Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-03-05
Another hour. and, closer to the river

Another hour, and, closer to the river,
they were following the meanderinga
of the stage road, and the ridge doomed
higher ahead. Two more settlers had
been passed; and they We're exaggera-
tive beyond any semblance of proba-
bility. The Indians numbered thou.
sands, the dead hundreds. The stage
had been warned not to push on beyond
Paloma bluffs last night, but persisted
in an attempt to reach the Caliente. Col.
Sweet and party had been butchered 10
man-victims of his own rash effort
to aid the poor fellows at the station,
and OF his criminal disregard of Texan
warnings.
"We'll know the truth in an hour,
lieutenant, 30 there's no use wasting
time with those beggars. You can see
the Paloma from yonder bluffs" was
Dolan's only comment.
Just. at one. o'clock the foaming, pant.
ing horses were refined in, and the girths
loosened. while Lambert, guided by the
veteran Indian-fghter, crawled eau
tiously up the height in front of them.
Half the men dismounted, were sta
Toned 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
rs to scout the trail beyond. With
dropping heads and heavng TANKS the
motley herd were huddled in little
swale to the right Of the road, their
holders eagerly watching the young
leader and saying few words. Warily
Dolanr 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
clutch 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 fight
not five miles ahcad." sang out Dolan,
and, swinging into saddle, with Lam
bert only length in lead, struck spurs
to his horse, the whole squad Gathering
at their heels. Young Texas, peering
around the point. heard them coming.
and threw long, lean leg over his
scraggy pony. "see anything?" he
hailed.
Eyes; Indians attacking something
or other bout mile to the north of the
road; looks like dug-out O. some
kind"
""ris a dug-out, by Gawd! I know
the place. Nithercll's herd used to
Craze around their last year, and he
md his boys built that dng-out in case
they were nttncl<ed; and maybe the
stage managed to get back there. Some
ones alive, else the Indians wouldn't be
lighting
A cheer went up from the foremost
men. After all, then, there was YES
tige Of hope. Lambert, eager and inn
petuous, was squirting off to the open
prairie that lay beyond a sweeping
bend of the stream, but Dolan hailed
him:
"Not yet, lieutenant, not yet. There's
come wild arroyos out yondcr. Stick TO
the road, sir, Till we can see the hut.
It's up a long, shallow valley beyond
that second divide. know the place
now"
"But they'll see us, sergeant" shout
ed Lambert, as he bent over the POM
mel, and drove his rowels wickedly at
the torn fianks of his POOR brute. II
hoped to surprise them and charge"
Lord love you, sir, there's no sur.
prising ebeggars in broad daylight.
They've been watching for some of us
ever since sun-up, and they've seen us
now. Lucky they haven't guns, 'cept
old muzzle-loaders. They've mostly
nothing but bows and lances."
The horses We're painting furiously
now, land some of the squad were string
ing out far in the rear. Dolan, CHANGING
back, saw two or three men vainly LASH
ing their exhausted mounts long mus
ket-shot behind.
ut won't do, lieutenant; we'll have to
keep together, or, frst thing you know,