The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-12
CHAPTER XL.


the garrison, "rules were suspended'') a
long column of cavalry wound away
through the simmer of the snowy moon
light and disappeared from sight alon g
the flats below the post. Fenton and
Wayne, with four of the six troops, had
ridden down stream for ten-mile march.
His object was to bring Big Road, with
his little village, warriors, women chill
dren, ponies, dogs, dirt, and all, within the
lines Of the reservation of Fort Frayne
Oace there even cowboys dare not modest
them, and no seIf-appointed sheriff
could impose his authority. With all
Thorpe's buster, Fenton felt reasonably
assured that even in so turbulent a corner
Of Wyoming, the hustlers could not
muster in force sufficient to warrant an
attack that night. Big Roads braves were
few in number, but they were fighters to a
man. Their sins, like those of all their
tribe and kindred tribes, had long since
been forgiven the m by Uncle Sam, and ii
was not for his vassals to keep up
the feud. Rare, indeed, are the cases
when the soldier has long cherished a
grudge against the Indian. The Twelfth
had fought like devils after the murder,
as they could but regard it, of their be-
loved colonel but when the opposing band
had finally surrendered and accepted the
situation, all rancOr had speedily died
away.
1t seemed to the regiment, therefore, a
perfectly natural and obvious thing that it
should hasten forth to protect this little
remnant from the revenge of the whites.
Laramie Pete, with all his faults was a
frontier hero whose popularity was second
only to that OF Thorpe, and at the latter s
call, from far and near, cowboy, ranchman,
miner, and prospector, would hasten to join
forces under his leadership, and in
twenty-four hours or less he could count on
five hundred determined followers, fearless
as they were reckless, and defiant of any
law that was not of their own devising.
In the selection of his troops Fenton had
been governed by the time-honored tenets
of the Twelfth. Leale's men, having re-
turned but month before from a tour of
detached service, escorting a Government
survey through the lands of the Shoshones
far to the west, were therefore the ones
designated to remain in charge of the post.
being supported by what was left Of the
so-called Indian Troop-Crow Knife's COM
pany, band of swarthy cavalrymen that
took to Uncle Sans clothing, pay, and ra-
tons with avldity, and even to his drill and
discipline, so long as it was new toy, but
little by little the innate sloth and restless
one after another, non-commissioned officer
and private, the Sioux soldiery had been
discharged until nearly all had gone. Of
the dozen that remained. however, were
some of the noblest specimene of the race,
men who, like Crow Knife, seemed deter
mined to rise above the apathy of the past
into some position of power and influence
for their people in the future, and it was
almost unspeakable grief to these that they
should be told that they could not go with
the command. Yet Fenton's decision was a
wise one. Ever since Big Roads messen-
gers white Wolf and Pretty Bear) had
dashed into the garrison at O'Clock claim
Ing the lntercesSlon of the Great Fathers
soldiers the excitement among the rem
nant of the Indian troop had been furious.
For moment 1t looked as though thew
might cast off their uniforms and turning
out in breechclout and paint and feathers
indulge In a genuine old-fashioned war
dance on the parade. They were wild to
get their arms and horses and gallop to the
succor of their kinsmen down the valley.
but the lieutenant commanding was a cool
hand, and, aided by the persuasive talk of
one or two older warriors, measurably dui-
eted the disturbance. Then, as most of the
men on guard begged to be allowed to go
with their comrades, seven of the Indians
were distributed among the three reliefs,
and Leale's men filed all the other gaps.
1t about $50, as has been said, when the
column marched away. It might be back
before Christmas night. 1t might not be
back Tor week. No one at the moment
could say, because even now Big Road
could have broken camp and started with
his whole village on night march for the
businesses of the mountains, uncertain
what fate might be in store for them if he
remained. With the column went White
Wolf and Bear, the former generally be-
ieved to be one of the four Indians en-
gagged in the fracas that wound up the
earthly career of Laramie Pete. Ahead of
the column, full gallop, with only a single
orderly, but with instructions to tell Big
Road and his people to stay Just where
they were, as the Great Father meant to
come to their protection, went Lieutenant
Warren, and the maddest ''miserablest'
man in all the garrison was Lieutenant
Will Farrar.
When young fellow is full of soldierly
ambition, when he knows he is master of
his work and is eager for an opportunity to
prove 1t, when everybody has been treat
ing him as boy and he knows he has all
the ability OF man, when his sweetheart
even has been teasing and twitting him
with his apparent lack Of consequence in
the eyes Of the garrison, and he is there
fore all the more mad to prove at any
hazard that it contains no more daring and
spirited an officer, such an opportunity as
was here afforded Will Farrar was not to
be lost. lie had implored Colonel Fenton
to let him be the bearer of the message,
and was broken-hearted at the kind but
firm refusal. THE Indian is peculiar.
WILL" said the old soldier, gently.
HE never forgets or forgives. If his
father had been killed as yours was
he would hold it something to be
avenged, although resentment had to be
concealed, perhaps for years They know
you are his son. They know that the white
are leaguing now to avenge the death of
Pete. They cannot understand such a
thing as white soldiers, from sheer sense
of duty and justice, interposing against
their own kind to save the red man. In
your coming they would read only treach-
cry, and would argue that you came to
urge their remaining so that we might ioin
our white brethren in surrounding and
wiping them out of existence Whatever
you urged, even In my name, they would
be sure not to do. No, must send War
rem. They know him well and trust him."
But Fenton was thankful he had so good
an excuse, for even without it he could not
have brought himself to send Marjorie
Farrar's only remaining son upon a mis-
sion that might prove perilous = that
would certainly seem perilous in her eyes.
fastening to the chaplain's as soon as
Thorpe made his melodramatic exit,
Ormsby was met at the door by the good