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

wintry sky and the consultations ou.
in all their glory. The pole star glowed
high aloft and held them to their course.
Out in the advance, lashing his horse
with Indian whip to keep him to his
speed, rode Brave Bear corporal OF
tho Ogalalla company, side by side
with Sergeant Bremmer. Whenever tho
drifts were deep I'm the ravines, one of
them would halt and warn the column
to swerve to the right or left. Only a
yard or two behind the two officers-
Farwell, grizzled and stout, Farrar, fair
and slender-came Looping or trotting
the leading four, and, though 1t was
not his accustomed place, there rode
Terry Rorke, where, as he had explain
ed to the satisfaction Of tho sergeant,
he could be close to "Masther Will"
Tho prairie was broad and open and
fairly level There was no need Of d.
mlnlshlng front A platoon could have
ridden abreast and found no serious OBJ
st8cle, except the snowdrifts in the deep
couloes. Two miles to tho west they
sped, moving cautiously at first so as to
give no inkling of their intent, and, for
the first time, almost doubling back up
on thor tracks, so as to keep we'll away
from the Indian rear guard.
Then, In long curve, Farwell led them
toward the low, rolling hills, now dim
ly visible against the firmament, and
presently tho ravines began to grow
deeper but farther apart, the alopes
moro abrupt, and tho westward fhills
loomed closer In their path, and still the
snowy expanse showed unbrokcn, and
Bear, bending low over his pony's neck
and watching for signs, declared that no
Indians had crossed as yet into the hills
and that the entrance to Elk gulch was
now not more than milo to tho north.
And here the hills rolled higher. both
to their front and toward the west, but
tarwell rode on up gradual ascent un-
I'll the slope began to grow steep, then,
dismounting, led the way afoot, the
whole column rolling out OF saddle and
towing Its horses In his track
Up, up they climbed until, breathing
hard now, but pushing rclentlessly on,
the captain reached tho crest, and faint
and dim In tho starlight, dotted hero
and there with little clumps of spruce
or cedar, the rolling, billowy surface
lay before him, shrouded in its mantle
OF glistening snow. Leading OH until
tho whole command had time to reach
tho top, he motioned Will to halt, while
he, with Bear and Sergeant Brcmmcr,
pushed fow yards farther on. The
column took breathing spoil and
waited.
Far out to the eastward and below
them an occasional flash rs Of rife or
revolver sparkled through the night,
and the faint report was presently borne
to their listening ears. Big Road was
still barring tho way of tho column
then, and that meant that all tho vii
lage was not yet safely within tho grim
walls OF tho canyon. Northward tho
snowy slopes rolled higher still, but it
was northwestward. among the dumps
OF trees, that the leaders had gone. The
steam from the horses nostrils and from
their hoaving hanks roso on the keen
air, and the blood raced and tinglcd in
the veins Of the men. Not whisper of
mountain breeze was astir. The night
was as still as the voiceless skies. Three,
four minutes. with beating hearts,
the little command watched and waited
and drew longer breath. and then dark
shape came jogging back from the front,
and Farwell's voice said, Mount and
como on.
Then came 10 minutes trot, winding
snakolike and in long extended column
OF twos among the stuntcd trees, and
then Farwell ordered walk" for moro
than once dark form loomed up in their
path, and Bremmer wheeled his horse
about and rodo by the captains side
eagerly explaining In low tone. Will
caught the words: Fright ahoad. You
can hear uhom distinctly, slr. and for
the lifo Of him Will could not quito
control the fiuttor Of his heart. "Halt!
Dismount and wait hercp' woro the
next orders, almost whispered, and
again Farwoll pushed out into the
front, and again tho column swung out
OF saddle, watched and waited, and
presently tho mon began to stamp about
in the snow and thrash their stifYening
fingers.
"Are we close to 'em now, Masther
WHIP" asked old Terry unrebuked.
Right ahead. they say, corporal.
But this, remember, is only tho women
and children, with q fow Of the old
men,"
"Ah, It's your fathers son ye are,
sorr-God rest his soull II it was day
time, 20 could almost SEQ from hero tho
breaks Of tho Mini Pusa, where we
struck these Indians threey - ago this
cruel winter. e"
II know" said Will briefly, "and
if-if it comes to fighting here, Rorke,
remember fathers last order. 1t may bo
harder than ever to tell buck from
squaw in 80 dim a light, but want tho
men to heed it,"
'"Thoy will, sorr, as they would if
the captain himself was at thoir head,
and, Masther Will, for the love Of hiv-
en-, wherever ye have to go this night
..k,C S,Sk .5Hn p.,S