The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-01-14

""''t' 'h' N"N'liS lOnS nuu cause tC
remember, and ROW, with but q hand
1nl OF troops as compared with the force
lea III by Mackcnzic, Wayne had right
Dc1orc nm similar problem to tackle.
Inc only points in his favor wore that
olg Roads braves wero as few as his
own and that Fcnton had already sent
q forco to raco tho Indians to thoir ref.
ugc.
AT o'clock tho darkness was intense.
Ihcro was no moon to light their way,
and their only guideSw tho deep trail
III tho snowy surface left by tho retreat
ing Indians. The darkness was no deem.
or than tho gloom in eve-y heart for
Fcnton was gone, a wronged and calum.
mated man, and they, his loyal soldiers,
obcdicnt to q higher duty still, were
forced to push on and finish his work
without him. For an hour only at snails
pace had they followed tho trail Bat
ana his associates had had many mar
row escape. Lieutenant Martin, COM
mandlng tho advance, had had his horse
shot under him. Sergeant Roe had O
bullet through his coat. and CorDoral
"crrlck, riding eagerly in tho lead got
another through tho shoulder. Luckily
it was not very cold, but all tho samo
most OF the men wcro becoming slug
glsh and sleepy, and that was just about
the tlmo Wayne might bo expected to
wake up. And wake up ho did.
II have had no orders on no account
to attack, said he, land haven't time
| to read all tho rot They've wired to Fen
| ton. Watch for tho next shots ahoad
| there, he cried to tho foremost troop
CTS. land sock il to themp'
Then it was beautiful to see how
even tho horses seemed to rouse from
| their stupor and apathy, and something
| almost like q cheer burst from tho lips
of tho younger men. Old hands took q
swig Of water from their canteens and
n bito at tho comforting plug. Out from
tho sockets camo the brown carbines
and q fresh platoon was ordered up to
relieve the advance, and Lieutenant
Randolph took Martins place at tho
front Every littlo while through the
darkness ahead had come flash and
report from the invisible foe, and, as
these had been suffered unavcngcd, it
was soon observed that the lurking
warriors grow bolder and that with
every shot tho distance seemed to de-
crease. For half an hour past they had
Iccn coming III 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 DOS
| slblc, he ordered carbincs dropped and
rcvolvcrs drawn and then, trotting along
the rear OF tho dozen, gave his quick
caution TO man after man. ."Watch for
tho flash and let drive at it. Even if wo
don't hit, we'll keep them at respectful
| distance ho said, and tho words were
hardly out Of his mouth when ruddy
light leaped over the snow, shot went
zapping past his head, and then, follow
ed by roar of approval from tho main
column, tho rcvolvcrs of tho advance
crackIcd and sputtcrcd their answer
The landscape was lit up for an instant,
dark forms wcut pounding and scurry-
ing away from tho front, and moment
later there uproso cheer over at tho
| right, and Randolph gallopcd to tho
spot An Indian pony lay kicking,
struggling stiffcning in tho snow, shot
through the body, and tho rider had had
to run for il.
''That's right, Randolph" said the
major, squirting to his side. "Now, keep
'em off, but don't push too hard. Re-
member, we'vo got to givo Farwell
time''
"How far ahead is that confounded
canyon, Bat?" asked tho adjutant at
the moment.
"Not moro than two miles now. I
hunted buffalo all over here when I was
| boy" was tho answer. "Big Roads
people. all there by this time, I'm
afraid"
'"Thcn you think that they got there
| first-that they've got tho bluf1s?''
'Fraid SO. Big Road no fool He
| wouldn't let his village drive into q
gulch and not guard tho bluffs If the
captain got thcro first, they'd have
found it out by this time and signalcd
for help Tho reason I believe they
think they're all safo is that SO many
Indians hang around us out hero"
And just then camo Il grunt Of disgust
| from La Bontc. The colonel at his side
| said "II-ll' and an cxcitublc trooper
| called out, ''Look there! What's that?"
| for over at the northwest, all on sud
| den, brilliant column of flame had
burst through tho blackncss Of tho night
and sent q broad glaro streaming over
tho snow clad surface Of tho rolling
prairie.
"Thcy'ro on to us, by the ctcrnalp'
cried the adjutant, who loved the Jack
| sonian form Of oXplctivc. "ListenW
But no ono listened moro than an instant.
Even through tho muflling covcrlct Of
snow tho rumble and rush of IL hnn-
drcd pony hoofs, like low, distant thun-
der, told Of tho instant flight Of Big
Roads braves in answer to the signal.
Wayne was ablaZo in second.
"Closc up on the head Of column"
no shouted to the troop leaders. Como
on, now, men, for all you're worth.
There isn't IL second to spare. -
| And aa tho amazed and wcaricd
horses gave answer to tho spur and
broke into numbering gallop far over at
tho west tho rocks began to ring to tho
craclilc Of muskctry Farwoll and tho
Sioux had clinchcd on tho bluffs to tho
south Of the springs and wcro fighting