The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-14
lieutenant?" muttered the trooper near

lieutenant?" muttered the trooper near
est him.
But Deans young face was grave
and clouded. Certainly the Indians
acted as though they were totally I'M
aware OF the presence of troops, but
the more he thought the more he
knew that no big body of Sioux would
he travelling across country at so crit
ical time Country too, that was con-
quered as this was from their enemies,
the Crows without vigilant scouts afar
out on front and flank. The more he
thought the more he knew that even
as early as o'clock those keen-eyed
| fellows must have sighted his little
| column, conspicuous as it was because
! of its wagons. Beyond question, he
| told himself, the chief of the band or
village so steadily approaching from
! the northeast had full information OF
| their presence, and was coming con-
| f1dently ahead. What had he to fear?
! Even though the blood of settlers and
soldiers might still be red upon the
hands of his braves, even though fresh
1-ScalpS might be dangling at this mo-
'1nent from their Shields what mattered
it? Did he now know that the safe
! guard of the Indian bureau spread like
| the wing of a protecting angel over
him and his people. forbidding troops
to modest or open fire unless they them
/ selves were attacked? Did he not
! laugh in his ragged shirt sleeve at the
| policy of the white foo! who would
| permit the red enemy to ride boldly
! up to his soldiers, count their num-
| bers, inspect their array, satisfy him
! self as to their armament and readl-
! ness, then calculate the chances, and,
! If he thought the force too strong, ride
/ on his way with only significant ges-
! tuTe in parting insult? If, on the con-
: then
| turn his braves loose, surround, mas
| s;lcre and scalp, and swear before the
! commissioners sent out to investigate
! next moon that he and his people knew
nothing about the matchmaking, at
| least, that they could be induced to
| tell.
| One moment more Dean watched
and waited. Two of the Indians in the
! ravine were busily loading their rifles.
+ Two others were aiming over the bank,
; for, with the strange stupidity OF their
kind, the other buffalo, even when
startled by the shot had never sought
safety in flight, but were now smiling
! the Odor of blood on the tainted air.
/ and slowly, Wonderingly drawing near
the stricken leader as though to ask
! what allied him. Obedient and doclle
! the Indian ponies stood with dropping
/. heads, hidden under the shelter Of the
! steep banks. Nearer and nearer came
! the big black animals bulky, stupid,
/ fatuOus; the foremost lowered huge
| head to sniff at the blood ooZing from
the shoulder of the dying bull, then two
more shots puffed out from the ravine,
the huge head tossed suddenly in air,
ard the ungainly brute started ard
staggered, Whirled about and darted
a few yards away, then plunged on its
| knees, and the next moment, startled
at some sight the soldier watchers
/ could not see the black band was
seized with sudden panic, and darted
like mad into the depths of the water
course, disappeared one moment from
/ sight, then, suddenly reappearing,
came laboring up the hither side,
straight for the crest on which they
! lay, dozen black bounding, painting
beasts laundering over the ground,
followed by half dozen darling In
dian ponies, each with his 1.-the red
rider scurry ing in pursuit.
"Out of the way, men! Don't hre!'
shouted Dena. And, scrambling back
toward their horses, the lieutenant
and his men drew away from the front
of the charging herd, invisible as yet
| to the halted troop and to the occu-
pants of the ambulance, whose eager
heads could be seen poked out at the
side doors of the leading vehicle, as
! though watching for the cause of the
sudden halt.
And then thing happened that at
least one man saw and fortunately re-
! membered later. Bryan, the trumpet
er with jabbing- heels and tapping
| arms, was tearing back toward the
troop at the moment at the top speed
of his gray charger, ALREADY so near
that he was shouting to the sergeant
IN the lead. HBy this time, too, that
veteran trooper, with the quick sense
of duty that seemed to inspire the
wartime sergeant, fhad jumped his lit
tie column front into line to meet
the unseen danger; so that now, with
carbines advanced, some thirty blue
Jackets were aligned in the loose fight
ing order of the prairies in front of
the foremost wagon. The sight of the
distant officer and men tumbling hur-
riedly back and TO one side, out of the
way presumably of some swiftly-com-
ing peril, acted like magic on the line.
Carbines were quickly brought to
ready. the gun locks cracking in che
rus as the horses pranced and snorted.
But it had a varying effect on the oc-
cupants of the leading wagon. The
shout of Indians from Bryan's lips.
the sight of scurry on the ridge ahead
brought tfe engineer and aide-de-
camp sprir sing out, rifle in hand, to
take their manly part in the coming
fray 1t should have brought. Maj.
Burleigh, too, but that appropriately
named non-combatant never showed
outside An instant more and to the
sound of rising thunder, before the as
tonished eyes of the cavalry line there
burst into view, full tear for safety,
the uncouth, yet marvelously swift
running leaders of the little herd. The
whole dozen came flying across the
sky line and down the gentle slope,
heading we'll around to the left Of the
line of troopers, while sticking to their
TANKS like red nettles half a dozen
young warriors rode like the wind on
their nimble ponies, cracking away
with revolver or rifle in savage joy in
the glorious sport Too much for Bur-
leieh's nerve was the combination Of
sounds. thunder of hoofs and sputter
OF shots, for when a cheer of Sympa-
thetic delight went up from the SOL
der line at sight of the chase, and the
Young engineer sprang to the door Of
the ambulance to help the major out,
he found him a. limp and CHASTITY heap,
ouiyering with terror in the bottom of
the wagon. looking for all the world as
if he were trying to crawl under the
seat.
CHAPTER ".
AWAY to the left of the little command
tore the quarry and the chase Out on the
rolling prairie barely four hundred yards
from where the ambulance and mules were
backed into a tangle of traces and Whlt-
fetrees and fear-stricken creatures, another
buffalo had dropped in a heap; swarthy
rider had tumbled off his pony, cut a slash
or two with ever-ready knife, and then,
throwing a bead-bedizened left leg over his
eager little mount. had gone flashing away
after his fellows, not without Jeerlng slap
at the halted scldiery. Then, in almost
loss time than IL takes to tell it. the pursued