The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1897-10-21
nv CAPTAIN CHARLES KING.
copyright, 1894, by J. d. Lippinoot, Col
NNU.5CoNTINuEp

~ hhhbt tahtAl
bert in the wiles of Indian warfare.
I'D go myself gladly, lieutenant" he
said, "but orders are orders, and a party
of o "a or five would be surrounded
and cut off and massacred before you
failly realized that an Indian was near
you Then Lambert had appealed TO
the Texans, and the captain had re-
piled as above; and then, just when he
was giving up in despair, "a sergeant
and two men, dust-covered and with
horses in a lather of foam, rode furi-
ously in from the Waco trail.
''ls it true?" cried the sergeant. as h
saw the unusual gathering at camp.
I'VE met a Teller halfway over to Bra
zos riding like hell, warning folks the
Indians were 10 the north. and he said
they had jumped the stage this side of
Cliente. It's true? And you haven't
done anything? Mount every sound
man you've got, and give us fresh
horses"
"My orders were to take care" be
gan his comrade.
Damn your ordersl bring later.
The old man didn't believe it, and had a
sure thing ahead of him, or he'd have
turned back with the hull outfit. WHY,
1nan, that stage-or what's left of it
nin't thirty miles away, an you fellers
sitting here like so many damn women
And the trooper flung himself from the
saddle at the word, and then caught
sight of Lambert's forage-cap and eager
face.
Get me "a horse, toe sergeant: I'll
20 with you. I'm Lieut.. Lambert. q
classmate of your second lieutenant"
You'll go in command. sir, and we're
with y%ou-six of us, anyhow. I've heard
Corporal Walton speak of you, sir,
often. How many of you fellers II go?"
lac demanded eagerly of the knot of
Texans. while the few troopers hustled
about saddling spare horses and levy
ing on the list of invalid mounts. too
sore or too feeble for a long chase. but
good enough for a thirty-mile dash
whsn it was life or death at the end
of it. In an instant the whole atmos-
phere seemed changed-charged with
ozone. electric force, magnetism
something-for the snap and spirit OF
the newcomer flashed from man to
man. Lambert, a stranger and without
authority in the premises, could effect
nothing; Sergt. Dolan, a IA veteran,
Il man they all knew, and clothed with
power as coming direct from hat mill
tary demi-god "the captain, had a dozen
men armed, equipped, in saddle and
ready for business, in ten minutes. S;N
were soldiers, six civilians who half
laughingly ranged their raw-boned
Texas ponies in line with the mounting
troopers and Dolan sung out to Lam
bert, who had raided his classmates
tent for extra boots and riding breeeh-
es: Were ready. sir"
In the hot May sunshine, at high
noon, they went looping n~orthward over
the lovely prairie. spangled with wild
flowers, the Colorado twistincand turn
ing like a silver serpent in its green bed
&c their left. Five miles out, a wretched,
half-demented creature hailed them
from a clump of willows by a little
stream. You're too late, you fellers.
They amt anything left alive from
the Paloma to the C~aliente, except Indi-
ans. The country's alive with them.
Good-by to your scalps if you venture
ever that ridge" And he pointed 10
the long. low line of bluffs that spanned
the horizon to the northwest. One man
stopped 10 question, but speedily came
galloping ON in pursuit. Hes scared
out of his wits. He can't prove what he
says was the brief report to Lambert
md the sergeant, TO- riding side by
side at the head of the little column.
Another hour. and, closer to the river.
they were following the meanderings
of the stage road. and the ridge doomed
higher ahead. Two more settlers had
been passed; and they were exaggera-
tive beyond any semblance of probn-
bility.
"We'li know the truth in an hour,
time with those beggars. You can see
the Paloma from yonder bluffs" vas
Dolan's only comment.
just at one o'clock the foamiug. pant.
ing horses were refined in, and the girths
~loosened, while Lambert, guided by the
veteran Indian-fighter, crawled eau
tiously up the height in front of them.
Half the men dismounted. were sta
iioned with ready rifle or carbine where
they could command every approach.
Who could say whether Indians were
not even then lurking in every ravine'
A young Texan, following the road.
pushed on cautiously TO the point. so
as to scout the trail beyond. With
dropping heads and heaving TANKS the
motley herd were huddled in a little
swale TO the right of the road, their
holders eagerly watching the young
leader and saying few words. Warily
Dolan reached and peered over the crest.
They could see him pointing-could
see both he and Lambert shading their
eyes with their hands and staring away
into space-could see Dolan suddenly
the officers sleeve. and, crouch
ing lower, point as though TO some OBJ
jects far out over the slopes beyond.
Then down they came, eager, elastic,
with cleaning eyes and glowing faces.
mount, men, mount! There's a fight
not five miles ahead!" sang out Dolan,
and, swinging into saddle, with Lam
bert only q length in lead, struck spurs
to his horse, the whole squad gathering
Mt their heels. Young Texas, peering
the point, heard them coming.
and threw a long, lean leg over his
pony. "See anything" he
Eyes; Indians attacking something