The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-19
In Panther Valley.

At O'Clock in the afternoon. as We were
marching up the eastern branch of Tongue
river. man in citizens dress came riding
furiously from the cast. For five minutes
after he reached us he could not answer an
inquiry. Then he wept and raved by turns.
and it was a quarter of an hour before he told
his story. 1t was the ono 80 often heard in
those days-an emigrant family-a dash by
small band of IndiunskilliuG. scalping. 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 rs we wheeled sluarely to the
right and rodo 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 tho scrub and over the
ridge. and rs We broke cover there were the
Indians coming UP. one OF the foremost had
the woman before him. There was the valley
five miles wide and without cover-a dozen
Indians-ntty troopers. With wild choer we
dashed ut them. AS fast as we rode. the
wounded and bereaved citizen rode faster. He
had borrowed sabre Of one Of the men. and
as he rode into battle bareheaded and his face
covered with blood stains and the sabre wav-
ing in the evening sun and catching its rays
the Indians yelled out in alright and wheeled
and Calloped down the valley.
One by one we overlook them. Our horses were
faded. but theirs were even worse. We gained
on Thorn an inch at a time. Here and there a
bullet from carbne tumbled q warrior from
q saddle. but in most cases the sabre did the
work. Not an Indian threw up hand in
oxen OF surrender. Loaded down with plum
der and fresh scalp at each belt. they must
have realized that no quarter would be shown.
They heard the trooper coming nearer and
nearer. but they did not even glance back.
They could hear the abored breathing Of tho
horse with his nose at the pony's tiank-they
could feel his breath-they knew that stout
hand cutched n sharp sabre. but they rode
with their faces to tho south and their eyes on
the ground. A foot or two nearer and the sa-
bre whired through the air and the trooper
rose in his stirrups 10 give tho cut which cleft
the skull as il it had been paper.
Three are down-nve-s or these
tho avcnGing husband has killed three. His
sabre is red with blood and blood has run
down its blade and smeared mis- hands afresh.
He utters no cheer-he has no battle cry. His
horse is the freshest Of all. and he dashes up
alongside a warrior. seizes his weapon with
both hands. and when he strikes u corpse rolls
to tho earth.
Nlne-ten-el eleven! Only one left, and that
warrior carrying away the captive! He has
been safe from our bullets for fear of injury
to the woman. His war pony can outspeed
our horses but not the animal which tho
avenger rides. II is a race between the two
Slowly but surely the avenger gains. We
cheer him as we realize it-cheer him as
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 vindictivo
Indian has first driven his knife to her heart
The body falls almost under tho feet OF tho
horse coming up. but the avenger 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 sabre: now
the weapon is raised on high: now he leans
forward. presses hard against his stirrups' and
strikes a blow which separates the head In
halves clear down to the chin, or tho twelve
not one has escaped. AS we gather about the
dead body Of the woman the avenger comes
lie throws h himself from his horse amt kneels
beside the hody. and we draw away to leave
him alone, with his dead.
II IL pe-out OF band OF hondS II any
one were inclined to pity here are seven fresh
scalps attached to the belts Of the dead as
proof that such devils deserve no pity They
and children. We shall leave their bodies to
the wolves crawling out OF the ir LARS on the
bush-linei ridge separating the valleys, and
t. the yultures gathering in the evening SKY
We return to the avenGer and his dead. He
must have his wounds dressed. and he Will
asad W We halt 10 feet away and the ca ptsIs
advances and dismounts. The man 10 still!
Enseling beside the body. his head pillowed
sEpSaar ana ma wod.
dead bsgde bis dead