Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-27
THE LAST OF THE ESCORT.
How Sergeant Williams Rode From Deat
 4A Ca

1 | to Life.
 While you take good look at the man | sitting in the sunshine on the hospital ve- l randa will tell you the story. It is not l a long one, but there's much in it to make l your nerves jingle and to give you a sore | spot in your heart.
 Sergeant Williams by name-second ser | geant of "B' company Wounded in six | places by bullets, but is rapidly recovering | and will be back on duty in a month more | His company was stationed at sword on Lame Mans creek one day during the last Indian outbreak At 3 o'clock in the afternoon up comes an escort with an off cer's wife, who must be passed along to the fort. Sergeant Williams was detailed for the duty and took nine troopers with him. It was a ride of 80 miles, and the country swarning with hostiles. Every one of the squad before reporting for duty shook hands with his comrades and said goodby. The woman knew the risk, but it was almost as bad to stop with the com pany, which might be attacked at any mo ment.
 "Push on at a fair pace until attacked, then ride for your lives If pushed too close, dismount and stand 'em off and send me word. If all go down but you, kill the lady and die fightingr'
 Those wero the orders to the sergeant, and he saluted and rode away at the head of his squad. For an hour tho fresh and eager horses were held in hand, and the way was clear. Then from the grove they had left, half a mile to the right as they forded Cow creek, there dashed whooping shouting band of painted warriors-150 to TO-
 'Then ride for your lives!" repeated the sergeant as he recalled his orders. He looked over his shoulder and nodded to the men, turned to the woman and saluted, as if she were an officer, and a free rein was
 zen the horses. For five miles the pace
 ,:s terrific, but the cavalry horses held t-.eir own. Then some of them began to lose ground. The war pony of the Indian is like the wolf of the plains-he never tires Foot by foot they began creeping up, but not n trooper turned his head. The sergeant knew the position of every man, and his ears detected the gallop of each horse in the troop.
 "That's White gone!'' he whispered as three or four rifle reports reached his ears and he suddenly missed the. hoof beats of one of the horses. '1f pus2cd too close, dismount and stand 'cm off and send me word!''
 They were being pushed, but to halt and dismount on that level plain meant wipe  sooner to discover the spot he was seeking. He glanced at the. woman's face and as his eyes turned away grim smile came to his mouth. She was pale, and her teeth were hard shut, but she was firm in her saddle and had her horse in hand. He did not look back to sec how the rear WIS com ing on-.to sec whether the Indians were gaining or losing. He looked straight ahead and thought of the human skeletons he had many time seen half hidden in the grass.
 ''That's Barncs!" whispered the ser gcant as the rrp&rts of !rr;ums came again and he mi scl the hOof beats of another horse "DismQunt and stand 'cm off! Must reach the broken ground first They'd be right on top of us here before we struck the grass.
 The woman knew, too, that d couple o men had dropped out-slIot off their horses as they brought tip the rear. she looked at the sergeant in a questioning way, but ht shook his head and saluted. During the next mile the cavalry horses gained a lit tic, but on the second mile they lost ground.
 "Scott is out, and Henderson is out poor fellows" sighed the sergeant as an other vollcy was fired. Ut will take hal an hour of hard riding yet, and don't be lieve we can fetch it. There's Thompson's horse running wild-poor Joe Thompson!
 Whew! but how bit of lead In the shoulder docs sting and burn! If the wo- man is hit, that ends it, but as long as she is unhurt we must push on. Hello! A rake across the hip that time! They've got win chesters, and that's good shooting for men on the run. One-two-thrce-fou No Let mo look''
 He wheeled in his saddle for the first time since the race begun. Close behind him came two troopers, bodies bent for ward and eyes on the ground, but there were no more Hardly moro than pistol shot away were 20 warriors, and as they noticed his action they set up yell and fired again.
 Hit again!' muttCred the sergeant as he cringed in his saddle, "but the woman is all right. Hastings and Green are be hind me. No! That last volley did fol Hastings! An, Green-that' s right-range up alongside! Not much chance for us, but we'll keep going. Hello, aiN you hard hit? Don't give up, man! Clutch tho horn of your saddle and let your horse guide himself. An, Poor Green, and his horse is down tool
 The woman had looked straight ahead, shutting her teeth little harder as the fate of each man came to her knowledge. Now she knew that only one man of the escort Was left. She was a few feet in ad vance She checked her horse for the scr gcant to come up and then turned to look into his eyes.
 ''Not yet!'' he muttercd as he shook his head. "If all go down but you, kill the woman and then die fighting! Well, all are down, but I'll wait. Hc-oh. but I've | got another pill and that bridlc ;.'m is of | no more usc A little moro to the left. | That's it. Now tho ground is beginning to open bit, and in 10 minutes we'll | change the game, Don't get womanish, old boy Thcre-thc dizziness is gone, and you are all right again. They haven't hit the woman yet, and her horse has got his second wind and is good for l5 miles moro. Range up a bit closer and tell her that II | you go down she must push straight ahead | as we are now going, and she'll reach the | fort She understands, but how pale she | is, and what a look of horror she has in l her eyes! Kill tho lady and then die fight | ing. No, I'm going to disobJ orders | Through the shoulder again, but I'm get ting used to it. My horse will follow tht gray, and 70 I'll drop the reins and get clutch on tho saddlo--and hang tight and push ahcad--Gld God bless the brave | little woman-and how dark it is-and"-
 And there was q mighty yell as they | swept over a ridge and straight into the | camp of a wagon train and its escort. Two | figures fell to the earth as the horses stop ped and pantcd and lurchcd about. Half an hour later the little woman was laugh ing and crying, but all right, while men were digging a grave Tor Sergeant Will liams He did not fill it That's the man with limp as he walks away-a man whose name will go down on the military records as tho last of the escort.
 M. QUAD