Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1895-01-03

~ u y
ONCE INSIDE THE OFFICE RAND SHUT AM
SNAPPED THE DOOR BEHIND HIM.
say. Only one Of them spoke to me al
all-gave his message right out, soldier
fashion, and said he was instructed tc
notify the lieutenant of the time il
was wired sent it right off quick as
! could get Pawnee, and then they
went out again, leaving me at the
desk. When they came back just as
the train hove in sight, although it was
broad daylight, was paying attention
to the train and not to them-hardly
heard word, or more than even
glanced at them, when No. came in.
! saw little clump Of men over by the
stream watering their horses, and all
had on army overcoats. These two
fellows who met the paymaster were
the ones that first came in; I'm certain
as to that"
Are you? Well, why? What was
there to make you certain?"
Because the fellow that did the
talking used good Engl;sh-better than
most soldiers-and he ordered the
other fellow around. The other called
him sergeant the time he spoke"
''Good English, Ell? Out-and-out
Yankee, do You mean? or plain Eng
lish, or Boston English? At all events,
it sounded like Yankee talking, not q
foreigner, didn't tia German, for in
stance?" said Rand, cycling him keenly.
well, now you speak of it, colonel,
the fellow called sergeant had just a
little accent-German-likc. But mean
he didn't use slang nor cuss words. He
talked what we call book English"
Sand you thought him only thirty9"
Certainly not more than that. He
looked so light and spry. But he had q
pretty heavy beard. 1t covered all his
face"
"No sprinkle Of gray in it?"
"Well, sir, not that noticed In that
light"
where did they leave their horses,
and what were the horses like-bays,
sorrels, chestnuts?"
u didn't see their mounts at all, sir,
except in clump at distances They
seemed mixed colors then"
Exactly. Not all one color, as they
would be II they belonged to one troop
of cavalry-bays, or sorrels, or grays?"
swell, they were good way off,
colonel, and can't be certain. Mr..
Long, here, saw two men riding up
along the north bank not more than
twenty minutes after No. pulled
out"
"Yes. What colored horses were
those two riding, Mr.. Long?'
"Roans, sir. I could see plainly in
the slanting sunshine Clean-limbed
little fellows, too. They were no plugs
or bronchos. They were genuine cav
airy horses"
Rand compressed his bearded lips as
he turned away, signaling the con-
ductor: go ahead"
That evening a little party pushed
away northward from the quartermas-
ter's field depot, established close to
The railway station at Pawnee. A long
hide was ahead of them, as the doctor
was sorely needed. About the same
hour over in the Mini Ska valley |
ahett had pitched his few tents and |
posted his. sentries and outlying pick
It's to guard the wounded and helpless
against possibility Of Indian attack.
True, Indians Of the plains rarely at
ack at night, and are scary and
as so many negroes.
True, the hostiles were all back under
he wing Of the agency by this time,
But Rhett had never before
,een on Indian service, and, whether
lie had or not, determined to neglect
10 precaution. He had met the con-
oy returning from the scene of the
ght, had relieved the cavalry guard,
ending it back to overtake the
fourscore miles away
n route to still more threatened
oint-and, under the orders flashed
fter him by wire and swift courier,
.hett was coming back to Pawnee,
ringing the sufferers with him. The
filed had been buried, temporarily at
last, at the scene of the savage fight
here were thirty wounded in his
ire, borne mostly on travels and
rawn by captured Indian ponies.
hen he halted at the end Of his days
arch Painted Lodge Butte bore south
est by west perhaps fifteen miles
way, and the stage-station at the
ridge over the Mini Ska lay probably
We miles from their upstream picket
group OF officers, chatting In low
mes around the camp fire among the
dispersed about ten p. M,
I'd all but the commander Of the
,ard rolled into their blankets, one or
70 Of the number enjoying good
ght Whit at their brier roots as they
retched themselves on the sod. Be-
md the heavy breathing Of some
eeper and occasionally a feverish
oan among the wounded, who, with
cir attendants, were sheltered in a {
tile hollow out of reach Of possible I
OF, the camp was very quiet. The
W horses, the mules and the Indian y
mics were securely hoppled and .
larded where they could Craze at
II on bench just to the north Of o
mp, and when the moon came riding q