The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-03-26

1lOulQer. no cApeCIou Vuo p"n" w
bait, but they only scattered out some:
what, and the swiftest ponies darted
ahead.
The foremost Indian was now with
in seven hundred yards, as Arson
Judged. Low on the neck Of his pony
lay the savage, plying his quirt with
one hand. Behind him swarmed the
crowd, yelling to keep up their own
courage and to unsettle that OF the
white man.
Arson spoke soothingly to the rest
less pony, put the reins around one
ankle, raised his gun-sight for four
hundred yards, and dropped on one
knee.
The foremost rider was now so near
that Arson could make out the lower
parts of his calico shirt and distinguish
its color rs it tapped and iluttered
about his thighs. The white man
drew steady bead. Two seconds
later and both Indian and pony rolled
upon the ground.
The express bullet, if Anson's aim
had been altogether true, must have
bored through the beasts neck and
through the body of its rider. At any
rate, neither of them rose again.
Throwing another cartridge into the
riAe-barrel Arson aimed at the next
Indian, who had jerked his pony to an
abrupt halt, and sat bolt upright,
seemingly unaware of his own danger
in the surprise Of the moment. An
ounces nd-a-quarter ball knocked him
out of his saddle before he had time to
recover himself.
In a twinkling the others scattered
widely apart, drew rein, dismounted
and began firing from behind their
ponies. Their bullets skipped and
whistled and sung spitefully over An
sons head as they fired hurriedly'
But he now felt that his chances Of
getting home had improved. He was
almost out of their range. they were
we'll within his, and he was not shoot
ing to miss.
He was very cool and careful. A
pony went down under the third heavy
bullet and the rider scurried away tc
the shelter Of small mound. The
fourth stopped an Indian in the act Of
firing under his animals neck.
With certain wild impulse Of love
for his good long-range, Arson threw
open the lever for his fifth shot. Bu
he did not speed the bullet. Hewishet
to kill no man except in defence of hit
own life, and now the Sioux had sprung
to their ponies and were racing out Of
range.
The Indian behind the mound, how
ever, held his position and kept on
firing. Arson turned his gun that
way. But then he observed how ia,
short the Sioux bullet fell. Evidentl!
the man was armed with nothing bet,
ter than carbine. Arson rose to bis
feet without firing and examined hls
pony.
Finding Buckskin unframed, til {
marksman mounted and rode on TOWARD
White River OF jog-trot, hoping he
had taught the band Of Indians q lessor
that would keep them at distance
until he could give them the slip.
Thinking Of his wife and child de-
voutly, Arson regarded his escape
almost as direct interposition of Coo
on his behalf. More than O hundred
shots must have been fired Mt him; the
Indians must have been within five
hundred yards of him; and he though
it wonderful that neither he nor his
pony had been hit, although he knew
how few marksmen can shoot with &C
curacy at such range.
After Arson had ridden short dis
lance, the Indians came forward K
the place where they had fought. He
watched them over his shoulder, az
they disnounted and grouped them
selves around one or another of thu
fallen. They seemed to intend to fol
low him no farther, and he concluded
he might hope to get safely out o
that dangerous region in the darkness
of the coming night.
After time he again looked bacl
toward the Sioux, and was amazed tc
see only the bleak prairie. The In
dams had utterly vanished
How had they gone? And where
Back, Arson decided, and into som,
ravine which his eye had missed, fol
| he judged he was now nearly upon tn
middle of the divide between The
Cheyenne and the White River.
Arson logged on some distance will
a feeling of extreme uneasiness
There was something ominous in tina
sudden disappearance of the Indians
His eye roved continually over tn
plain on all sides of him. Had the,
dropped into some hidden ravine tina
intercepted his route? Perhaps the.
were gone to arouse other camps o
Sioux not far distant. At any rate h,
should ride faster. As the slow tro
had relieved his pony, which seemed
still in good condition, he spurred for
! ward now at canter.