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

tidingly on his coat sleeve, and, as she
looked up 1T him, Connars saw that
her eyes were brimming over with
tears, and a frightened little quaver
sounded in her voice as she said:
"Connors, they're-they're going OFF
to fight the Indians. Papa will have
to leave me, won't he? and he may be
killed. OH Connors, do you think he'll
be killed." and she bent her head over
Connors blue sleeve and sobbed as If
her heart would break.
Connors felt strangely. He had
never tried to comfort anyone before,
and did not know how to begin. Ile
looked back toward the buildings of
the fort and saw that his meditations
had led him to forget his surround
ings; for near headquarters stood two
horses covered with foam, the steam
rising from them in the cool air, and
on one of them sat lean, sinewy
man dressed in buclkskins. his hat
pushed far back on his head, wiping
his forehead with the sleeve of his
shirt as he talked to some of the
men standing around him. Unusual
activity was noticeable everywhere.
Men were hurrying in and out of the
barracks, and a belated officer was
running toward headquarters.
Don't cry, miss" said Connors.
"Killed? Why, he couldn't get killed
if he wanted to. PoohI' he contin-
ued, grandly, 'Injuns is all towards
they'd run if you waved your hand at
EN-" He knew that, not to put too
fine a point upon it, he was lying
outright but he told himself that he
was used to it and ought not to mind
it now.
do you think, Connors, you could
take care of him some and not let him
get shot?' said the little girl.
why, certainly, miss" answered
Connors, promptly.
You see, I'd feel more comfortable
if l knew you were looking out for
him"
"I'll take care of him all right,
miss, said Connors. Don't you worry.
Why, in few days he'll be back here
same as to-day"
"Connors," said the little girl,
brolienly, in a rush of childish graft
tude, 'you're-you're so good"
me good, "groaned Connors, inward
ly, as they turned back toward the fort.
Four days afterward all that was left
of a detachment of twenty officers and
men from X Troop, Tenth United
States cavalry, were grouped in an ir-
regular circle on a small hillcck in
Devils Creek canyon, outstanding their
remaining cartridges, and sometimes
wondering whether they would ever
see the familiar buildings of the fort
again-a hypothesis that seemed ex-
tremely improbable even to the most
They knew that two of their
number had been killed when the led
horses were captured, and the bodies of
two more werelying side by side in the
center of the group, while three were
wounded and one of whom was slow
ly dying behind protecting rock. The
rest were crouching or lying behind
the rocks and rubbish they had hur-
riedly heaped up as a breastwork,
watching for stray shots at the dusky
figures that were occasionally seen
darting from rock to rock or leaping up
suddenly to fire into the little circle.
They knew that there had been some
mistake in the information they had
received. No one had imagined that
there were such numbers of hostiles so
near them. They had been entrapped
cut off from the horses and surrounded
before they fairly knew what had hap
pened. The regiment was doubtless
expecting their return, but could have
had no news of their danger or of the
proximity of the Indians unless the
redskins had been bold and numerous
enough to attack the whole force sent
against them. The small supply of
water was going fast and the number
of cartridges was becoming smaller
and smaller. They knew very well
what TO expect; in few hours there
would be the yell, the rush of the hos
tiles, the handto-hand fight, and all
there would be left would be the heap
of bodies on and about those forms al
ready in the center But the discipline
of the regular service was strong even
in this crisis, and the love of fighting
for its own sake, that makes good SOL
diers was still apparent in the CLEAN
Ildb SllOlC III IL man . eye Wlltn lie
saw through the smoke of his carbine
one of those dark figures throw up its
arms and fall back. Most of the men
felt in some way that there was some
thing heroic in this position; they
understood that they would die as true
soldiers should fighting to the last.
But the lieutenant wondered, as he
steadily watched q rock from behind
which two Indians were trying to get a
shot, why the inspiration supposed to
accompany such scenes was wanting.
The whole affair seemed brutal to him.
Perhaps it was because he could not
help thinking of a little girl back at
the fort and that she would never see
him again. And in this hour of their
extremity they took grim comfort in
thinking that when the regiment heard
of'this there would be mourning in the
Sioux wigwams. Surely, surely, the
old regiment would avenge them ten
fold.
In another part of the circle Connors
had been meditating plan for the last
hour, and as night approached it be-
came a determination. Near his posi-
tion, outside of the circle, was quite
large number of bowlders piled togeth-
er, around which the sagebr had
sprung up rather thicl1ly. On this side
the Indians were fewer, and he thought
that perhaps it might be possible for
man to get through them in the dark.
If the scene had been changed to the
slums of Chicago, and the Indians to
policemen, he felt quite sure he could