The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-07
III.

CHAPTER III.
The snow was falling now in a dense
white mist, powdering boards and broad
brimmed campaign hats and silvering
the dusty black of the fur caps of the
men. Objects fifty feet away were in
visible and all sounds muff1ed by the
soft, feecy blanket that everywhere
covered the earth. Silently, yet with
soldierly alertness, the officers fastened
to look quickly over their troops. ST.
lently the veteran colonel turned once
more to the front and rode a few yards
out beyond the head of the column and
sat there on his horse. a white mantled
statue, peering intently through the
slowly falling flakes.
W move the moment Bat gets
back" murmured the adjutant to Capt.
Leale. He crawled out to locate the
herds and pick our way. There are
some cross gullies beyond that ridge
and down near the village. Bat says
he feels sure most of the warriors are
miles away to the east, but there are
enough and to spare right here"
rs Kill Eagle still to be given a
chance to surrender" asked Leale.
THAT was the understanding at one
time, wasn't it?"
lie was It-yeS, d1Q Dat Was 10
hail as soon as we deployed within
striking distance. Unless some scouts
or the ponies find us out we can creep
up. under this snow cloud to within a
few yards and they'll pc none the wiser.
The Colonel hoped that the show of
force would be ample, and that old
scoundrel would throw up the sponge
right here, butt don't know" he added,
doubtfully. IF only the women and
children weren't in that village it would
he SjmniQ enough. We could mitch in
and double them UP before they knew
hi struck them. AS it is and here
the young officer broke off with a wave
of the hand that meant volumes of
doubt. Then he turned and looked east
ward again to where, silent and
statuesque still, Colonel Farrar was
seated on old Roderick.
The same thought seemed to occur
to both officers at the same instant.
Ormsby, once more testing the lock of
his revolver and narrowly observing his
new comrades, remarked it at the time
and spoke of it often thereafter.
Cant you make him keep well back?'
asked Leale.
WON you remind the chief he
oughtn't to be in front?" asked the adj
jutant.
And then each shook his head as
though realizing the impossibility of get
ting their old war horse of a colonel to
take a position where he would be less
exposed to the fire of the indian marks
men.
You might give him a tip, Ormsby,'
said the adjutant in the CHEEKY conf
dence of the ~comradeship a few days
campaigning ~engenders. You are his
guest, not his subordinate. Tell him
what the Seventh hin the colonel
should do" he added, with an attempt
at popularity that somehow failed to
provoke a smile.
But Ormsby in turn shook his head.
II haven't known your colonel a week."
-asI L. ssI,.% TtxyA I@a --AI 80 1-@x- h;-a
well, and when he means to go in all
you've got to do is to go too. That's
what I've mapped out for myself. and
doubtless so, too, have these gentle
men, he continued, indicating the two
ranchmen, now eagerly lingering their
Winchesters and getting ready for bust
ness. The older of the two it was who
answered.:
NJ man who has been Through h
we have and seen the sights and heard
the sounds of their raids on the ranches
down the Fork would do less than thank
God for a chance of meeting those
brutes on anything like equal terms.
My poor brother lies there, hacked and
scalped and mutilated; his wife and
daughter, I believe, are omewhere
among those foul tepees now unless God
has been merciful and let them die day
before yesterday. We fought as long
as there was a show, and we got away
in the dark. Those poor women wouldn't
leave their dead"
A tear was trickling down his cheek
as he finished speaking, but his lips and
jaws were firm set. You gentlemen"
he continued, ARE going into this thing
just from sense of duty, but think What
it is to me and to young Crawford here.
His Did father and mother were just
butchered, by God-butchered and the
worst of it is that if that damned hound
Graice had stood by him ten minute
he might have got them safely away.
They were too old to make any time.
and it was no use. hat fellows a
upon him again I'll tell him what I
hin of him."
II wish you had seen that fellow.
Ormsby." said Leale, in a low tone
1.-THE more I think of it the more / feel
sure he had some reason for fearing to
meet our party here. They tell me he
seemed excited and worried the moment
I only saw his back as he rode away,
but I've seen that man before some
where He rode Xix a trooper, and it's
ten TO one he's a deserter."
He's a deserter this day if he never
was before said Ormsby in reply. i
judge we need every man, do we not?'
Cooks like it, was the brief reply.
All right. gentlemen" he continued,
turning with courteous manner to the
two y5unger officers, his first and second
l~ieutenants. who came striding up
through the snow. Leale was famous
in the cavalry for his courtesy to
subalterns. He a. the reputation of
never speaking hastily or harshIy. and
of getting more out OF his men than l
any other captain In the regiment
"AII right, sir" was the prompt reply.
Every man In my platoon boiling over
with ginger. added the younger his