows and bullets, but as we
wheeled squarely to the right and rode for
Panther valley he was with the captain at
the head of the troop.
We were riding to intercept the Indians
at White creek. For two hours every horse
was kept at full speed. Then we struck the
creek, followed it through the scrub and
over the ridge, and as we broke cover there
were the Indians coming up. One of the
foremost had the woman before him. There
was the valley-fve miles wide and with
out cover-a dozen Indians-J0 troopers.
With a wild cheer we dashed at them. As
fast as we rode, the wounded and bereaved
citizen rode faster. He had borrowed a sa-
Der of one of the men, and as he rode into
battle bareheaded and his face covered with
bloodstains and the Saber waving in the
evening sun and catching its rays, the In
dams yelled out in alright and wheeled
and Galloped down the valley.
One by one we overlook them. Our
horses were jaded, but theirs even worse.
We gained on them an inch at a time.
Here and there bullet from n carbine
tumbled n warrior from the saddle, but in
most cases the saber did the work. Not an
Indian threw up a hand in token of surren-
der. Loaded down with plumber and a
fresh scalp at each belt, they must have
realized that no quarter would he shown
They heard the trooper coming nearer and
nearer, but they did not even glance back
They could hear the labored breathing of
the horse with his nose ut the pony flank
they could feel his breath-they knew that a
stout hand clutched sharp saber, but
they rode with their faces to the south and
their eyes on the ground. A foot or two
nearer, and the saber whirled through the
air, and the trooper rose in his stirrups to
give the cut which cleft the skull as if it
had been paper.
Three are acknowledgements OF
these the avenging husband has killed
three His saber is red with blood, and
blood has run down its blade and smeared
his hands afresh. He utters no cheer-he
has no battlecry. His horse is the freshest
of all, and he dashes up alongside a warrior,
seizcs his weapon with both hands, and
when he strikes Il corpse rolls to the earth.
Nine-ten-eleven! Only one left, and that
warrior carrying away the captive! He has
been safe from our bullets for fear of in
Jury to the woman. His war pony can out
speed our horses, but not the animal which
the avenger rides. 1t is n race between the
two. Slowly but surely the avenGer gains.
wa ait-Cba.af- ne
we follow in his footsteps. He has pulled
his horse to the left and is ranging up
alongside when the unconscious form of the
woman is flung to the earth. The vindic-
tive Indian has first driven his knife to her
heart. The body falls almost under the
feet of the horse coming up, but the avengcr
does not draw rein. With eyes blazing and
teeth hard shut he rides straight on. Now
his bloody fingers clutch the bloody hilt of
the saber; now the weapon is raised on
high; now he leans forward, presses hard
against his stirrups and strikes n blow
which separates the head in halves clear
down to the chin. OF the IL not one has es-
capped. As we gather about the dead body
of the woman the avenger comes riding
back He knows what has happened. He
throws himself from his horse and kneels
beside the body, and we draw away to leave
him alone with his dead.
1t Is Wlpeout OF IA banu OF uenuS- II any
one were inclined to pity, there are seven
fresh scalps attached to the belts of the
dead as proof that such devils deserve no
pity. They have slaughtered old and young
men, women and children. We shall
leave their bodies to the wolves crawling
out of their lairs on the bush lined ridge
separating the valleys, and to the vultures
gathering in the evening sky above Us.
We return to the avenger and his dead
He must have his wounds dressed, and he
will point out the spot where we shall bury
the dead. We halt 100 feet away, and
the captain advances and dismounts The
man is still kneeling beside the body, his
head pillowed upon it. The officer lays a
gentle hand on his shoulder and utters
words of sympathy. There is no move
ment-no response. The avenger is dead
beside his dead! NJ QUAD.