Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-04-15
wagonand quickly cut the lariats which
hound the lielltenant to the tail-piece.

there was not a man standing in the
corral. In every direction, stretched
out at full length on the ground, were
the troopers, moaning with pain.
The lieutenant walked around and
examined the corral. In the center
stood house; it was rootiess, and
signs of the recent ravaging work of
the Indians were everywhere. The walls
were SCARED where bullets had clipped
off Jumps of adobe, and the whole place
looked as if it had stood protracted
siege.
Dust looked into the well. BY ener-
getic battling, he and the trumpeter
succeeded in getting most of the water
out. He then lowered himself down on
bucket to the bottom. A foot or two
of water was still left, but it's surface
was below the spring which was its
source.
The bottom was soft and Shiny. With
handful of this Shiny stuff he as
cended to the corral. On examining it,
he saw that it very evidently contained
some substance which was undoubted-
ly the poison.
With the help of the little trumpeter
the lieutenant filled several buckets
with pure water from the live spring
which supplied the we'll. This water,
even if ne had no antidote, might help
the men. Dust rushed about to supply
it to them and to make them comfort.
able.
He brought blankets for them, filled
their cantecns with pure water, ar
ranged their saddles as pillows, and
placed their arms near them. He fed
the horses and the mules, and even held
a canteen to the lips of the brute who
had struck him such cowardly blow
that afternoon. Meantime he prayed
with all his heart that the Indians
would not attack him while his com.
mand was in this condition.
When he had done all he could for
the men, he and the trumpeter drank
some of the pure water and ate food
together. What was he to do? No
help could be had; it would take three
days to send for and receive aid, for
the nearest troops were back at the
post. Meantime the men seemed easier,
and certainly none We're worse.
Toward morning big white mule
snapped his halter-strap and scamp
cred down to the badwater hole to
drink. The lieutenant went after him,
but the mule ran off in the dark. Think
ing it was useless to chase him, Dust
turned back to the corral.
Before he had gone halfway he was
startled by a noise behind him, and
stepped aside just in time to escape
being run over by the mule, which was
flying terror-stricken back toward the
gate Of the corral. Suspecting the cause
of the animals fright, the lieutenant
threw himself on the ground ard crept
back to the water hole. There he
crawled up behind a cactus-bush and
lay down, pistol in hand, listening.
He had been there but i few minutes,
peering into the dark, when he became
aware that something was creeping
toward him through the sage-brush.
Nearer and nearer it came, till Dust
could distinguish the naked limbs and
see the cloth band around the head Of
an Apache Indian. The lieutenant COW
cred him carefully with his revolver
and waited till he felt he could not
miss, then he fired. Without stopping
to learn the effect Of his shot, he
jumped up and ran for the corral.
Shots rang out in the dark and bull
cts whistled over his head, but while
he was flying to the corral gate Provi-
dence sent him a strange inspiration
by which he might save the troop.
The trumpeter, alarmed at the shoot
ing, ran out to meet him, carbine in
hand.
go get your trumpet, boy, and blow
TO horse quickly" cried Dust; then
help me put brides on some of the
horses"
In a few. seconds the notes OF the
trumpet rose on the night air. Some Of
the sick men started up from their
blankets and grasped their guns, but
the effort was too much for them, and
they sank back moaning, even while
they stared wondering to see the lieu
tenant and the trumpeter rushing
about among the horses, fastening
brides on them hurriedly.
They heard the lieutenant call out:
Link the horses together IN sets or
tours with the skirmish links, as if the
troop was going TO fight on foot. will
lead the first four, you the second; the
rest will follow
Presently they were both mounted,
then Dust said: BLOW Forward
gallop-march!' Straight out OF the
corral they went in column Of tours,
just as the troop would have gone, the
lieutenant lashing his leaders with the
end of lariat, over sand and brush on
a mad run, the trumpet sounding the
''charge.'
a few scattering shots greeted them
as they emerged from the gate of the
corral. But the trumpet-calls had
frightened the Indians, and thinking
a whole troop Of cavalry was charging
them. they fed.
After wild ride in the dark for half
a mile. the lieutenant turned the horses
back to the corral, and galloped into
camp a victor in his first aifray.
The sick men lying in the corral wept