Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1897-10-23
CAPTAIN CLOSE
copyright. 1904. BY J. B. Lippincoa COL
XNII.-CoNTINUED.

responsibility OF disrcgarding MS IN
structions, and was wiser than LAM
bert In the wiles of Indian warfare.
I'D 90 myself gladly, lieutenant" he
said, "but orders are orders, and party
of four or five would be surrounded
and cut off and massacred before you
fairly realized that an Indian was near
YOU" Then Lambert had appealed to
the Texans, and the captain had re-
piled as above; and then, just when he
wac giving up in despair, sergeant
and two men, dust-covered and with
horses in n luther OF foam, rode furi-
ously In from the Waco trail.
rs IL truc?" cried the sergeant, as he
saw the unusual gathering at camp.
I'VE met Teller halfway over to Bra
zos riding like hell, warning folks the
Indians were to the north, and he said
they had jumped the stage this side OF
Cliente. It's true? And you haven't
done anything? Mount every sound
man you've got, and give us fresh
horses"
"My orders were to take care" be-
gan his comradc.
damn your orders! bring later.
The old man didn't believe 1t, and had a
sure thing ahead of him, or he'd have
turned back with the hull outfit. Why,
man, that stage-or what's left OF it,
amt thirty miles away, nm You fcllcrs
sitting here like so many damn women"
And the trooper flung himself from the
saddle Mt the word, and then caught
sight of Lambert's forage-cap and eager
face.
"Get me n horse, too, sergeant; III
90 with you. I'm Lieut.. Lambert, 1t
classmnte of your second lieutenant"
you'll 60 in command, sir, and we're
with you-six of MS, anyhow. I've heard
Corporal Walton speak of you, sir,
often. How many of you fellcrs II go?"
he demanded eagerly of the knot OF
Texans, while the few troopers hustled
about saddling spare horses and levy
ing on the list of invalid mounts, too
sore or too feeble for long chase, but
GOOD enough for thirty-mile dash
whsn IL was life or death Mt the end
of il. In an instant the whole ntmos-
phere seemed changed-chargcd with
ozone. electric force, magnetism
something-for the snap and spirit OF
the newcomer flashed from man to
man. Lambert, stranger and without
authority in the premises, could effect
nothing: Scrgt. Dolan, war veteran,
Il man they all knew, and clothed with
power rs coming direct from that mill
tary demi-god "the captain, had n dozen
men armed, equipped, in saddle and
ready for business, in ten minutes. S:S
were soldiers, six civilians who half
laughingly ranged their raw-boned
Texas ponics in line with the mounting
troopers and Dolan sung out TO Lam
bert, who had raitcd his classmates
tent for extra boots and riding brecch-
es: "We're ready, SIR"
In the hot May sunshine, ut high
noon. they went Looping nortbward over
the lovely prairie. spangled with Wild
flowers. the Colorado twistingand turn
ing like silver serpent in its green bed
to their left. Five miles out. wrctched,
hnlf-dcmcnted creature hailed them
from n clump of willows by n little
stream. "You'rc too late, you fellers
They amt anything left alive from
the Paloma TO the Calicnte, except lndi-
ans. The country's alive with them.
Good-by 10 your scalps II yon venture
ever that ridge" And he pointed 10
the long. low line of bluffs that SPAWNED
the horizon to the northwest. One man
stopped TO question, but speedily came
Galloping on in pursuit. Hes scared
out of his wits. lie can't prove what he
gays" was the brief report TO Lambert
and the sergeant. now riding side by
side at the head of The little column.
Another hour. and, closer TO the river,
they were following the meandcrinSs
Of the stage road. and the ridge doomed
higher ahead. Two more settlers had
been passed; and they were cyaggera-
tive beyond any scmbluncc OF proba-
bility.
"We'll know the truth in an hour,
lieutenant, so there's no use wasting
time with those beggars. You can see
the Paloma from yonder bluffs" was
Dolan's only comment.
Just ut one o'clock the foaming, pant.
inghorses were refined in,and the girths
loosened, while Lambert, guided by the
veteran Indian-fghter. crawled eau
tiously up the height in front of them.
Half the men dsmountcd, were sta
TONED with ready rifle or carbine where
they could command every approach.
Who could say whether Indians were
not even then lurking in every ravinc"
A young Texan, following the road,
pushed on cautiously TO the point. SO
rs 10 scout the trail beyond. With
dropping heads and heaving TANKS the
motley herd were huddled in little
swale to the right Of the road, their
holders eagerly watching the young
leader and saying few words. Warily
Dolan reachedand peered over the crest.
They could see him pointing-could
see both he and Lambert shading their
eyes Win tNciT HhuuS anu S'uTihB uNug
into space-could see Dolan suddenly
clutch the officers sleeve, and, crouch
ing lower, point as though to some OBJ
jects far out over the slopes beyond.
Then down they came, eager, elastic,
with cleaning eyes and glowing faces.
mount, men, mount There's fight
not five miles ahcnd!" sang out Dolan,
and, swinging into saddle, with Lam
bert only a length in lead, struck spurs
to his horse, the whole squad gathering
ut their heels. Young Texas, Peering
nround the point, heard them coming.
and threw long, lean leg over his
Ecraggy pony. "see auything? he
hailed.
"Yes; Indians attacking something
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