The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-02-09

| 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
De killed." and she bent her head over
Connors' blue sleeve and sobbcd as if
her heart would break.
Don't cry, miss" said Connors.
KILLED? Why, he couldn't get killed
if he wanted to. POOH 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 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 omfortable
if | knew you were looking out for
him
I'm take care of him all right,
miss, said Connors. Don't you worry.
Why. in Il few days he'll be back here
same as to-day"
"Connors," said the little girl,
brokenly, 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 \ 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
sanguine. They knew that two of their
number had been killed when the led
horses were captured, and the bodies of
two more VERIFYING side by side in the
center of the group. while three were
wounded ana one of whom was slow
lv dying behind a protecting rock. The
rest were crouching or lying behind
the rocks and rubbish they had hur-
riedly heapcd up as a breastwork,
watching for stray shots at the duslly
figures that were occasionally seen
darling 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 hostilcs 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 hand-to-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
that shone in mans eve when he
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 rock from behind
which two Indians were trying to get a
shot, why the inspiration supposed to
accompany such scenes was wanting.
In ano Their part of the circle Connors
had been meditating plan for the last
hour, and as night approached it be-
| came determination. Near his posi-
ton, outside of the circle, was quite n
large number of powders piled toreth-
err, around which the sagebrush had
sprung up rather thicllly. 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
| do it easily. But he reflected that In
dams and policemen differed Still.
there was a bare chance. better. at
least than waiting to be butchercd.
and he determined to try it.
When the stars began to appear, and
the enemy commenced to fire more rap
| idly, he turned to the man next to him.
Look a-herc, JIM" he said: Pm"
There was crash of two or three
: shots from the Indians. and Jim rolled
over on his side, his arms and legs con-
tracted, then stitily extended, while his
face turned a CHASTITY white and Com
nors saw that he was stone-dead They
dragged the body into the center and
! laid it beside the others. Connors
| thought better of speaking to anyone
about the project, and in the slight
confusion occaSioned by moving the
man who had Just been killed, stepped
suddenly into the darkness, over the
low protection, among the sage bru sh
and rocks, and disappeared. The men
in the circle wondered at the sudden
firing and few yells among the enemy,
and as ConnorS absence was not no.
fipa1 in tho aNeitn,uant n fa;r, -. .. :