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

wagon loads Of meat, Hour, sugar and
coffee, sir, and says as the colonel hasn' t
come to see him he's going to move"
| The colonel laughed-the first laugh
since Christmas somebody remarked at
the time. care you sure there's no mis-.
take, Fallon?" he asked the messenger.
"That's what the lieutenant asked
the Indians, sir, but we have two of
T. troop with us-what's left Of 'em
-one Brule and t'other Ogalalla, and
they both translate it the same way, and
Bat is with us, too, sir and he says it's
like Big Road when he gets liquor in
him. He thinks he's lord Of the earth.
Bat says he's drunk now, and believes
the colonel will be glad to do as he de-
mands for fear Of him."
"Well, who brought the message?
Who's that big buck in the lead there"
"That's One Eyed Bull sir-him
that was nursed IN the hospital here
after the fight three years ago."
"Bull? he ought to know better than
to bring any such message" said Fen
ton refectively. II presume he dare
rot refuse, however. Mr.. Adjutant,
mount Fallon's horse, gallop out there,
and tell Bull to tell Big Road to 60 to
the devil. That's all on that head. Cap
tain Farwell, as soon as your men have
had supper let them saddle and be ready
for night work. Orderly, have my horse
sent up in half an hour. That's all for
the present, gentlemen. Come, Jack
Louis waiting dinner for us.
1t was the first time that any one had
seen Fenton mad. as Amory put 1t,
when the group broke up. Either Big
Road will come down off that high
horse or the old man will snatch him,
and within the next few hours too.
Ormsby brings us luck. He never comes
out here that we don't have shindy Of
some kind"
More than one officer was thinking Of
this remark Of Amor,'s as they scattered
to their homes. Man3' dinner was kept
waiting and many housewife had to
be placated when the lord and master
hurried in, and tongues that were primed
with wifely reproof were stilled by the
tidings that quickly spread from door to
door. Big Road had made an insolent
demand and coupled with it defiant
message. Big Road was drunk and had
threatened to move with his village,
and then it would become the duty Of
the Twelfth to surround and herd him
back. Under the stipulation Of late
treaty he was allowed for his winter
range only the south bank of the Platte,
from Frayne to the breaks of the Medi-
cine Bow. IF he crossed the Platte and
struck out for the Big Horn, he invaded
TIE cattle lands and laid himself open
to attack from the hustlers. II he
dove into the mountain range to the
south, he left his reservation and for
feited the rations and supplies which
the agent at Fetterman Bend was bound
to issue at regular intervals. He had
quarreled with the agent and moved his
village up stream to within ten miles OF
Frayne-which he had right to do.
he had quarreled with-and on good
grounds-the cowboys and then been
taken under the wing Of Uncle Sam for
safety, and now be proposed quarreling
with his benefactors and launching out
on forbidden territory, and that meant
business for all at Frayne.
But One Eyed Bull was no truculent
warrior. He had delivered his message
in accordance with his chiefs demands,
and in far more civil tone and terms
than it was consigned to him. then had
waited in dignified silence, confronting
the somewhat fippant bluecoats from
the fort, refusing to make any response
to the jocularity and ridicule in which
some of their number INDUCED or to
enter into any discussion with Bat or
the two Indian soldiers as to the prob
able inspiration of Big Roads bombast.
Well enough he realized when the adju-
tant arrived upon the scene that the
"bluff" had totally failed, and before
word was spoken read contemptuous re-
fusal in the young officers face. They
were indeed cold and hungry over in
the village, and he himself and the war
riors with him would have been glad Of
q feast on army rations.
Nor were the warriors at all satisfied
with the Judgment and discretion of
their chief, but one and all the Indians
were now imbued with the warning of
their medicine men and expected
nothing less than some sudden act OF
hostility on the soldiers part. If there
ever was time in Big Roads history
when q clear head and cool brain were
needed, it was now, just when he had
succeeded in getting drunk, and we'll
had the cowboys reasoned. While some
of the number lured the chief to the
banks of the Platte and piled him with
lies and whisky, others were sourrylng
up and down the valley, routing out the