Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-10-02
CHAPTER XVI

juno nau CONC. u riulant juno. ana
all at Frayne was joyous anticipation.
despite the momcntous fact that the
Platte had overleapcd its bounds and
was raging like some mad mountain
torrent far rs the eve coulu see. The
flats to the west of the post were one
broad. muddy lake. The grassy bench
beneath the bluffs to- the east was par.
tally O away. Part Of Bunko Jim's
frontier stronghold still clung to the
opposite bank. but some Of u wa dis.
tributed in driftwcod long leagues down
stream. Across the river. at a point
half a mile above the ruin q. the terry.
house. a troop OF cavalry. caught on re.
turn from scout. had pitched its tents
and picketed its horses and was waiting
for the falling If the waters To enable
it to return to its station. aud with that
troop. the maddest man in all wyo.
ming. was Lieutenant Will Farrar.
Six or seven weeks previously an 90.
der had come to Fenton 60 send two
troops to scout the western slopes of the
Big Horn and keep the peace between
the settlers and the ShoshoncS. Time
was when these latter rarely vcnturrd
ACROSS the Big Horn river. partly
through fear Of the Sioux. who claimed
sovereignty over all the lands east cf the
Shcshonc preserves in the Wind river
valley, partly through regard for the or.
dcrs Of their loyal old chief. wsI~hakic.
who for long. long years e his life had
kept faith with the great white father.
held his people IN cheek and suffered
tire inevitable Consequences of puycrfy
" neglect. the policy IT the Indian
bureau being to load with fayors only
those of its wards who defy IL aud deal
Scath to the whites. Settlers seldom
encroach npon the Sioux. fhosc gcnfry
being ~abuDdantly able and n thar
willing 20 take care of themselves. bu'
the Shoshones had known long years n
enervatine peace and. being held II
subsection BY their chief, became th.
natural prey Of the whites. who miStool
suoordis alton for suhscrvicnrc, rs i
natural to frecborn Americans and n
easily adopted by fellow citizens of for
eiSn birth and who soon began to en-
ernach on their own account. stralin,
Shoshons crops and cattle and promp,l,
accusing the army officer on duty q
agent Of cattle stealing and all aroun.
ra>ca!ity when he rcscizcd the cap;uroi
STOCK.
Then. while this badgcred official va
defending himself in court. the sho
shones had to defend Themselves in tn
field. and that pcripafctic buffer betweei
b oppresscr and the oppressed. TIA
corporations and the cranks. the Law
and the lawlc-s-ihe much b-dcvilci
army-was sent out rs usual TO rccciv
b sings and ARROWS of outrageous for
u n and II both parties. Finding ]
difficult IN swiDdlc the Sbohcn,. ~ ION
as their now agenf-ihc array agent
remained IN rrwer. tho obvious thin
was 10 down him Nv misrepresentation
at Washington and. If that didn't work
by deft manipulation. 81 the loral law
OF course they didn't cxpect 10 prov
him guilty Of anything. but therr wa
no law against lying. and they coul
compel him to come into court an,
prove himself innocent and leave his mn
armed wards at the mercy Of the settle
In h meantime, and 30 il happcpe
that there were high jipks M the Win
riyer valley and slonz ..ose wonderfu