The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-01-30


Somebody had suggested little game of
draw as an appropriate wind up of the
nights diversion.
"Why, how is that" exclaimed one of
bis friends. "You used to play a stiff
game. You haven't sworn eff, have you?"
"N-no," said the westerner, still serious
II have not sworn off, but there is no eX-
citement in the game for me now. The
last game played was too exciting"
The thrilling story thereof runs as fol-
lows:
ut was dozen years ago, when | was a
tenderfoot, with the usual allowance of
freshness and ignorance of frontier perils.
We used to call it brashiness, and was
certainly brash. | roamed around the
country rather for the better part of year,
with more or less vague purpose of set
thing somewhere, but not caring much
where.
81 was well down toward New Mexico
when there was rumor of Indian troubles,
and / heard that company of United
troops were ON the march toward one of the
principal villages where the redskins were
particularly sullen.
Il had been out hunting for a week with
a couple of fellows had met in one of the
towns, when we got the news from Il
stranger who came into our camp late at
night and asked for supper. He admitted
when we questioned him--nOt too closely,
for inquiSitveness is at a large discount on
the plains, but casually-that he was a
scout in the government employ and was
on his way to join this company.
There likely to be some pretty warm
work, he stiA when we,asEed little more,
for if the red devils are not on the war
path no" they viii I've in day or two, and
you fellows will do smart trick if you
turn back
Turning back, however, didn't seem
very attractive to me when there was so
much excitement ahead. | promptly re-
marked that | would go on with the scout
and offer my services to the captain in
command. | told you I was pretty brash
at the time. and | had no knowledge of
military affairs. My notion was that the
captain would be glad OF recruit, or, at
least that he would make no objection to
my going with him.
~! noticed that the scout looked at me a
little curously, but lie evidently thought
it was not his business to educate tender
feet, and ne only grunted. My two COM
panons were as fresh AS | was and we told
the scout we would 20 along if he had 10
objection.
It's free country, and | reckon you
can travel wherever you like, he said, with
grin that | understood better afterward.
''We started before dawn and had thirty
odd miles to 90 to strike the trail where
the company was expected to camp that
night. There We're still some ten miles to
go, when, IS we were rounding a small
hill, the scout suddenly leaped from his
horse and called to us to do the same.
"1Ie had seen Indians, and, to cut it
short, we camped that night in place
where the scout said that four men could
hold out for awhile even against the hun
dred or so in the party that had surrounded
us. 1t was certainty, though, that we
would all lose our scalps unless help came
and the Indians knew it and made them
selves comfortable just out of range of our
rifles.
"The scout didn't say much for long
time, but we could see that he was think
ing as hard as any of us and we were all
pretty busy at it. There didn't seem to
be anything to suggest, or at least there
WAS nothing chat could think of, except
ing to make dash and try to break
through.
''Nobody said anything in reply when
spoke Of that, and the scout gave me look
of disgust that made me angry enough, hut
shut me mp all the same. Finally he said:
"'It's Just this way: These devils have
caught MS and they know it. They won't
make rush, for they know we will shoot
and an Indian will never risk being shot If
he can get his man without it, We can't
fight our way out. There's too many of
'em. And we can't stay here any longer
than we can live without water
81 asked him if the captain wouldn't
make a search for him, and he said the
captain didn't know he was coming. He's
on his way south, he said, and the trail
he is on is ten miles to the east of us.
There's only thing that | see, and that
means certain death to somebody, reckon.
It's certain death for all of us, though, if
somethin4 amt done asked him what
it was, and he said:
IF one man can make his way south
east far enough SO that the noise can reach
the company, the captain will send a
searching party. 1t all depends on how
far one gets before he is killed. If we all
ride out, we will all be killed. II one man
goes, the others may stand a chance
eve all looked at one another in silence
for a good while. My bleod ran cold at the
idea Of riding ont alone into that pack of
tiends, but realized that our only chance