The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-02-11

at the height Of one of his best stories,
grumblingly arose and walked over to
the Spot where group of men had
gathered, bending forward to look at
something in the center of the crowd.
AS the surgeon approached he was sur.
prised to see an unmistakable Indian
pony standing perfectly blown near
the knot of men, its legs wide apart
and head down, while the steam rose
from its wet skin. Here's the doc
tor, said some one, and the surgeon
made his way into the center of the
group.
Conuors was on the ground, his head
and shoulders supported by one of the
men. He was trying to say something,
but could hardly whisper.
'The details up in Devils canyon
eight miles-east side, lnjuns all
around 'em-shootin' 'em like dogs
may be all dead now. For Gods sake
hurry!" whispered Connors, weakly,
and then tainted.
In the circle in the canyon u little
flicker of hope had arisen when Con-
nors was missed, and the shots and
yells of the enemy thus accounted
for: but the probabilities were so much
against any man being able to get
through alive that it was a very small
fame, indeed. The heap in the center
was larger, and the grim certainty that
that fatal rush would come and the
wish of all that it might come soon
were stronger every minute. 1t was
quite clear moonlight now. The shots
of the enemy came faster, and had
closed in perceptibly in the last hour.
The men fired slowly, and the order
was given for each man to use his last
two cartridges on no account till the
end. They could not see the Indians,
but fred at the flashes. The faces of
the men were set and rather pale; one,
with bloody shirt sleeve bound tight
ly around his head, looking particular
ly ghastly. The widest rumors were
entertained by the most hopeful, but
the determination of despair had set
tied on most. One poor wretch, NOR
tally wounded, lay near the center,
talking loudly in his delirium. He
thought he was back at the fort with
his chum, Tom Gordon, one of his
trumpeters.
Suddenly the shots came faster, and
the flashes drew quite close, especially
on the side where the defense was
lowest.
"They're coming in minute" said
some one.
In an instant there was a harsh, wild
yell of single voice from the savages,
and Immediately the cry was taken up
by the creatures hidden behind rock
and sage bush, till the whole canyon
seemed to be full of devils.
"Here'they come, boys" shouted the
sergeant. He was an older man than
most of them, and his stern white face
looked steady and cool as he raised his
carbine for those last two shots.
But there was a pause among the
savages. Most of the men thought it
was the stiffness that came before the
rush. In the lull in the firing the
voice of the wounded man could be
heard
'Harln' he said, in q hoarse whis.
per, and raised his hand warningly.
There's the bugle! It's Tommy. I'd
know that bugle anywhere" But they
thought he was raving, and he lapsed
again into his fever, thinking he was at
some great review.
But the lieutenant bent forward and
listened. keep quiet" he said Lis
ten!' And up the canyon, through the
heavy smoke of the rifles, came the
notes of bugle clear and distinct in
the sudden silence. 1t was the "gal.
lop."
1t was rather choking, feeble cheer
they gave, but it reached the regi-
ment.
"There they come!" yelled the SER
geant, eXcitedly. And they dimly saw
dark mass in perfect order come
around projecting crag of the canyon
and move swiftly and steadily up the
great gulch. A few shots met the ad.
vancing column. The Indians around
the circle were slipping away.
In a few moments the colonel stepped
over the low breastwork, went up to
the lieutenant, who was leaning dizzily
against rock, and took his hand. The
colonel did not say anything, for he
was not demonstrative man, and per-
haps he thought no words were needed.
But he stood silent for several min
utes, and the men came up and stood
about looking with half-smothered
curses and wild faces on the debris
strewn bit of ground, on the cartridge
shells, canteens, torn pieces of cloth
ing, and on the pathetic heap in the
center. Gordon, the trumpeter, had
one of the bodies in his arms, and
with his back to the moonlight, was
crying like boy.
Connors woke at last, with rather
luxurious sense of weakness, with a
dim recollection of some horrible
dream, but with feeling that it was
all over now, and that he was rather
happy ami contented than otherwise.
HIS head felt COOL and though when he
tried to raise his hands he found that
they were SO heavy he could not lift
them six inches, the discovery some
how did not cause him much anxiety,
but rather amused him.
He must have slept again, for the
next thing lie remembered was seeing
a familiar little face above him, framed
in the long tresses of brown hair that
hung forward as she bent over him.
"Connors," she said, little quaver-
ingly, as she softly strol1ed one of his
thin hands, and the touch was wonder
fully soothing TO the invalid. "Con-
nors, I'm so glad you're better In a
few weeks we'll be going out to look at