The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1897-02-04
FORT FRAYNE.
fCoNTINUED.)

Stung to the quick, FenJOn neverJne-
less pressed vigorously on. The result
would justify him, and he could wait
for his vindication until the campaign
was over. The village at SHUTDOWN could
not be more than three miles away, said
his scouts, and the energy of Big Road g
defensive measures was redoubled. In
structions to do nothing to provoke hos
tilities were dead letters, now that hos
Utilities 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 in 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 pretense 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
Try landscape, and the two troops dis
patched on this stirring and perilous
mission were 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
squirting 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
a 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
Wayne's face and the unspoken SYM
pathy and sorrow were too much for
him. Call right, old boy" said he as
he refolded the papers. 'Pitch in now
and finish up the business, with my
blessing. Bat" he continued, turning
to the swarthy guide, chow far is it
over to the Allison ranch? I think Til
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. CPL take the job of
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
But even Fenton hardly realized how
very much depended. It was now about
o'clock, and ever since the early dawn
the cavalry had been pressing steadily
1T the heels of the Indian rear guard,
never firing, never responding to the
challenge Of shot or shout from the
scampering warriors before them. Again
and again had Bat and his half breed
cousin, La Bonte, striven 30 get Big
Road to halt and parley; but though
the signals were fully understand, old
Road was mad with the mingled rage
Of fight and whisky and believed him
should rival that of 1876 and place him.
as battle chief, head of an army of
warriors that should overrun the north
west. Anxious only to get the women
and children safely in among the fast
nesses of the hills, he contented himself
therefore through the ivelong day with
holding the troops at long arm 9 length,
opening lively fire when they sought to
push ahead. It was glorious fun for him
and his. Well they knew that so far at
least the soldiers were forbidden to at
tack. With the coming of another day
Big Road planned to have his village
far in among the clefts and canyons Of
the range, where few resolute war
riors could defend the pass against an
advance, while he and his braves, re-
enforced by eager recruits from the
young men Of other bands at the reser-
walton, could fall upon the TANKS and
rear Of Fenton's force and fritter it
away, as Red Cloud had massacred Fet-
terman's men long years before at old
Fort Kearny.
Everything depended on who should
get there first, and, as the Sioux said Of
Clusters column the bloody day on the
Little Horn, the soldiers were tired. -
Extending southwark from the peaks
Of the Big Horn was wild range of ir-
rop,7 10 boirbfS oCuorod IN, r1oooo NTH