Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-21
CHAPTER ".

CHAPTER ".
The winter came on early rs old Fort
Frayrc. Even as early us mid October
the leo was forming in the shallow
pools along tho Platte, and that cccen.
tric stream itself had dvindlcd away in
volume until IL seemed but the ghost Of
Its former self. Raging and unfordable
in June. swollen by the melting SHOWS
of the Colorado peaks and the torrents
from the Medicine Bow, it scent its
strength in the arid heat Of long. dry
summer and when autumn came was
mild IA q mill stream as far as the cya
could reach and fordablc in q dozen
places within rifle shot Of the post.
Many time did old Fenton wish it
wasn't Frayne's reservation was big
and generous; but. unluckily, it never
extended across the river. Sauatters.
smagglers and sharpers could not in
trudc upon its guarded limits along the
southern shore, and the nearest grog.
gcry--that inevitable accompaniment
ut the westward march Of civilization
was n long two miles away down the
right bank. but only pistol shot across
tho stream.
In his day Farrar had waged war
against the rumsellers ON the north
shore ana won, because then there were
only soldiers aud settlers and no lawy ers
outside the guardhousc-within 30
miles of the post. But with the tide of
civilization came more settlers, and q
cattle town. and lawyers in abundance,
and with their coming the question at
issue became no longer that of abstract
right or wrong, but how u jury would
decide it, and frontier jury always
decides in favor of the sQuatter and
against the soldier. Fenton strove to
take pattern after Farrar and very nearly
succeeded in landing himself in Jail, as
the outraged vcnder went down to Lara
mic. hired lawyers there, swore out
warrants VI assault and appealed to his
countrymen. Tho fact that no less than
four Of the Twelfth within six months
had died with their boots on, victims Of
the ready knives or revolvers of the
squatters across the stream. had no bear
ing in the eyes Of the law. Fenton had
warned the divekceper dozen times to
no purpose, but when finally Sergeant
Hanniiin was set upon and murdered
there one fine April evening within easy
range. ana almost within hearing of his
comrades ut Fraync, Fenton broke loose
and said impctuous things, which reach.
ell the ears of his men, who went ard
did things equally impctuous, to the
demolition Of the shack" and the dc.
struction 81 its stock Of spirits and gam.
bling paraphernalia, and it was proved
TO the satisfaction Of the jury that Fen.
ton did not intcrposc to stop the row
until 1t had burned itself and the
SHACK" inside out. The people rallied
20 the support Of the saloon kceper-he,
ut least, was man and brother, n
voter, and, when he couldn't lie ont OF
it. a taxpayer. The officers ut Fraync.
ON the other hand. in the opinion Of the
citizens OF that section of Wyoming.
were none of the four. and Bunko jim $
new resort across the Platte was q big
improvement in point of size. though
not in stock or sanctity. over its pre,ie.
ccssor. Jim ran fCfryboat for the ben.
eft " customers from the fort. II was
forbidden to land on the reservation,
but did -. nevertheless. when tho sentry
ON the hlun couldn see. and sometimes.
IL must he owned. when he could.
The boat was used when the water
was high. the furds when il was low.
and the ice when il was frozen, and il
was n curious thing in winter TO see
how quickly the new fallen snow would
BE- scanned with paths leading by
devious routes from the barracks To the
shore and then across the icebouud
pools straight to Bunko Jim's Bowling.
as became the soldier Of the republic. 70
the supremacy Of the civil law. Fentcn
swallowed the lesson. though he didn ;,
the whisky. but Jim had his full share
Of customers from the fort, and the
greatest Of these, il soon transpired. was
the big recruit speedily known through.
out the command rs Tough Tom Graice.
Joining the regiment at the end o!
September. it was less than month be-
fore lie was rs well thoagh not as IA
voratly known rs the sergeant major.
There IL more than Di'. way OF being
conspicuous In the rii...aI,y service, and
Graice had chosen THE worst. Even the
recruits who came with him from the
depot. the last lot to be shipped from
that once crowded garner of food fol
powder" could tell nothing Of his an
tecedents. though they were full Of
grcwsome details of his doings since en-
listment He was an expert at cards and
billiards. said they-for they had found
It out TO their sorrow-Gnd a demon
when aroused by drink. Twice il
drunken rage he had assaulted compar
a,iveiy inoflensive men. and only tn,
prompt AMI forcible intervention OF
comrades had prevented murder on the
spot. while the traditional habit of tine
soldier Of telling no tales had saved
him from richly meri,cd punishment.