The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1896-12-03
CHAPTER III.

OI1AI IL.
"Hushl Silence there!'' for dimly
seen through the drifts Colonel Farrar,
with his little party Of attendants, came
riding to the front of the line. Long,
long afterward they remembered that
clear cut, soldierly, high bred face,
with its aquiline nose, keen, kindly,
deep set eyes, the gray white mustache,
snow white now, as was his close crop
ped hair.
"Men," said he in the firm tones
they had known so long and we'll,
fully half the band are some miles
away, but Kill Eagle, with over 100
warriors, is right here in our front; SO,
too, are his women and children; SO,
too, worse luck, are some of our own
unhappy captives. You all know the
first thing those Indians would do, were
we to attack as usual, would be to MUIR
der those poor white women. This snow
storm is in our favor. We can creep
right in upon them before we charge.
The ponies are down in the valley, to
the south. Let the first line dash straight
through the village and stampede the
herd, then rally and return. Let the
second follow at 100 yards and sur
round the tepees at the eastward end.
What white women are with them are
there. The Indian men, as a rule, will
make dash in the direction of the po-
MES. Shoot them down wherever you
can, but mark my words now, be care
full of the women and children. had
intended summoning Kill Eagle to sur
render, but we did not begin to know
he had SO many warriors close at hand
and did not know about the captives.
Bat has seen, and that is enough. There
is no other way to settle it. It's the one
chance of rescuing those poor creatures.
Now, keep together. Watch your officers
commands 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 similar words to the second line.
Then, returning, he placed himself just
in the rear of the center of the first
squadron, the second line noiselessly
advancing and closing up on the lead
ers, and then he seemed to think of an
other point.
'Ask Mr.. Ormsby if he will ride
with me- said he to the adjutant.
"Now, Leale, forward at a walk. Fol-
low 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 a
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 in
terval of some half a dozen yards, with
out other sound than the slight rattle Of
accouterments and the muffled rumble
Of 500 hoofs, moved steadily forward.
A moment the colonel sat and watched
them, smiled a cordial greeting to Orms-
by, 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 a steady walk
followed close to 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 direction.
almost due southeast at this in
stant, said he. ''We ought to bag our
game and be we'll across the Mini Pusa
with them in less than an hour"
Unconsciously the pace was quicken
20 - -,
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 right and left
were other scouts, eager and alert, like
Bat himself. Then, squarely in the CEN
ter, on his big, powerful bay, rode
Leale, commander of the foremost line,
and Ormsby's soldierly heart throbbed
with admiration as he marked, just be-
fore Leale was hidden from view, his
spirited, confident 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 a
jog trot, for the Indian scouts were at
the lope, and their gesticulations be-
came every moment more vehement,
and then Bat was seen, though visible
only to the first line, to grab his re-
volver, and Leale's gauntleted hand al
most instantly sought the holster, and
out came the ready colt, its .muzzle
raised in air.
Out, in quick and ready imitation,
leaped 100 more, and instinctively the
jog changed to a lively trot, and. the
dull, thudding hoofs upon the snow
muff1ed earth rose louder and more in
sistent, and Ormsby, riding at the colo
nel's left, gripped tighter his revolver
and set his teeth, yet felt his heart was
hammering loud, and then DINNER and
DINNER grew the. first line as it led
away, and still the colonel's 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 muf-
fed shots were heard from somewhere
just in front, the, first syllable perhaps
l. L.