The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-20
mandins the advance, had had his horse

4
Werrick, riding eagerly in the lead. go
another through the shoulder. Luckily
it was not very cold. but all the same
most Of the men were becoming slug
gish and sleepy, and that was just about
the time Wayne might be expected Il
wake up. And wake up he did.
~ have had no orders on no account
to attack" said he, land haven't time
to read all the rot they wired to Fen.
ton. Watch for the next shots ahead
there" he cried to the foremost troop
ers, "and sock it TO them!"
Then it was beautiful to see how
even the horses seemed to rouse from
their stupor and apathy, and something
almost like cheer burst from the lips
of the younger men. Old hands took a
swig of water from their canteens and
bite at the comforting plug. Out from
the sockets came the brown carbines,
and fresh platoon was ordered up to
relieve the advance, and Lieutenant
Randolph took Martins place at the
| front Every little while through the
| darkness ahead had come flash and
report from the invisible foe, and, as
! these had been suffered unavenged, it
was soon observed that the lurking
warriors grew bolder and that with
every shot the distance seemed to de-
crease. For half an hour past they had
been coming in from easy pistol range,
and Randolph took the cue. Bidding
his men open out and ride several yards
apart, yet aligned as much as was pos
sible, he ordered carbines dropped and
revolvers drawn and then, trotting along
the rear Of tho dozen, gave his quick
caution to man after man. watch for
the flash and let drive at it. Even if we
don't hit, We'll keep them at a respectful
distance" he said, and the words were
hardly out of his mouth when a rudy
light leaped over the snow, a shot went
tipping past his head, and then, follow
ed by roar of approval from the main
column, the revolvers Of the advance
cracked and sputtered their answer.
The landscape was lit up for an instant,
dark forms went pounding and scurry-
ing away from the front, and a moment
later there uprose cheer over at the
right, and Randolph galloped to the
spot. An Indian pony lay kicking,
struggling, stiffening in the snow, shot
through the body, and the rider had had
to run for it,
''That's right, Randolph" said the
major, squirting to his side. "Now, keep
'em off, but don't push too hard. Re-
member, we've got to give Farwell
time"
"How far ahead is that COMPOUNDED
canyon, Bat?" asked the adjutant at
the moment.
mot more than two miles now.
hunted buffalo all over here when l was
a boy" was the answer. "Big Roads
people all there by this time, I'm
afraid
"Then you think that they got there
first-that they've got the bluffs?"
'Fraid so. Big Road no fool. He
wouldn't let his village drive into a
gulch and not guard the bluffs. If the
captain got there first. they'd have
found it out by this time and signaled
for help. The reason / believe they
think they're all safe is that so many
Indians hang around us out here"
And just then came grunt of disgust
from La Bonte. The colonel at his side
said "H-ll" and an excitable trooper
called out, Look there! What's that?'
for over at the northwest, all on sud-
den, brilliant column of flame had
burst through the blackness of the night
and sent broad glare streaming over
the snow clad surface of the rolling
prairie.
"They 'ro on to US, by the eternalr'
cried the adjutant, who loved the Jack
sonian form Of expletive. "Listen!'
But no one listened more than an instant. |
Even through the muffiing coverlet of |
snow the rumble and rush of q hun |
dred pony hoofs, like low, distant thun- |
der, told Of the instant flight of Big |
Roads braves i'll answer to the signal. |
Wayne was ablaze in second.
"Close up on the head of column"
he shouted to the troop leaders. "Come |
on, now, men, for all you're worth.
There isn't second to spare"
And az the amazed and wearied |
horses gave answer to the spur and |
broke into numbering gallop far over at
the west tho rocks began to ring to tho
crackle Of musketry. Farwell and tho
Sioux had clinched ON the bluffs to the
south of the springs and were fighting
IN the dark for the right of way.
Ten miles away, at Allison's ranch,
wearied with the sleepless toll Of pa
hours, too weary to be kept awake even
by the exasperating sense of his wrongs.
The colonel was just rolling into his
blankets for a much needed rest before
setting forth with the rising sun ON his
nomeward road. Fifty miles away over
5he white expanse of prairie, under the
'old and glittering skies, Marjorie Far
'ar sat by the bedside of her beloved
laughter, praying ceaselessly for the
safety OF an equally beloved son now
riding for the first time in his brave
7oung life to prove his worthiness to
bear the fathers name in headlong fight
With savage and skillful foe.
And If ever young fellow, wearer
II the army blue, realized to the full
$3.50