The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-07

keep together. Watch your officers COM
mands and signals and spare the squaws
and papooses. Be ready in two minutes"
And then every man took long breath,
while the colonel rode through to say SINH
lar words to the second line. Then. re-
turning, he placed himself just in rear of
the center of the first squadron, the second
line noiselessly advancing and closing up
on the leaders, and then he seemed to
think of another point.
Ask Mr.. Ormsby if he will ride with
me-" said he to the adjutant. sNow
Leale, forward at walk. Follow Bat It's
all level ahead of you. You'll sight the
village in three or four minutes"
The tall, stalwart captain touched his
hat, took off his broad brim, shaking away
load of snow, and spurred out little to
the front. There, looking back to both his
right and left, he gave the signal forward,
and with almost a single impulse the long
dark rank of horSemen open at the center
in an interval OF some half dozen yards
without other sound than the slight rattle
of accouterments and the mutf1ed rumble
of 500 hoofs, moved steadily forward. A
moment the colonel sat and watched them,
smiled cordial greeting to Ormsby, who,
pistol in hand, came trotting over with
the adjutant, then signaling to the second
line he, too, gave his horse the rein and
at steady walk followed close the center of
Leale's command. In his hand at the
moment he held little pocket compass
and smiled as he noted the line of direc-
tion
Almost due southeast at this instant"
said he. eve ought to bag our game and
be well across the Mini Pusa with them in
less than an hour"
Unconsciously, the pace was quickening.
Foremost of all, well out in front of the
center, rode the half-breed Indian guide,
bending low over his pony's neck, his black,
beady eyes peering ahead. Well out to the
alert, like Bat himself. Then, squarely in
the center, on his big, powerful bay, rode
Leale, commander of the foremost line,
and Ormsby IS soldierly heart throbbed with
admiration as he marked, just before Leale
was hidden from view, his spirited, conf
dent bearing. and noted how the eyes of
all the line seemed fixed on their gallant
leader And now some of the horses began
to dance and tug at the bit and plunge,
and others to take jog trot, for the In
dian scouts were at the lope, and their ges-
ticulations became every moment more
vehement, and then Bat was seen, though
visible, only to the first line, to grab his
revolver, and Leale's gauntleted hand al
most instantly sought the holster, and out
came the ready Colt, its muzzle raised in
the air. Out in quick and ready imitation
leaped a hundred more, and instinctively
the jog had changed to lively trot. and
the dull, thudding hoofs upon the snow
muff1ed earth rose louder and more in
sistent, and Ormsby, riding at the colonePs
left, gripped tighter his revolver and set
his teeth, yet felt his heart was hammer
ing loud, and then DINNER and DINNER
grew the first line as it led away, and still
the colonePs firm hand kept Roderick
dancing impatiently at the slower gait,
and then, just as it seemed as though the
line would be swallowed up in snow and
disappear from view, quick and sudden,
two muffled shots were heard from some
where just in front, the first syllable, per-
haps, OF some stentorian shout OF warning,
and then one magnificent burst of cheers
and rush OF charging men, and crash
and era, kle and sputter of shots, and then
fierce rallying cries and piercing screams
of women and of terrified little ones, and
of the Twelfth rode on and over and
through the startled camp, and bore like
whirlwind, yelling, down upon the pony
horde beyond.
And now comes the turn of the second
line. Seeking shelter from tie snow
storm, warriors, women and children were
for the most part within the tepees as the
line crashed in. Some few were with the
miserable captives, but at the first sound
of danger every warrior had seized his rife
and rushed for the open air. Some few,
throwing themselves upon their faces,
fired wild shots at the foremost troopers as
they came bounding through, but as rule
only few opposed their passage, so sud-
den was the shock. But then came the