Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-02-28


man. "Only two fellows left. Hurry
save" and down he goes in dead
faint.
''Schultz's body! Colt in Eimmel!"
cries Schramm, as with one bound he
is over the powders and rushing out
to the front again.
Two hundred yards away, just over
the ridge, with whoop and yell and
flashing rifles, the Indians have con-
centrated their energies on one de-
voted little squad. Stumbling up the
slope, Thornton has come upon the
PROSTATE form of the veteran soldier,
stone dead, yet in mute appeal SEEM
ing to beg that he be not left to the
savage mutilation of the Sioux. Here,
Connor!-Help me, Fritz he shouts to
| the nearest men, and SO, desper-
ate and daring, the three join
forces to save their friend. One
drags, the others fire, and have just
got the senseless clay to within ten
yards of the crest, when with triumph
ant rush and yell the mounted Sioux
come charging at them. Poor Perry!
All in flash he sees that hope has fed
that here on this wild upland, far
from home and loved ones, just at the
Oh Tic CARTER 81 1ODS AIy
SO proudly entered, his gallant, manful,
so1dierly effort has cost him his Life
But he has lived like Thornton-like
| a Thornton he'll die; and, kneeling by
| Schultzs ifeless form, he drives the
last shot from the sergeant's carbine,
losses it aside, grips tight his beautiful
revolver, a proud fathers gift, and
with a last prayer on his lips, and
mothers face swimming before his
eyes, braces himself for the shock.
| These is sudden clamor Of shots behind
| him. Straight in front, not forty
yards away, a charging Sioux plunges
headforenlost to the ground, his pony
veers wildly, so do two others, and the
well-aimed shots have taken effect.
''Courage!" he shouts. t'They haven't
got US yet" For, checked by this IN
lOolSed-for salute and dreading more,
the warriors duck and swerve and cir
Gle away. Then down comes Schramm,
with LETTERS a close second.
''Quiclz, lieutenant! Quick! Back to
the ridge! Well bring Schultz"
Too late. Seeing how puny in num-
Der are the little party of rescuers, the
Sioux come on again, firing as they
| dash. and then for the first time Thorn
ton finds his hands and arms covered
with blood. A deadly faintness over
comes him. The earth begins to swim
| and rock and whirl, and he only knows
| that Schramm has swung him on his
broad and muscular shoulders before
he swoons away. They are holding his
flask to his lips, when-safe for a
time at least-he opens his eyes among
the rocks of Slaughter cove.
| ''Where are the IndianS?" he family
asks.
Its what I can't understand" SAYS
Jeffers. I'VE could see whole troops
of them riding away like the wind,
| southwark toward the Ska. There
amt more'n a dozen round US low, ]
reckon-not enough to attack. yet too
many to admit of our getting out with
all our wounded. Thank God, sir, we
got you back in time to check the
blood. That bullet just missed the
jugular, but you bled like stuck pig.
Schramm says you were all covered
with it when he reached you"
81 didn't know I was hit-more than
a mere graze," said Thornton. family.
Hit twice, sir. You got the other
when they dashed on us at the crest
and Schramm had to drop you for a
| minute
| did Schramm carry me out?
Every foot of the way, sir. The
little Dutchman is made OF steel; only
he's heart broken about Schultz We
couldn't fetch him IN, sir. They got
the body, after all, and had to order
Schramm under arrest to prevent his
going out second time"
Thornton closes his eyes a moment
Faint from loss of blood. the realizs