The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-01-23

The sand dunes reached, across ne
river, both riders dismounted for the
first. time after a ride of twelve hours
Both stretched themselves on the
sand, soon becoming half buried as
these hillocKs move about with almost
an imperceptible whirl, but VET "a :
sound as rhythmical ais the tabled
Singing sands" Of my thology.
Remounting, the journey was contin.
ued, the moon at FULL shining almost
ominously. -
The moon, dead, silent, looking down
upon the wide, open, far-stretched
prairie and upon the two travellers.
dreading and in fear, afraid to talk or
whisper to one another-t moth
ing like the moon under such circum-
stances to make man shiver.
Winding in and out among the sand
hilocks, the horses were put to their
best along this fetlock-deep road until
Sand creek was reached A dry creek.
Waterless at all seasons Of the year,
Sand creek is fringed on either bank
by a scraggy growth Of trees.
As the two moonlight providers cross
ed the creek, and got into the timber
on the west bank
Two million dogs began barking at
them! !.
There was no mistake about it, they
were dogs, not coyotes, disturbed at
feast over the carcass of a buffalo.
Both felt, at once, that they had
strayed into an Indian camp.
And they had!
Soon human voices, mixed with
those of the dogs, and lights could be
seen mot fitting to and fro, as in
soldiers camp, but set to glowing
from score of camp fires. Right we'll
defined in the moonlight, too, appear
ed the silhouetted group Of Indians
not this time eek antlers''-and they
gave s'the view halloo' as they took
a ''snap shot" of the paleface trespas-
sers.
Prairie Dog Dave and campadre
wheeled about their horses and took
to the sand hills as never did the
Israelites to the sand fiat on the bor-
ders of the Red sea, as related of old.
Two men fed on travel-tired horses
before double score Of savages well
mounted on fresh ponies. Is it any
wonder if the Canadian was looked
upon as the River Styx, and that the
moonlight was regarded as an internal
illumination that guided and directed
the Indians on their course?
And to add to the "desendus in
averno," Cen Miles black horse be-
gan over-reaching as he was speeded
through the sands, and shoe hitting
shoe, there began "a click-clack''
which helped the Indians in their pur-
suit when even the moon lent the
shadows of the dunes to hide the flu
gitives from the purs1ers.
But the Indians gaze over, but not
before the lieutenant, chafed and tired
out, had pleaded with prairie Dog"
Dave half a dozen times to make a
stand, die"
z 'sKeep up, lieutenant was the
scouts adjuration, never once believ-
ing life was failure, though death
so near impended.
The pursuit abandoned, after ten
miles of yelling on the part of the In
dams and discretionary silence on
the part Of the white riders, the mesa
Cor divide) on the left or north side Of
the Canadian was reached, and Adobe
Walls became again the objective
point Of the expedition.
AS morning came on, away on the
south side Of the Canadian, the lights
Of half a hundred camp fires We're dis
cerned, and the unwelcome and hor-
rible thought obtruded: '''The country
is full of Indiansw Is
Fearful of discovery, scout and COM
rade sought cul-de-sac among the
breaks, and there, waiting until full
daylight, a squint was taken through
1.-THE glasses" at the camp.
''The blue of troops" was seen, and
''sold glory" in miniature as a cavalry
guidon. A rub of the glasses to dispel
possible achromatism and a bee line
was made for the camp.
1t was Col. Buell's command of the
Ninth United States cavalry.
After a hearty reception, a generous
breakfast, during which the advent
ures Of the night were told and the
proximity Of the Inlians reported,
s'Prairie Dog' Dave and comrade left.
departed for Adobe Wallis. Col. Buell.
put his command at the same time
after the Indians who had so murder
ously pursued his visitors the night
before.