The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-02-23

gers for many months. y long period of
quiet had succeeded the last Indian out
break, and the troop of United Stntes cav
airy stationed Mt this little post had found
1t hard work killing time with the dull
routine of L-rrison duty.
Ono morning in May, however, n scout
from the plains came in reporting that a
band of mnrauding Indians had attacked
and burned n little settlement 10 miles
south of the fort tho night before and
butchercd the Inhabitants They had
found lot of whisky ut the settlement,
SO tho scout said, and after wild carous-
al had gone off to tho south about day
break. They numbered 25 or 80, he
thought.
Captain Dahlgren, the commandment of
the fort, made immediate preparations for
pursuit. The officers were MI in the cap.
tain quarters Mt the time, and turning
to the senior lieutenant he said:
Davis, take detachment of 25 men
and start ms soon as you can get them into
saddle. BY sharp riding You can overtake
the red fiends before they reach the rocks.
After that you may he guided by circrm-
stances | will only say that | don't ask
you to take any prisoners-you under
stand"
"All right, sir" replied the lieutenant,
"within half IN hour I'll he after them. ="
AS he snluted his superior officer and
turned To leave the Iuarters, u manly look
ing young fellow OF about IL, who had
been standing near Captain Dahlgren,
stepped forward and said:
Cone moment, Mr.. Davis, please
want to go with you. Father he contin-
ued, turning To the captain, "you prom
lscd that should 30 on the next trail
couldn't have Il better chance than this
MIR. Davis knows me and will vouch for
my good behavior. Don't refuse me, fn-
ther-you know how anxious am to go,''
AS he stood looking eagerly at his IA
thcr he was rs handsome IA picture Of
young manhood MS you would care to see
His eyes, even while they implored the
captain for his consent, flashed with the
spirit of the soldier, his form was proudly
erect. and for the moment the boy seemed
transformed into man. He came from n
race of soldiers on both sides of his house,
and he looked forward to the glory Of
war, the clash aud danger Of battle with
an enthusiasm that would not be control-
ed
THE spirits in him. captain, and he
gets 1T fairly" said Lieutenant Davis.
Let him go with me-he'l bear himself
brnvely."
Every well, Ralph you may co." said
Captain Dahlgrcn Mt last, looking Mt his
pride. "Do Your duty, but be prudent"
Thirty minutes later % we'll mounted
troopers, under the command of I4ieuten-
ant Davis, left Fort Blake ut trot On
one side of the officer rode the scout that
had brought the news of the massacre,
and OH the other young Ralph Dahlgren,
who was that day to receive his "buptism
OF fire
The boy had shared his fathers frontier
army life for more than IL year-ever since
his mother died-and though he had not
been without adventures and had faced
danger in various forms he had never yet
been in battle. His father had encouraged
his military tastes and provided him with
an outfit of which Ralph was naturally
very proud. lie had Il handsome mustang
pony called Fireny, as black as n raven
and rs fleet ms an antelope, which he had
trained to obey every motion of his hand
and every pressure Of his knee.
His horscmanship was superb, even in
that region where superb horsemanship
was the rule, and where not to ride well
was mark of infcriorty. His arms con
sisted of small brecchoading rifle, made
to order for him, two silver mounted re-
volvers in the holsters of his Mcclellan
saddle and Il long hunting knife, which
hung from his belt. His clothing was
made of buckskin, after fancy of his
own-half military, half scout--and it set
off his muscular young figure admirably
AS the detachment left the fort and
struck out over the plain, the pace was
quickened from n trot to II canter, for Lieu
tenant Davis purposcd to run down the
enemy before they had time to rench the
rocks some miles to the south, where they
would be able to conceal themselves and
defy any attack that his force might make
Every man in the troop was eager for
the fight, and none more so than Ralph.
Very little was said as the party rode
on. Lieutenant Davis asked the scout
question occasionally, and now and then
spoke word Of advice to Ralph. whose
fiery, impetuous spirit he feared would
carry him into the hottest part OF the bat
tie.
About noon they halted near little
clump of trees for brief rest, for the lieu
tenant wanted both men and horses to be
fresh to meet the enemy, who could not
now be far away. Twenty minutes later
they were off again Mt a sharp pace.
At the end of an hours ride they were
approaching n rise in the plain, beyond
the summit of which they could not see
Suddenly the lieutenant called out "Haltr
at the same time raising his right hand
above his bead-a signal of caution that
his men understood. The tramping of
the horses hoofs and the clanking of sa-
bers Immediately ceased, and the troops
rested quietly III their places. The lieu
tenant dismounted, and bidding the scout
do the same and follow him he went for
ward to reconnoiter. His quick and prac-
ticed eye had detected wreath of smoke
family outlined against the sky as it curl
ed above the crest of the hill 1t told him
that the Indians We're near and that they
either did not expect pursuit or were reck-