The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-12-10
CHAPTER Y.

Just as first call for tattoo w03 sound-
ing Ono one having thought TO tell the
orderly trumpctor that, both on account
OF the holiday and the unexpected dvty
for the gmi ison, 'tho rules were Hus.
pcnGCd"D long column of cavalry
wound away through the simmer Of
tho snowy moonlight and Disappeared
from sight along the flats below the
post. Fonton and Wayne, with four Of
tho six troops, had ridden down stream
for ten mile march. lis object was 10
bring Big Road, with his little village,
warriors, women, children, ponies, dogs,
dirt and all, within the lines of tho
reservation Of Fort Fraync. Once there
even cowboy dare not mOlCSt them and
no self appointed sheriff could imrusn
his authority. With all Thoruc's bias.
ter EcntOn felt reasonably assured that
even i'll so turbulent II corner Of WV
oming the mlstlcrs could not muster in
force sufficient to warrant an attack
that night.
Big Roads braves were few in num-
bcr, Int they wCro fighters to Il m%il.
ThCir sins, like those of ull their trihc
and kindred tribes, had long since been
forgiven thom by LJnclc s|;Iu, and it
was not for his vaSsa?S to keep ND the
feud. Rare, indeed arc the cases when
tho soldier has long cherished Il gru,.21
against tho Indian. Thc Twelfth h;ld
fought like devils after the murder, as
they could but regard il, of their beloved
colonel, but when the opposing; band had
finally surrendered aud accepted the sit
untlon all rancor speedily died away.
1t seemed to the regiment, therefore,
perfectly natural and obvious thing
that it should hasten forth TO protect
this little remnant from the revenge Of
the whites Laramie Pete, with all his
1aults, Was Il frontier hero whose poDu.
larliy WAS second only TO that OF TLulpr,
ana at the lattcr's call, from far anu
near, cowboy, ranchmaM, minor and
prospcclOr would hasten to Join forces
under his leadership, and in ~ hours Or
less he could count on 800 determined
followers, fearless rs they were reckless,
and defiant Of amy law that was not Of
their own dcNiSing.
III tho selection Of his troops FcntOn
had been governed by the time honored
tcncts of the Twelfth. Lculc's men,
having returned but II month before
from Il tour OF dGtuchcd service, escort
ing government survey through the
lands Of tho ShOshOnC8 far to the west,
were therefore tho oucs designated to
remain in charge of tho posi-, being sup
ported by what WAS left Of the so called
Indian ,rOOp-CrUNI kHiru'$ company, Il
band of sWrthy CAvanyMJn that took
Uncle Sans clothing, pay and rltions
with aVIuIty, and even to his drill and
discipline, so lCUg rs it was Il now toy,
but little by little tho inmate Siolh and
rcstlCSSnCSH Of the savage nature pre-
vailed, and, one aftCr HnCthtr, MOncOM-
misSionCd officer and private, the Sioux
sOldicry had been discharged an, il nearly
all were gone. or tie dozen that re.
manned, however, were some Of tho
noblcSt specimens OF the race, mon,
who, like Grow Knife, seemed deter
mined to rise above the apathy Of the
past into some position Of power and III
fucnco for their people III the future,
and it was almost unspcaiahl0 grief to
these that they should he told that they
could not go with the command.
Yet Ecnton's decision WAS Il wise one
Ever since Big Roads messengers
(Whito Wolf and Pretty Bcar) dashed
into the garrison at s O'Clock, claiming
the intCrccSsiOn of the Great Father 8
soldiers, tho excitement among the rom
nant of the Indian troop was furious
For IL moment it looked aS though they
might cast off their uniforms and, turn
ing out in brccchclout and paint and
feathers, indulge in Il gcmin0 old fash
Il
were wild to get their arms and horses
and to gallop to the sucCOr Of their kins-
men down the valley, bat the lieutenant
commanding was a cool hand, and, aided
by tho persuasive talk OF one or two
older warriors, mcaSurably QuiotCd tLc
disturbance. Then, as most OF the mo-.
Oh guard begged to be allowed TO 70
with their comrades, seven Of the H.
dians were distributed among the three
rclicfs, and Lcalc's mon filed -! tho
other gaps. 1t was about Q 30, ~ has
been said, whom tho cOlumn marched
away. 1t might be back before Christ.
mas night. 1t might not be back for n
week. No ono at the moment couM say
because, even now, Big Road could have
broken camp and started with his whole
Village on night march for lic fast,
nosses OF tho mountains, uncertain what
fate might be in store for them if ne rc.
manned. With the column went WhiU
Wolf and Bear, the former generally
believed to hc one Of the four Indun,
engaged in tho fracns that wound up thC
earthly career of Laramie Pete. Ahcat
Of tho column, full gallop, with only ;
single orderly, but with instructions tt
tell Big Road and ispcoplo to stay ius
whero they were, as the Great Father
meant to como to their protection, wen
Lieutenant Warren, and the maddcst
"miscrab,cst' man in all tho garrisoi
was Lieutenant VIII FHTar.
When a young jcii0" is full Of sol
dicrly ambition, when he knows he j.
master of his work and is eager for n
opportunity 60 proyoit, when everybody
has been trcHt ing him as Il Lor and il,
knows he has all tho ability Of Il man
whon his sweetheart, cvcn, has bccl