Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-12-17
had issued the first order, which was
that Fenton should Immediately escort

" W 4" $40 q
Bv the light of a little pocket lantern Fen
ton read.
Big Road and his people back to the
agency and then report to these head
quarters for consultation. That dis
patch, if delivered, would have ruined
all the plans Of the plainsmen. and the
wires We're clipped the moment warn
ing came, and it never got beyond the old
substation on the Laramie until after the
repairs were made, but other dispatch
es were wired from below the breaks,
alleging first that, so far from Fenton's
doing as ordered, he was apparently
bent on driving Big Roads people up
the river or into the open field, then
that he had done so, and that the In
dians were now raiding the scattered
ranches and driving the cattle into the
foothills, while the settlers were fleeing
in terror. Fenton's dispatches, wired
before Big Roads escapade, had, of
course, been received, but his report of
the situation was at utter variance with
that from the agency and those from
the Thorpe party. Gross mismanage-
ment and general incompetency were
the principal allegations against Fenton,
though the astute "hustlers" did not
forget to add drunkenness to the list as
one which the public would accept
without question, he being an army
officer, and when the governor himself
was induced to add his complaint to
those of his enterprising people the
general yielded.
The dispatches sent by courier called
for explanation Of the charges made by
tho agent and civilians, intimated doubt
as to the wisdom of Fenton 8 course or
the accuracy of his information and
wound up with the significant clause,
"Do nothing to provoke hostilities or
arouse the fears Of the Indians, and
here he had been in hot pursuit Of them
all the livelong day.
Stung to the quick, Fcnton neverthe-
less pressed vigorously on. The result
would justify him, and he could wait
for his vindication until the campaign
was over. The village at sundown could
not be more than three miles away, said
his scouts, and the energy of Big Roads
defensive measures was redoubled. In
structions to do nothing to provoke hos
tilities were dead letters, now that hos
tilities had actually been provoked-not
by him or his people, but, between
them, by Big Road and the cowboys.
There was only one course for Fenton
to take, and that was to overhaul the
village and peaceably if he could, but
forcibly if he must, escort it back with
in the reservation lines. Bat had rid
den up just as the sun was disappear
ing to say that the Indians seemed to
be heading for deep cleft i'll the foot
hills through which the buffalo in by
gone days had made their way. Now,
if Fenton could only send Farwell or
Amory with half the squadron to gal
lop in wide detour to the west under
cover of the darkness and seize the bluffs
overhanging the canyon, meantime
making every pretonse Of keeping up the
pursuit with the remainder OF his force,
he might trap the village while most Of
its defenders were still far away. Dark
ness settled down over the desolate win
t1y landscape, and the two troops dis
patched on this stirring and perilous
mission We're those Of Farwell and NAL
colin Leale. the latter led by its boy
lieutenant, Will Farrar
One hour later, as the advance was
still cropping along the trail and the
weary troopers, alternately leading
afoot and riding sleepily in narrow col
umn, pushed steadily in their tracks,
two horsemen ON jaded mounts came
spurring from the rear, and Wayne,
with sorrowful face, handed his dis
patches to the colonel. By the light of
little pocket lantern Fenton read,
while in brooding silence knot of half
dozen officers gathered about them.
The closing paragraph is all we need to
quote: "You will therefore turn over
the command to Major Wayne and re-
port in person at these headquarters
without unnecessary delay. Acknowl-
edge receipt" At any other time the
colonel might have been expected to
swear vigorously, but the trouble in
Wayno's face and tho unspoken SYM
pathy and sorrow We're too much for
him. "All right, old boy" said he as
he refolded the papers. "Pitch in row
and finish up the business, with my
blessing. Bat" he continued, turning
to the swarthy guide, how far is 1T
over to the Allison ranch? l think I'll
sleep there" And no further words
were needed to tell the little group that
their colonel had been removed from
command just on the eve of consumma-
tion of his plans, and he was the only
man of the lot who didn't look as
though all heart had been taken out of
him as the immediate result.
oh that fellow Thorpe! It's his
doing" swore the adjutant between his
set teeth. "He has never forgiven us
for spelling his scheme to clean out the
whole band"
Don't waste time swearing" said
Fenton grimly. 'I'll take the job Off
your hands. They're heading for Elk
Springs. Wayne, and I've sent Farwell
with two troops around to the left to
find their way to the bluffs and get there
first. Everything depends on that. y
But even Fenton hardly realized how
very much depended. It was now about
O'Clock, and ever since the early dawn
the cavalry had heen messing steadily