Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-12-10
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colonel was forbidden, as was every body
else, to SEQ him even for a moment
Not only had the fash Of the explosion
wrecked his eyesight, but there was
grave reason to fear that he had inhaled
the flame. Captain Leale was suffering
torment, yet bearing his burden without
q moan.
A troubled man was the veteran post
surgeon all that woeful week. Ellis
Farrar. delirious in burning fever, NAL
colin Leale PROSTATE on bed Of pain.
blind and breathing only in agonized
gasps, Mrs. Farrar looking 80 fragile
and weak that it seemed as though
breath might blow away the feeble
flicker Of her life, others Of the women
more or lees overcome and shocked by
the events of the last few days. and now,
right in the midst Of it all, came indi-
oations of trouble in the Indian village
up the stream-powwowing, speech
making and dancing by night, runners
fitting to and from the Big Horn, mes
sengers darting in from other tribes
and when Fenton sent for Big Road to
come into the Office and explain the
chief temporized, expressed himself as
suspicious Of some plot to separate him
from his people and to hold him as
hostage at the fort.
II Colonel Fenton desired to talk. let
Colonel Fenton come to the council
lodge at the village, but leave his SOL
diers behind. Big Roads old men had
seen visions and had heard warnings,
his medicine chiefs had been signaled
by the Great Spirit, his young men were
excited and alarmed, his women were
weeping and gathering their children
to their knees. If the white chief meant
peace and friendship, let him show it
by coming to his lodge with gifts in his
hands instead of guns. He (the white
chief) was rich, and his horses and his
young men were fat and strong. Big
Road was poor and his people were
hungry and cold, his sponies dying. Fen
ton indeed would have gone with only
his adjutant and interpreter and sin
gle orderly but for the warning Of q
Brule girl who had left her people q
few years before to follow soldier low
er and had made her home among the
whites, o patient, sorrowing woman.
ever since his untime]y death. Tho
Amorys had provided for her in every
way, for tho soldier was one Of the cap
tain's troop, and she had grown deeply
attached to them, even though now oc-
casionally visiting her kindred.
1t was at luncheon, talking to his
wife, that Amory told Of Colonel Fen
toms purpose of riding over to the vii
lage that very afternoon, and the story
was repeated in the kitchen, where 1t
reached tho ears of the Indian girl. In
an instant she had darted out Of the
house and gone to the colonel's, where
she frightened Lucretia out of her seven
senses with the first words she uttered:
"They kill the colonel! He no goP'
Luckily, Wayne was at hand to soothe,
support and explain. Other officers were
sent for, and, despite Fenton's pooh
poohing, 80 strong were their arguments
that at 2 o'clock a messenger was dis
patched to Big Roads bailiwick to tell
him the colonel had heard that which
made him say to the Indian chief that
now the only way in which he would
meet him would be at the adjutant's
Office, as originally proposed, or else
alone and unarmed midway between
the fort and the village, no soldiers or
warriors being allowed to approach
within 200 yards, unless, indeed, Big
Road himself should propose an adju'
tant for each. If this was satisfactory,
let the time be set for O'Clock and
Fenton would be there.
The half breed messenger came back
in half an hour "Big Road would send
his answer by a squaw," and that was
Big Roads way Of saying that the white
chief was an old woman. Utterly for
getful now Of the service Fenton had
rendered his people and him. duped by
the visions Of his medicine men and
fuddled with the liquor lavished on him
by the cowboys, Big Road was hot for
war.
No souaw came, no conference took
place. Darkness was settling down up,
on the post when at last the westward
sentries reported small party OF In
dians riding out from the village to-
ward Fort Frayne. The trumpeters
were just scattering after sounding re-
treat when the officer Of the day con-
veyed the news to Fenton, and in two
minutes an officer, with dozen men,
trotted out from the stables OF Troop
K and 400 yards beyond the sentry
posts signaled to the advancing war
riors, "Halt"
There were ten in the party and Big
Road was not among them. The OIL
GERS, returning from stables and retreat
roll call, had gathered about the colo
mel on the westward bluff and fleldglass-
es were brought to bear on the opposing
parties, now only dimly visible in the
cleaning. Over at the barracks the
meu were still gathered about their re-
spective parades, despite the fact that
supper was ready and they as ready for
supper. All over the garrison had gone
the rumor of Big Road hostile and de,
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