Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-12-16

horses gave answer to the spur and
broke into numbering gallop far over at
the west the rocks began to ring to tho
crackle Of musketry. Farwell and the
Sioux had clinched 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 "a
hours, too weary to be kept awake even
by the exasperating sense Of his wrongs,
the colonel was just rolling into his
blankets for a 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 Far
rar sat by the bedside Of her beloved
daughter, praying ceaselessly for the
safety of an equally beloved son now
riding for the first time in his brave
young life to prove his worthiness to
bear the fathers namein headlong fight
with savage and skipful foe.
And if ever young fellow, wearer
Of the army blue, realized to the full
extent the hopes and faith and fondness
oentered in him this night Of nights, it
was Will Farrar. Barely arrived at
mans estate, not yet a year out Of the
cadet coatee, with his mother, his Sis
ter, his sweetheart, all there at the old
fort 30 long associated with his fathers
name, with that name to maintain, and
not only that, but with Malcolm Leale's
old troop as one man looking up to him
as their leader, yet competent, down to
the very last man, to note the faintest
flaw should he fail them, the Junior
subaltern Of the Twelfth, the "plebe"
lieutenant, as his elders laughingly
spoke Of him, found himself, as though
some special providence had swept from
his path every possible barrier to danger
and distinction, lifted suddenly to a
command that seldom falls to army
subalterns today even within a dozen
years and bidden here and now to win
his spurs for the honor Of the old troop,
the honor of the Twelfth, the honor Of
the name bis father made famous and
that he must maintain or die in trying
to. All this, and God alone knows how
much more besides, went thrilling
through his very soul as, on Farwell's
left and in utter silence, he rode swiftly
onward at the head Of the column.
Leaving to his own first lieutenant the
command Of the grays, Captain Farwell
had told him to follow close in the
tracks of Farrar's men and, with only
one of the Indian company to aid and
no other guide Of any kind but his
senses and the stars, had placed himself
in the lead and pushed forth into the
night.
"Swing we'll out to the west" were
Fenton's last orders. keep dark, as
YOU know how. Head for the hills as
soon as you're sure you're far beyond
hearing and try to strike those bluffs a
couple of rifles at least back Of the
mouth of the canyon. You ought to get
there ahead of the village. Halt it with
few men Gown in the gorge, but hold
your main body on the bluffs. Well
keep Big Road busy"
Luckily the stars were brilliant in the
wintry sky and the consultations out
in all their glory. The pole star glowed
high aloft and held them to their course.
Out in the advance, lashing his horse
with Indian whip to keep him to his
speed, rode Brave Bear, corporal OF
the Ogalalla company, side by side
with Sergeant Bremmer. Whenever the
drifts were deep in the ravines, one OF
them would halt and warn the column
to swerve to the right or left. Only a
yard or two behind the two officers
Farwell, grizzled and stout, Farrar, fair
and slender-came Looping or trottinR
the leading four, and, though it was
not his accustomed place, there rode
Terry Rorke, where, as he had explain
ed to the satisfaction Of the sergeant,
he could be close to "Masther WILL"
The prairie was broad and open and
fairly level. There was no need of di-
minishing front. A platoon could have
ridden abreast and found no serious OBJ
stacle, except the snowdrifrs in the deep
coulees. Two miles to the west they
sped, moving cautiously at first so as to
give no inkling of their intent. and. for
the first time, almost doubling back up
on their tracks, so as to keep we'll away
from the Indian rear guard.
Then, in long curve, Farwell led them
toward the low, rolling hills, now DIM
ly visible against the armament, and
presently the ravines began to grow
deeper but farther apart, the slopes
more abrupt, and the westward hills
loomed closer in their path, and still the
snowy expanse showed unbroken, and
Bear, bending low over his pony's neck
and watching for signs declared that no
Indians had crossed as yet into the hills
and that the entrance to Elk gulch was
now not more than a mile to the north.
And here the hills rolled higher, both
to their front and toward the west, but
Farwell rode on up gradual ascent un-
til the slope began to grow steep, then,
dismounting, led the way afoot, the
whole column rolling out Of saddle and
| lowing ltS nOTseS LII iiis tiaSh'
Up, up they climbed until, breathing
hard now, but pushing relentlessly Oh,
the captain reached the crest, and faint
and dim in the starlight, dotted here
and there with little clumps Of spruce
or cedar, the rolling, billowy surface
lay before him, shrouded in its mantle
of glistening snow. Leading on until
the whole command had time to reach
the top, he motioned Will to halt, while
he, with Bear and Sergeant Bremmer,
pushed few yards farther Oh. The
column took a breathing spell and
waited.
Far out to the eastward and below
them an occasional flash as Of rifle OF