The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-10-27


officers were sent in pursuit, one party
going by rail to Pawnee, as has been
said, then taking horses and riding
over to the lower valley of the Ska;
the other followed the trail. On Sum
day evening members of both parties
met near Painted Lodge one coming
back from the command to report that
Schultz and Schramm were not there
and hadn't been there, the other riding
eastward hard as they could to catch
the malefactors whom they believed
still ahead off them. Between the two
the Germans had slipped out some
where and gone none could say whittier.
When Monday evening came there
was news indeed. Tintop, by a forced
march, had jumped between the Sioux
raiding parties and the agency whittier
the renegades were now returning,
ard there had been a battle to the
death. The fight had come off some
where among the breaks on the north
side Of the Ska Sunday Afternoon n nine
ty miles from the agency and hhh-
dred from the nearest railway station.
tirel,y, but neither agent. Interpreter,
mission priests nor soldier guards could
tell by what means they got the tt
dings,and no Indian or half breed would
tell. That they belieEsdl it authentic
was evident from the walls and lamen-
tations of certain bercaved Ssquaws
All the agent could telegraph was that
y
were heavy on both sides. Tuesday
morning dawned with no further par
ticulHrs worthy Of credence. But when
No. came in for breakfast at Butte,
Col. Rand, inspector general of the de-
partment, stepped bris'<ly off and in,
quired for dispatches at the office of
the hotel. Receiving several he was
shown at once to Maj. Graves room.
With the paymaster >at the moment
were the sheriff and a brace of report
ers. Mr.. Lacy was away on some
mysterious errand which was to result,
SO it was said, in the recovery of large
portion of the stolen funds. He
had been gone since Sunday night.
Rand thoughtfully read his kilograms
boys rap was answered by the sheriff,
who was seated nearest the door,
proceeding at which Graves redeemed;
it smacked of proprietorship, an indie
Unable air of authority and possession
on the part of the sheriff having be-
cone more and more noticeable to the
5paynaaster ever since their visit to Ran
SOM ItEalled him, yet was manifest
ed in. so Intangible a way he knew
not how to resent it. The fact of the
matter as, Graves didn't know how
to do anything when Lacy was away.
He had been in service only year, de-
spite his gray beard, and was the NOM
inee of a man to w1lo1e, neither execu-
tive nor senate could at fsaEd to say nay.
He simply leaned upon lazy, who for
his pas ..sswas unquestionabay one Of
the ablest and nnostaec onpi assist
ants government Official eo zpect
to have. ~ H
what do you want??' Il
iff, gruf1y. Nobody rang. ~
Don't want nawthin'," was
swer, as the boys eyes wandereds
the bulky form which was too famf1aa.
to be Of interest, and sought out the
party who had been 'sheld up"
'sThere's Teller here aakin' for
Graves" he proceeded-the use of a
handle toa mans name being regarded
in many far western communities at
that day as virtaal admission OF per-
sonal inferiority. The paymaster heard
his name and fastened to the door.
Rand, swinging coolly along the corri-
dor, reading his dispatches, glanced up,
gave no sign of recognition of the
sheriff, but held out his hand to Graves,
whose face lighted with relief and hope
at the sight of the staff officer.
''Come right in, colonel he ex-
claimed. "I'm mighty glad to see you.
I've been hoping you'd come. My Godl
did you ever hear of more perfect
plant? Come in; want to talk with
YOU
Had your breakfast" asked Rand,
briefly, and barely glancing at the
other occupants.
''Not vet. Haven't much appetite
to speak of, and these gentlemen came
up to see me the first thing. Let me
present -
well, come and take breakfast with
me, then. I'm hungry as a wolf, and l
can't talk until later interposed Rand.
''All right, colonel; I'll go with you
in a minute. AS was saying, the sher-
itf and these gentlemen again indi-
eating his friends.
Don't let me intrude now, Graves.
I'll order for two. Finish your bust
ness with your friends, and then join
me as soon as you can" And, before
the paymaster could present the sheriff
or introduce anybody else, Rand
whirled about and went striding slow
.ly. down the corridor, engrossed appar-
emily in another dispatch.
s.Give me the old room, if you can, :
said he at the office, s'and order break
fast for. two at once. Give Us a little
table by ourselves; I'll be back here in
ten minutes"
The colonel was not in sight when
Graves, still accompanied by the sher-
iH and correspondents came down to
the Office. Nor did he reappear in the
hall. Graves, nervous, anxious, and
fretful, kept glancing at the main en-
40 3 MI fina11u Tod his faithful at.