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

enforced by eager recruits from the
young men of other bands at the reser-
walton, could fall upon the fanks and
rear Of Fenton's force and fritter it
away, as Red Cloud had massacred Fet-
terman's men long years before at old
Fort Kearny.
Everything depended on who should
get there first, and, as the Sioux said Of
Clusters column the bloody day on the
Little Horn, "the soldiers were tired. "
Extending southwark from the peaks
of the Big Horn was wild range Of ir-
regular heights, covered in places with
a thick growth of hardy young spruce
and cedars and scrub oak, slashed and
severed here and there by deep and tor.
tuous canyons with precipitous sides.
Somewhere in among those hills was a
big amphitheater known as the Indian
race course, approachable in winter at
least only through the crooked rift or
pass known for short as Elk gulch. In
Just such another natural fastness and
only few miles away to the northeast
had the Cheyennes made their famous
stand against five times their weight in
fighting men the bitter winter Of 1875,
battle the cavalry long had cause to
remember, and now, with but hand
full Of troops as compared with the force
led in by Mackenzie, Wayne had right
before him similar problem to tackle.
The only points in his favor were that
Big Roads braves were as few as his
own and that Fenton had already sent
force to race the Indians to their ref
uge.
At 8 O'Clock the darkness was intense.
There was no moon to light their way,
and their only guide was the deep trail
in the snowy surface left by the retreat
ing Indians. The darkness was no deep
er than the gloom in eve-y heart, for
Fenton was gone, wronged and calum-
mated man, and they, his loyal soldiers,
obedient to a higher duty still, were
forced tn push on and finish his work
without him. For an hour only at snail's 8
pace had they followed the trail. Bat
and his associates had had many mar
row escape Lieutenant Martin, COM
manding the advance, had had his horse
shot under him. Sergeant Roe had a
bullet through his coat, and Corporal
Werrick, riding eagerly in the lead, got
another through the shoulder. Luckily
it was not very cold, but all the same
most of the men were becoming slug
gish and sleepy, and that was just about
the time Wayne might be expected to
wake up. And wake up he did.
81 have had no orders on no account
to attack" said he, land I haven't time
to read all the rot they've wired to Fem
ton. Watch for the next shots ahead
there" he cried to the foremost troop
ers, "and sock it to them!'
Then it was beautiful to see how
even the horses seemed to rouse from
their stupor and apathy, and something
almost like cheer burst from the lips
of the younger men. Old hands took a
swig of water from their canteens and
bite at the comforting plug. Out from
tho sockets came the brown carbines,
and fresh platoon was ordered up to
relieve the advance, and Lieutenant
Randolph took Martins place at the
front. Every little while through the
darkness ahead had come flash and
report from the invisible foe, and, as
these had been suffered unavenged, it
was soon observed that the lurking
warriors grew bolder and that with
every shot the distance seemed to de-
crease. For half an hour past they had
Leen coming in from easy pistol range,
and Randolph took the cue. Bidding
his men open out and ride several yards
apart, yet aligned as much as was pos
sible, he ordered carbines dropped and
revolvers drawn and then, trotting along
the rear of the dozen, gave his quick
caution to man after man. "Watch for
the flash and let drive at it. Even if we
don hit, We'll keep them at respectful
distance" he said, and the words were
hardly out of his mouth when a ruddy
light leaped over the snow, a shot went
tipping past his head, and then, follow
ed by a roar Of approval from the main
column, the revolvers Of the advance
cracked and sputtered their answer.
The landscape was lit up for an instant,
dark forms went pounding and scurry-
ing away from the front, and moment
later there uprose q cheer over at the
right, and Randolph galloped to the
spot. An Indian pony lay kicking,
struggling, stiffening in the snow, shot
through the body, and the rider had had
to run for it.
"That's right, Randolph" said the
major, squirting to his side. "Now, keep
'em off, but don't push too hard. Re-
member. we've got to give Farwell
time"
"How far ahead is that confounded
canyon, Bat?" asked the adjutant at
the moment.
"Not more than two miles now. ]
hunted buffalo all over here when l was
boy" was the answer. "Big Roads
people all there by this time, I'm
afraid" "
"Then you think that they got there
frst-that they've got the blufts?'
"'Fraid so. Big Road no fool. be
wouldn't let his village drive into q
gulch and not guard the bluffs. If the
captain got there first, they'd have
found it out by this time and signaled
for help. The reason I. believe they
think they're all safe is that so many
Indians hang around us out here.
And just then came a grunt OF disgust
from La Bonte. The colonel at his side
said "H-lp' and all excitable trooper
called out, Look therel What's that"
for over at the northwest, all OH sud
den, brilliant column Of flame hao
burst through the blackness of tho might
| oud CONT q broad g1nrp streaming Oyel