Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-19
CHAPTER II.

Hush! Silence there" for dimly
seen through the drifts Colonel Farrar,
with his little party of attendants, came
riding 10 the front of the lire Long.
long afterward they remembered that
clear car, soldiorly. high bred face.
with its aquiline nose. keen. kindly,
deep set eyes. the gray white nustache.
snow white now. as was his close crop.
pod hair.
Wen" said he III the firm tones
they had known so long and well.
fully half the band are some miles
away, but Kill Eagle. with over 100
warriors, is right here in our front; so.
too, are his women and children: so.
too. worse luck, are some Of our own
unhappy captives. You all know the
first thing those Indians would do. were
we 20 attack ~ usual. would be to muir.
der those poor white women. This SNOW.
storm Is in our favor. We can creep
right in upon them before we charge.
The ponies are down in the valley. to
the south. Let the first line dash straight
through the village and stampede the
herd. then rally and return. Let tine
second follow ut 100 yards and sur.
rpund ,be tcnocs M tho o,s,,rnrI .n5
wha. whit, women Arc ,r;,h ,Lo,,, ,r].
,horr Tbc Jndi,n W., ,s = 81 Ill
max, n dash in the dirre,ion Of Tho NO.
nies. Shoot them down wherever YOU
can. hut mark my words now. b. care
full OF the women and children. / had
intended summonipg Kill Eagle to sur.
render but xe did not bov;n 20 knnv,
he had 81 many ,varr,or. c,nso n, h,,d
and did not know about tho c,nt;vos
Bat has seen. and ,b.. il epouyb Tbcyn
IL no other wny Tn sc,tl, il LIS tho ON,
chance Of r,scuinp those poor creatures
Now. keen together. Watch vopr officers.
command. and signals. and sporr ,be
squaws ard papooses. BE ready in two
minutes"
And then every man tool, long
breath. while the colonel rode through
TO say similar words to the second line.
Then. returning. he placed himself Just
III the rear Of the center Of the first
squadron. the second line noise!essly
advancing and closing up on the lead
ers, and then he seemed TO think Of IN.
other point.
ASK Mr.. Ormsby If he will ride
with me- said he to the adjutant.
Now, LCalc. forward Il. q walk. Fol.
low Bat. It's all level ahead Of YOU
You II sight the village in three or four
minutes"
The tail. stalwart captain touched his
hat. tool; off his broad brim, shaking
away load of snow. and spurred out a
little to the front. There. looking back
10 both his right and left, he gave the
signal Forward" and with almost n
single impulse the long, dark rank of
horscmen, open ut the center in an in
terval Of some half dozen wards. with.
out other sound than the slight rattle If
n6coutermcnts and the muii,ed rumb,.
of 500 hoofs, moved steadily forward
\ moment the colonel sat and watched
1hcm. smiled n cordial greeting to Orms
by. who. pistol in hand. came trott,ny
over with the adinta,,t: then. signaling
TO the second line. he. too. gay, his
horse the rein. and MT n steady walk
followed close to tho center Of Ic,le'.
command. In his hand at tho moment
he held little pockct commas and
smiled AS no noted the line of direction
Almost due southeast a, this i'm.
slant, :" said he I'VE ought ,o bap IN,
game aud bo we'll acros. Tho Min, Pr,
with them in less than an Lour"
Unconsciously the pacc was opictc,.
ing Foremost Of ali. well ONT in fro,,
of the center, rode the half breed Indian
guide. bending low over In. ponv's
neck. his black. beady owes rccri,,
ahead. Wei, out to the right and loft
were other scouts. eager mud ,I.r, liz.
bat himself Then, s1uarclv in the con.
ter. ON his bug. powerful tay. rode
IcoIc. commander of th, foremost line
and Ormshv's soIdierlv heart tbrnbhcd
with admiration as he marked. nus, bc.
fore Lc,le was hidden from view b,s
spirited. confident bearing and noted
how the eyes Of all the line seemed rxcI
an tbcir gallant leader. And NOV, sc,,,.,
az the horses bs-an to darce aud ,p,. =,