The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-09
A MOMENT MORE dF NARROWING SUSPENSE.

had been coming in fsom easy pistol
range, and Randolph took.the cue. Bidding
his men open out and ride several wards
apart, yet aligned as mitch as was posi-
bic, he ordered carbines dropped and re-
volvers drawn, and then, frotting along the
man after man. ''Watch for the flash and
let drive at it. Even if we don't hit, we'll
keep them at respectful distance" he said,
and the words were hardly out of his
mouth when rudy light leaped over the
snow, shot went tipping past his head,
and then, followed by roar of approval
from the main column, the revolvers of the
advance cracked and sputtered their an
swer. The landscape was lit up for an
instant; dark forms went pounding and
scurrying away from the front, and mo-
ment later there uprose cheer over at the
right and Randolph galloped to the spot.
An Indian pony lay kicking, struggling,
stlffenlng in the snow, shot through the
body, and the rider had had to run for it.
That's right, Randolph" said the
major, squirting to his side. Now keep
'em off, but don't push too hard. Remem-
Der, We've got to give Farwen time"
"How far ahead is that COMPOUNDED
canyon, BatP" asked the adiutant at the
moment.
Not more than two mile now. 1 hunt
buffalo all over here when I was a boy"
was the answer. "Big.Road's people all
there by this time, Pm 'fraid.''
Then you think that they got there
frst-that they've got the bluffs2n
"'Fraid so. Big Road no fool. He
and not guard the bluffs. If the captain
got there first they'd have found it out by
this time and signaled for help. The rea-
son believe they think they're all safe is
that so many Indians hang around US out
here"
And ;,,e4 49,, o,,~,o - u,,.I .e I:--I
from La Bonte. The corporal at his side
said 'HellW and an excitable young
trooper called out, "Look therel What's
that?" for, over at the northwest, all on a
sudden, a brilliant column of fame had
burst through the blackness of the night
and sent broad glare streaming over the
snowclad surface of the rolling prairie.
They're on to us, by the Eternall"
cried the adjutant, who loved the Jackson
ian form of explet;ve. "Listenp But no
one listened more than an instant. Even
through the muf1ing coverlet of snow, the
rumble and rush of a hundred pony hoofs,
like low, distant thunder, told of the in
to the signal. Wayne was ablaze in a Sec
cond. "Close up on the head of column I"
he shouted to the troop leaders. Come
on, now, men, for all you're worth. There
isn't second to spare"
And as the amazed and wearied horses
gave answer to the spur ana broke into
numbering gallop, far over at the west the
rocks began to ring to the crackle of mus
kerry. Farwell and the Sioux had
cIinched on the bluffs to the south of the
springs. and were fighting in the dark for
the right of way.
Ten miles away at Allison's ranch,
wearied with the sleepless toll of twenty
four hours, too weary to be kept awake
even by the exasperating sense OF his
the no10nal inst rolling INTO
his blankets for much-needed rest before
setting forth with the rising sun on his
homeward road. Fifty miles away over the
white expanse of PRAIRIE under the cold
and glittering skies. Marjorie Farrar sat by
the bedside of her beloved daughter pray