Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-11-28
. HAT was the way she was re.

crU WuO uIu uOt huOW thut het huhc
was Mary. Joe Baker was hunter.
Indian fighter. scout. prospector and
miner, and he had cabin and home
up In the Three Buttes Of Idaho, to
the west of Fort Hall. Father and
daughter were all alone-he a man Of
30 and she girl under 30. We Mt the
fort knew him well. and we saw the
girl quite often. but no one knew Joe
Baker well enough to question him
about the past. For reasons Of his own
he had taken up his abode beyond CIV
ilixation, and though the life was Wild
and lonely and full Of danger, the
daughter seemed to prefer It.
A girl Of about IS when knew her
slight, blue eyes. short. curly hair.
strong face, dressed for climbing, rid.
ing and walking. and one who com.
manded both admiration and respect
the moment you laid eyes on her--she
had q handshake for officer and pr.
vate alike. and to Us and all others
who came that way she was border
queen. We said to each other that 1t
was Q strange thing for Joe Baker to
the mountains, miles and miles from
the nearest settler, and to expose bis
daughter to the hardships, prlvatlons
and perils Of q frontier life, but no one
questioned him or her, nor did either
volunteer any explanations.
The cabin was In q bit Of valley way
up the East Butte, and was built most.
u Of stone and contained three rooms.
There were days at time, when Ba-
ker was prospecting or scouting, In
which the girl must have been left en-.
tirely alone, but she rode, hunted and
6shcd, and now and then was the guest
Of the colonel's wife at the fort for
two or three days at time. The won.
an may have found out more about
the girl than have told you, but II 30
the information did not cross the pa.
rade ground to the barracks.
For weeks the Indians Of Idaho had
been sulky and sullen and threatening.
The forco at Fort Hall had been In.
creased by nfty men. all wagon trains
were dOubly guarded. and every SOL
der or citizen who understood Indian
character felt that an outbreak was at
hand.
Ono day. when Joe Baker was ut the
fort consulting with the colonel the
latter advised him to abandon his home
and take refuge among Us. The old
man realized the situation, but said he
would wait and see. He hated contact
with the world--even that infinitesim.
a portion represented by o hundred
people at o frontier post-and the
daughter knew no fear. We saw him
two or three times week, rs no was
then scouting among the Indians and
bringing In reports, but we had not
seen the girl for month. when ser.
gcant's guard was dispatched to East
Butte to cut and haul telegraph poles
for the line which was to connect the
fort with the OUTSIDE world. There
was danger that we might be cut OF II
an outbreak occurred, but there was
also need Of haste In completing the
line.
d, That was our Hrst glimpse Of tho
cabin, - we went to our work on the
mountain.side. and Mary stood at the
door to shake hands all around and In.
Quire after those who were absent.
She anticipated an outbreak on the
part Of the Indians. but expressed no
fear. Only the day before she had re.
ceived . visit from three sullen war.
riors, who demanded food and seemed
on the point Of committing violence,
but she ordered them away at the
muxsls Of her rifle. and had no thought
Of leaving tho place until her father 70.
turned and advised the step.
Two miles east OF the cabin we made
our camp and began work, but the In.
diaus were ready sooner than We had
planned for. On the second night OF
our stay we were fred into at midnighl
and routed out of camp with the loss
Of two men killed. We were falling
back In the direction Of Bakers cabin
when we were Joined by Mary. In q
rocky pass. crouched down behind
powders and being fred upon every
moment BY thirty Indians In our front
the girl told her story and assumed the
command In place Of the poor sergean,
lying dead.
Indians to the number of a dozen had
made q sudden rush upon the cabin
Just at shutdown, but fortunately sht
caught sight Of them In time to close
the door. Then began a fight which
lasted for an hour, during which shs
had killed two and wounded another
of their number. The redskins had a
length drawn off. and the brave girl,
first thought was of the soldiers on tn,
mountain side. She hoped we hat
heard the firing and would come dowI
to investigate, but as midnight came
without us she left her shelter ant
seaded for our camp, knowing ut an!
step she might run into prOwling In
dian, but yet determined to warn ant
save us. ~"a., -'f
We were soldiers and by no means
uovices In Indian warfare. and We
none Of US grumbled when she assum
ed the leadership and passed the wOr,
to slowly fall back ON the cabin. III
Indians pressed us every foot of tn
way, and but for the darkness of tn
night and the girls familiarity wit
the lay of the ground, not one OF u
would have escaped. We were n,
sooner sheltered by the cabin than |
was clear that we must stand sieg
before the door could be opened again
Bakers cabin, as have told YOU
was q pretty substantial affair, 1t
walls being Of rock and Its roof q
dirt. Here and there We're loOphOle
and the door was heavy enough to sto