The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-31

enne country, or had surrounded and dis
armed Tail Bulls little band of ugly "bluf-
fers." Even at the expense of Christmas
trees, Christmas dance, Christmas dinner,
they didn't want to loaf in garrison when
other regiments were having stirring ser
vice in the field. And so, while women
wept, the barracks rang with shout ana
song and CHEEKY whistle, and the laugh
and Joke went around as the troopers
slowed their treasures in the home chest
and packed their bullying saddlebags. Few
of their number had wives or children to
leave behind. 1t was over among the OIL
GERS quarters that no laughter rang, and
the only smiles were piteous through their
mist of tears.
~ could bear it better at any other
season, Royle," said the colonels wife, as
she chung, sobbing, to his neck after he
had donned his rough field dress. ut
seems as though the worst blow of my life
had come to me at Christmas just this
time" He bowed in silence, tenderly
kissing her, yet even then checking lur-
ther reference to that browning sorrow.
He could not shut out the recollection of
how the news of their boys disgrace had
been received on Christmas morning, and
now, with another Christmas so close at
hand, he was keeping from her tidipgs
that still more had bowed his head in sor-
row uncontrollable-tha his wretched son
sweet woman who had trusted him, leaving
her penniless to struggle, unaided and I'M
known. Who can say what would have
been his shame had he dreamed that
this genial, kindly young New Yorker,
this stranger within his gates, was the
bearer of evidence that still further was
the son felon in the eyes of the law, and
that to all his other crimes Royle Farrar
had added that of forgery. At noon on this
yery day Jack Ormsby was striving to
nerve himself to carry out his employer
orders and break the tidings, but these few
words with the gentle mother, and the
sight of her pathetic face again unnamed
him, and in the midst of his irresolution
came these sudden orders for the field, and
that put an end to all thought of anything
else.
II cannot help it," he was saying to
Ellis, as the girl, pale and sad but uncom-
planning, was busily packing her father S
mess-chest. at would be ridiculous to say
| could be of any use, but all the same I
want to CO. It's the chance of lifetime.
| have never seen an Indian campaign. l
haven't an idea what an Indian fight is
| like, but, & you know, l couldn't go back
and face our fellows of the Seventh and tell
them / saw the Twelfth Cavalry start on
its rush to head off Kill Eagles band and
that l didn't go, too"
81 should want to go if l were in your
place. said she. II understand it fully.
No doubt Captain Leale can fit you out
with campaign clothing-everything you
need"
Then certainly shall go" said Ormsby.
"Itll be something to tell about in II
Company for the next ten years"
And that was how it happened that five
| days later in binding snowstorm, there
rode with the advance of the Twelfth Cav
airy sergeant of the famous New Work
| Seventh at the very moment when the word
| came from the scouts that Kill Eagles vii
Iage was not two miles ahead.
Left to his own devices in the matter of
carrying out his orders Farrar had made a
close and careful calculation. With the
Laramie road out of sight in snow it might
take three days of hard marching to reach
the ford, with the prospect then of finding
! themselves almost as far from the Indians
as before, for the fords lay some forty miles
off to the southeast, while, when last heard
| from, Kill Eagle was striking across coun-
try south of the Cheyenne between the Up
| per Niobrara and the Mini Pusa. In the
| deep valleys were scattered ranches and
| countless herds OF horned cattle, so he was
| living high on the country as he fed, his
rear well guarded by three score young
braves, who lowered just ahead of the pur-
suing column, peppering its advance guard
with long-range shots from every ridge,
and so retarding its movement as to enable
| their old war chief TO move his whole vii
! lage, teepees, lodge-poles, women and chill
| dren, pony herd, dog herd and all, with
calm elaboration. By going southeast
! Farrar would have taken the flooded Platte
alongside on his left hand, only to have to
turn an acute angle to the north again,
march them over rough and broken coun-
try, with old Rawhide Butte, perhaps, as
his guide, with every probability of finding
! himself far behind the chase after reach
ing the broad, deep-lying valley of the
Nfobrara. Wiser by far he sent back brief
word by courier to Laramie, ordering ii
| forwarded by wire from. that point.
I'VE go westward up the Platte, conf
\ dent OF lower water and a crossing this side
of the big bend. Thence we will swing
around northeastward, and, covering a
broad stretch of country, keep a sharp
lookout for Kill Eagles band. We should
| the Mini PuSa, southeast Of old Canton
ment Reno, and unless they will surrender
| l shall strike at once and strike hard"
| And here among the breaks of the Mini
| Pusa, after four days of severe winter
marching, Farrar had thrown his little
command just as he had planned square
across the path of the foe. Direful were
the tales that had reached him from ranch.
men and settlers, who, having abandoned
their homes, were fleeing for the protec.
ton of the frontier forts, far back at the
base of the Big Horn. Day after day hac
the young warriors swooped from the trav
cling village down upon the valleys or
either side, numbering men, women anc
little children, burning the ranches, driv
ing off such cattle as they fancied, anC
ruthlessly butchering all the rest. AnG
still, one or two days march behind, th,
pursuing column plunged heavily through
the snow. Farrar was an expert, however
and had shrewdly judged theirroute. Far
rar was merciful, and even in face of tn,
atrocities that had been committed anC
under the warrant of his orders and in the
belief that the band was few in numbers
he would not strike when the blow Nigh
fall on women and children, too, until ht
had given the red chief a chance to surren
der.
He had been marching since dawn and i
was now IL o'clock. An hour earlier. ia,
at the front, along a low, snow covered
ridge that stood out sharply against tn,
black bank of cloud that spread from hori
zon almost to zenith. the scouts began tina
fierce sudden circling of their ponies tina
denoted enemy in sight" With thei
field glasses, the officers at the head of tn,
column could see that one of the number