The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-26

'Ihey knew you, sergeant, ana lHey
know it is probably our troop" said
he. There must be only a small party
near US. Make your trade, but while
you're doing it We'll saddle. I mean
to get out of this and into the thick
of the timber before they can surround
us. Stand 'em off, now, while we get
ready"
Promises must be kept when made
to an Indian, even If they are other
wise sometimes broken. In ten min
utes, with coffee, sugar and bareback
in their hands, the sergeant and his
comrades were back at the front. One
brave was still there, the other had
vanished. Five minutes, neither party
saying a word, the troopers waited;
they had nothing to trade. Take this
sack with you and fall back. Tell our
then Bruce turned to Conroy. Il knew
fellows to keep me well covered till L
follow" The instant the soldier start
ed with the sack swung over his shol-
der, the Indian, who had been squat
ted on the turf, sprang up and began
rapid eXpostulation in fluent Ogallalla.
cts no use, young man." interposed
Bruce. your chum there has no buf-
falo tongues, and he knew it. Here's
some bareback for you," and he spread
one literally with sugar and handed 1t
to the ever-receptive paw, outstretched
to grasp it. A glance over the Shoul-
der showed that Conroy was nearly at
the edge. Then, quietly, Bruce, too, be-
gan TO retire. He had not got ten
PAGES. still facing his unwelcome VS.
itor, when the Indian gave shrlll,
sudden cry and tossed up his nands;
Not a second too soon Bruce turned
and darted for cover. The Inian flung
himself fiat on the turf and rolled
away into depression where he could
find partial shelter from bullets from
the ravine, whence he evidently looked
for them, and out from behind the
knoll, brides held high, "quirts" LASH
ing at their ponies TANKS, darted half
a dozen painted savages, tearing down
upon the spot at the top speed of their
agile mounts Only two men remained
on watch at the moment, Dean and
one trooper. Most of the others, al
ready in saddle were filing away up
the game trail that threaded the wind
ings of the ravine, the two led horses
with them, while few yards behind
the Young officer and his .comrade, half
way down the reverse slope, two
Others, afoot, handled the reins OF
their own horses and those of the lieu
tenant and men still held at the edge.
Ii was an exciting moment. Bruce had
only a hundred yards to run before he
could get under cover and there was
no chance Of their hitting him at that
range, yet puff of smoke rose from
the knoll, and bullet, nearly spent,
came tumbling and singing up the
turf, and the dashing warriors, yell
ing wildly, applauded the shot. Bruce
took matters coolly. Leaptng behind the
shelter of the ledge, he reached for ms
carbine. and In moment more, as the
pursuing Indians came flashing with
CnnQ6
carbines, each with a keen eye at the
sight and a steady finger at the trip,
were leveled on the coming foe. Dean
young heart beat hard, 1t must be
owned for hitherto the Indians had
been fighting in retreat or on the de-
fensive, while now they came as
though confident Of success; but there
was soldier exultation and something
Ike savage joy mingling with the thrill
of excitement.
There's more behind those beggars,
sir" growled Conroy, veteran. at IN
dian work, but they'll sheer off when
they get within 300 yards" On they
came, shields and lances dangling,
ponies on the keen jump, feathers ard
pennons streaming on the wind. But,
Just as Conroy said, no, sooner was
Bruce safely under cover and they felt
themselves drawing within dangerous
range, than, fan-like, they opened out
to right and left, and, yelling still like
fiends, veered in wide circle from their
line of attack, and ducking over their
ponies shoulders, clinging with one leg
to the upright part of the cantle, they
seemd to invite the fire of their white
foe-and got IT.. A daring fellow in
the lead came streaking slantwise
across the front, as though aiming to
pick up the comrade lurking in the
dip of the prairie-like slope, and Con-
roy's carbine was the first to bark, fol-
lowed almost instantly by Deans. The
seurrying pony threw up his wall-eyed
head and dashed with his feathered
tail, evidently hit, but not checked,
for under the whip he rushed gamely
on until another bullet, whistling with
in foot of his neck, warned the red
rider that he was far too close for
safety, for with hating gait the pony
turned and labored off the field, and
presently was seen to be staggering.
"Score one for our side" laughed the
Irishman, in glee. 'Now's your tint,
sergeant"
But Bruce, reloading, was gazing
sternly at the distant knoll. The other
warriors, riding right and left, were
now chasing crosswise over the billowy
slopes, keeping up a fire of taunt ana
chaff and shrill war cries, but never
again venturing within 800 yards-nev-
er wasting shot.
At thought so,'' suddenly cried the
sergeant They're signalling from the
knoll They never would have attack
ed with so few, unless there were doz-
ems more within sight. Now's our
time lieutenant We can mount and
ride like hell to the timber-I beg your
pardon, SIR" he broke off suddenly "T
didn't mean to say what the lieutenant
should do"
mo apologies" laughed Dean, his
eyes swapping with the vim of the
fight. "Glad you see the truth of what
said. Come on. Mount quickly, men,"
Two minutes more and the entire
party of bluecoats were squirting
swiftly northward up the winding
gorge, the pack-horses numbering along
side Eagerly Dean and Bruce in the
lead looked right and left for a game
trail leading up the slope, for we'll they
knew that the moment their reinforce
ments came the warriors would dash
into the ravine, and, finding their an
tagonists fled, would pursue along the
banks. It would never do to be caught
in such trap. A galop Of a quarter
of mile and off to the right, branch
ravine opened out to higher ground.
and into this the leaders dove and,
crecking speed, rode at the trot until
the ascent grew steep. Five minutes
more, and they were well up toward
the head Of the gulch and presently
found themselves nearly on a level
with the hilsides about them. Here
too, were scattered pine trees and a
few scrub oaks. The timber, then, was
close at hand. Signaling halt to the
climbing column, Dean and Bruce,
springing from saddle, scrambled up
the bank to their right and peered
cautiously back down over the tum-
bling waves of the foothills. and what
they saw was enough to blanch the
cheek of even veteran Indian fighters.
Ear over to the east hevond an in