The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-14
CHAPTER III.

with small bands of Indians. Down
along the Smoky HILL in Kansas, the
Cheyennes were ever giving trouble.
Even around Laramie and Frayne, on
the North Platte, settlers and soldiers
had been murdered, as well as one or
two officers, caught alone out hunting,
and the Indians were, of course, the
perpetrators. Nevertheless, it had been
the policy of the leaders of the North
crn Sioux to avoid any meeting in
force and to deny the completely OF
their "a ople in the crimes committed.
Supply trains to Reno, Kearney and
c. F. Smith, the Big Horn posts OF
the Bozeman trail, went to and FRO
with guards of only moderate size OF
hcers had taken their wives and chill
dren TO these faraway stations. Inc
stockades were filled with soldiers
families. Big bands OF Indians roam
ed the lovely valleys of the Piney, the
Tongue and Rosebud, near at hand,
and rode into full view of the wary
sentries at the stockadss, yet made no
/ hostile demonstration. Of1cers ana
men went far up the rocky canyons OF
the hills in search of fish or game, ana
came back unmolested. Escorts re-
ported that they sometimes marched
all day long side by side with hunting
parties. sauaws and boys and young
men, would ride confidently over and
beg for sugar. coffee, hard tack-any-
/ thing. and ride off with their plumber
in the best Of spirits and with all ap-
, parent good feeling. And yet the great
war chief of the Bru.es-Sintogau k2-
Spotted Tail the white mans friend,
gave solemn warning not to ttust tte
OgaIlalIas Red Clouds heart is
bad" he said He and his people a; e
moving from the reservations 70 the
mount aims They mean trouble. Old
traders like Folsom heard and heed
cd. and Folsom himself fastened to
Fort Frayne the very week that Bur
leigh and his escort left for Warrior
gap. Visiting at the ranch of his son
in a beautiful nook behind the Medl-
cire Bow mountains, tie veteran traG-
err heard tidings from an Indian BRAY e
that filed him with appre htnsion, ana
he hurried 10 the fort.
rs it true" he asked that the gov
ernmert means to establish post at
Warrior Cap? Is it true that Maj.
Brrleieh has gone thither?" Ar
when told that it was and that only
Capt Brooks troop had g-ne as eS-
cort. Folsoms agitation was extreme.
Colonel" said he, to the post com
marder. "solemniy | have tried u
warn the general cf the danger Of that
move | have told him that all the
northern tribes are leaguing now, tn at
thew have determined to keep to them
selves the Big Horn country and the
valleys to the north. 1t will take 5000
men to hold these three posts against
the Sioux, and you've barely got 800.
/ warn you that an attempt to start
another pest up there Will bring Red
Cloud ard all his people to the post.
Their scouts are watching like hawks
even now. Iron Spear came to me at
my sons ranch last night and told me
not ten warriors were left at the res
ervation They are all gone and the
war dances are on in every valley from
the Black Hills to the Powder. For
heavens sake send half your garrison
up to Reno after Brooks. You are
safe here. They won't modest you
south OF the Platte, at least not now.
All they ask is that you build no more
forts in the Big Horn"
But the colonel could not act without
authority Telegraph there was none
then. What Folsom said was of sutiT-
cent Importance to warrant his hurry
ing off a courier to Laramie, fully 100
miles southeast, and ordering a troop
to scout across the wild wastes to the
north. while Folsom himself, unable to
master his anxiety, decided to accom-
pany the command sent out toward
Cantonment Reno. He long had had
influence with the OgaHalas. Even
but find him. The matter was of such
urgency he could not refrain. And so,
with the gray troop of the cavalry,
setting forth within an hour of his
coming, rode the old trader whom the
Indians had so long sworn by, and he
started none too soon.
Reno was some ninety miles away,
ard not until late the next evening did
the grays reach the lonely post. Not a
s-;o of Ind
or heard, said the officer in command.
Small bands of hunters were out to-
ward Pumpkin butte two days. Yes,
Ogallallas. And scouting party,
working down the valley of the Pow
der had met no band at ALL though
trails were numerous. They We're now
patroling toward the Big Horn. Per-
haps there'd be a courier in tomorrow.
Better get a good nights rest mean
time, he said. But all the same he
doubled his guards and ordered extra
vigilance, for all men knew John Fol-
som, and when Folsom was anxious
on the Indian question it was time to
look alive. Daybreak came without a
sign, but Folsom could not rest. The
grays had no authority to go beyond
Reno, but such was his anxiety that it
was decided to hold the troop at the
cantonment for day or two. Mean
llIilt, uCopllC his CcllSJ l. OioCl1l bCSIdCU
to push on for the gap. All efforts to
dissuade him were in vain. With him
rode Baptiste half-bretd Frenchman
whose mother was an OYallalla squaw
and Bat had served him many a
year. Their canteens We're filled, their
saddle pounches packed. They led
along an extra mule, with camp equip
age, and shook hands gravely with 1, te
officers ere they rode away. "AS de-
d cd
Cloud is hereabouts in person. If he
is and l can get his ear l can probably
stave off trouble long enough to get
those people at the gap back to Kear-
ney, or over here. They're goners if
they attempt to stay there and build
that post. If you don't have word from
us in two days, send for all the troops
the government can raise 1t will take
every mothers son they've got to whip
the Sioux when once they're leagued
together
But our men have the new breech-
leaders now Mr.. Folsom said the Of
ticers. The Indians have only old per-
cussion cap rifles, and not too many of
them"
But there are twenty warriors to
every soldier" was the answer land
all are fighting men,"
They watched the pair until they
disappeared far to the west. All day
long the outlooks searched the hori-
zen. All that night the sentries lis
tened for hoofbeats on the Bozeman
road but only the weird chorus of the
coyotes woke the echoes of the dark
prairie. Dawn of the second day came.
and, unable to bear suspense, the ma
jor sent a little party, mounted on
their f1eetest horses, to scour the pra-
ries at least halfway to the foothills
OF the Big Horn, and just at night
fall they came back-three at least
gaIloping like mad. their mounts a