The Bessemer indicator., 1894-01-20

AT 4 o'clock In the afternoon. rs
we were marching up tho eastern
branch OF Tongue river. 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 q quarter OF IN
hour before he told his story. 1t was
the one SO often heard in those days
AN emigrant family-a dash by q
small band OF Indians-killing, scalp
ing and making captive. His two
children wero dead and his wife was
carried away on tho saddle OF q war
rior. He was wounded by arrows
and bullets. but as we wheeled
squarely to the right and rode for
Panther valley. he was with the cap
tain 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.
fol lowed it through the scrub and
over the ridge. and as we broke
cover there were the Indians coming
up. Ono OF tho foremost had the
woman behind him. There was the
valley. five miles wide and without
cover; a dozen Indians. fifty troopers.
With n wild cheer we dashed at
the II. Fast as we rode, the wound
cd and bcreaved citizen rode faster.
He had borrowed saber OF one OF
sho men, and as he rode into the bat
tie bare -headcd aud his face covered
with blood-stains and tho saber wav-
ing in he evening sun and catching
its rays, the Indians yelled out in
aifrigh. and wheeled and galloped
down tho valley.
One by ono wo overlook them.
Our horses were jaded, but theirs
oven worse. We gained on them an
inch at time. Here and there
bullet from a carbinc tumbled war
rior from his saddle, but in most
cases the saber did the work. Not
an Indian threw up hand in token
OF surrender. Loaded down with
plumber and fresh scalp at cach
belt tliey must have realized that no
quarter would be shown. They
hoard the trooper coming nearer. but
they did not even glance back. They
could hear the labored breathing OF
the horse with his nose at the pony's
iiank-they could feel his breath
they knew that stout hand clutched
sharp sabcr, but they rode with
their faces to the south and their
eyes on the ground. A foot or two
nearer and the saber whirlcd through
the ar and the trooper rose in hlo
stirrups to give the cut which cleft
tho skull as II it had been paper.
Three are down - five-seven-
ninc. OF these the aNenging hus-
band has killed three. His saber is
red with blood. and blood has run
down its blade and smeared his
hands afresh. lie u..ers no cheer
he has no battle cry. His horse is the
freshest of all. and he daa hes up
alongside warrior. seize3 his
weapon with both hands and whom
he strikes a corpse rolls to tho earth.
Ninc-ten--eleven. Only one left.
and that warrior carrying away the
captive! He has been safe from our
bullets for fear o: injury to the
NOihhh' AID nt pony Chu outStDseu
our horses. but not the animal which
our avenger rides 1t is rs . oe-
tween the two Slowly but surely
the avenscr gains. We cheer him
as we realize it-chcer him as we
follow in his footsteps.
He hau pulled his horse to the left
and ia ranging up alongside when
the unconscious form o. woman is
flung to the earth. Tho vindictive
Indian has first driven his knife to
her heart The body falls Amos t
under the feet of the horse coming
up, but the avenger docs 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 blow which separates the
head in halves clear down to tho
chin. or the twelve not one has
escaped AS we gather about tho
dead body OF the woman the avengcr
comes riLing back.
He knows what has happened. He
throws himself from his horse and
kneels beside the body. ana we draw
away to leave him alone with his
dead.
1t is wipo-out Of band OF iiends.
II any one were inclined 10 pity, there