The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-01-05

there" he cried to the foremost troop.
ers. "and sock it to themP
Then it YVES beautiful to see how
even the horses seemed to rouse from
their stupor and apathy, and something
almost like cheer burst from the lips
Of the younger men. Old hands took a
swig Of water from their canteens and
q bite ut the comforting plug. Out from
tho sockets came the brown carbines.
and fresh platoon was ordered up to
relieve the advance, and Lieutenant
Randolph took Martins place at the
front. Every littlo while through the
darkness ahead had come flash and
report from the invisible foe, and, as
these had been suffered unavenged, it
was soon observed that the lurking
warriors grew bolder and that with
every shot tho distance seemed to de-
crease. For half an hour past they had
been coming in from easy pistol range,
and Randolph took the cue. Bidding
his men open out and ride several yards
apart, yet aligned rs much as was DOS.
slble, no ordered carbines dropped and
revolvers drawn and then, trotting along
tho rear OF tho dozen, gavo his quick
caution to man after man. "Watch for
tho flash and let drive at it. Even if we
dom hit, We'll keep them at a respectful
distance" no said, and tho words We're
hardly out Of his mouth when q ruddy
light lenped over the SNOW, n shot went
zippiDg past his head, and then, follow
ed by roar Of approval from tho man
column, the rovolvcrs of tho advance
cracklcd and sputtcred their answer
| 1'hp lnr,lcppr,o liz fc,
dark forms went pounding aud scurry-
ing away from tho front, ard n momcht
later there uproso cheer over at the
right, and Randolph gallopcd to tho
spot. An Indian PONY lay kicking,
struggling, stiffening III tho snow, shot
through the body, and tho rider had had
to run for it.
That's right, Randolph" said the
major, squirting to his side. "Now, keep
'em Off, but don't push too hard. Ro-
momber, we've got to give Farwoll
time"
''How far ahead Is that confounded
canyon, Bat?" asked tho adjutant at
the moment.
"Not moro than two miles now. I
hunted buffalo all over here when was
boy" was tho answer. "Big Road's
people all there by this time, I'm
AFRAID
"Then you think that they got there
tirst-that they We got tho bluffs?'
'Fraid 30. Big Road no fool. He
wouldn't let his village drive into
gulch and not guard tho bluffs If the
captain got there first, they'd havo
found 1T out by this time and signalcd
for help. The reason I believe thoy
think they're all safe is that so many
indians hang around Us out here
And just then came grunt Of disgust
from La Bonte. The colonel at his side
said "H-lV' and an cxcitable trooper
called out, ''Look thcrel What's that2"
for over at the northwest all on n sud
den, q brilliant column of flame had
burst through tho blackness of tho night
and sent q broad glare streaming over
the snow clad surface Of the rolling
prairie.
They're on to us, by the etcrnall"
cried the adjutant, who loved the Jack
sonian form of oxpletivc. "Listenr"
But no one listened moro than an instant.
Even through tho muflling covcrlet Of
snow tho rumble and rush Of hun
drcd pony hoofs, like low, distant thun-
der, told Of the instant flight Of Big
Roads braves in answer to the signal.
| Wayne was ablaze III q second.
"Close up on the head OF column"
he shouted to tho troop leaders. Como
on, now, mon, for all you're worth.
Thore isn't second to spare.
And as tho amazed and wcaried
horses gavo answer to tho spur and
broke into numbering gallop far over at
the west the rocks began to ring to tho
crackle Of musketry. Farwell and tho
Sioux had olinched on tho bluffs to tho
south Of the springs and were fighting
in tho dark for the right of way.
Ten miles away, at Allison's ranch,
woaried with the sleepless toll of "a
hours, too weary to be kept awake even
by the cxaspcrating sense Of his wrongs,
the colonel was just rolling into his
blankets for much needed rest before
setting forth with the rising sun on his
homeWard road. Fifty miles away over
tho White cxpanso Of prairie, under the
cold and glittering skies, Marjorie Far
rar sat by tho bedside Of her beloved
daughter, praying oeaseleBsly for the
safety OF Oh equally beloved son now
riding for tho first time in his brave
young life to prove his worthiness to
bear the fathers namc in headlong fight
with savage and skillful foe.
And if ever n young follow, wearer
Of the army blue, realized to the full
extent tho hopes and faith and fondness
ccntercd in him this night Of nights, it
was Will Farar. Barely arrived at
mans estate, not yet year out Of the
cadet coatce, with his mother. his Sis
ter, his sweetheart, all there at the old
fort so long associated with his fathers
name, with that namo to maintain, and
not only that, but with Malcolm Leale's
old troop as ono man looking up to him
rs their leader, yet competent, down to
tho very last man, to note tho faintest
flaw should he fail them, the junior
subaltern Of tho Twelfth, the "plebe"
lieutenant, as his elders laughingly
spoke Of him, found himself, as though
some special providence had swept from
his path every possible barrier to danger
and distinction, lifted suddenly to q
command that seldom falls to army
subalterns today even within dozen
years and bidden hore and now to win
his spurs for the honor of tho old troop,
the honor Of the Twelfth, the honor Of
the name his father made famous and
that no must maintain or die in trying
10. All this, and God alone knows how
much more besides, went thrilling