The Delta independent., 1898-09-16
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CHAPTER XVIII.

Russell left 70 the care Of an infantry
guard. Once more wero the troopers all
afield and rejoicing in the vigorous.
open air life they led among the billow-
ing foothiils. the beautiful. sheltered
valleys and the sparkling streams oi
the Big Horn. A summer camp lad
been established. and with this NJ the
rendezvous and rallyins point Atherto',
was keeping his stslwart horseinen
scouting far and near. froil the Platte
at Fetterman to the Yellowstone AWAY
to the north. But Indians were seldom
to b found. Sitting Enil ard his starv-
ing followers were beyord the British
line. closely watched by the frontier
police. Crazy Horse was dead, bayonet.
ed in wild effort to escape from his
guard. Gall, Rain-in-the- Face and other
notables Of the Sioux Nation had fed fat
their ancient grudge against the white
soldier when Clusters hapless column
withersd away before the fierce blaze Of
their encircling fire.
1t WAS . holiday saE.a;cr for the -th,
. vcritable picnic In the heart OF the
glorious country over which for two
years previous they redo only with
strong battalions, with scouts thrown
out in 'front.' in rear. on every side.
looking any instant for attack In force.
Some Of the ladies had actually broken
Up housekeeping nt tho fcrt and gene
those rough hundreds Of miles IN army
ambulances to join their lords in the
teatsd Geld. and life at Russell was in
ans and stupid.
Bat when the Indians drew away and
spaght the shelter Of the agencies the
sarstlcr" md tic horse thief began to
iufast the land. Cne night dozen Cf
GrsRg's best horses-Gll OF Sergeant
Donaslly's rat.ol-wt:c spirited away
from the bivorac nt tho headwaters Of
els Mini PISA sad frive:,, US the trail
showed, away toward the Swcetws:er
and there il was all split UP ard lest
among the freaks s:.l ranges Of tho ca:-
lie kings toward Rawlins end Rocs
6pringa Gregg boiled over With wrath
~hen three days later. nearly wo:; o.:,
his little squad Of troopers reached ti:v
main camp afook Rays troop wss or.
dcTsd ont ct ouco e.d bid,len to raid tho
country far and wido rutil lie found out
whore those horses were gone. and Ath-
crtoa ohose Ray becaase s:ockraen, cas-
themes, scouts and Indians all knew
him, and malefactoss feared hiri. and
with Rays troop went L.aynard. &C.
tachsa u bis own earnest request and
90 6ll e,aporary Vacancy.
''lt will do you good. Maynard, f"
aAiA ~ eolooel kindly, ''Gsd givc you
eooe vslssbis experieae& Yes. I'm
glsd - lave you co.
u Was nid-Juiy. Tho summer heat
Wss 6secs and the scorchiug wind blew
pitilessly over the desolato s:;.cLrusi
8sssRts beyond the DEVILS Ca:e, .:,d Ray
md his 80 loyal blucjac..is had rid
len losg marches from the time they
left the cool shades Of tic riacy and tho
Clear Fork. But littio cs:ed they. those
Afisoaa seafoned soldiers. fur b.isteriug
suns o. sitting alkali Gast. They wero
bent o. the recovery Of thosc horses no
natter though the thieves had three
Gays and nearly 100 miles tho start.
Thsy had marched through tho Sweet.
water valley the previous year and had
sesu many hard looking character who
eyed their clean l::ubcd bays.
No man yet lad eve: ventaretl to "lift"
, horse FROM Billy Rays picket, and It
eicklsd the vanity Of his troopers that
lhey and not Grcgg's should 10 sent to
recover Gregg's horses. The trail.
though nearly hve days old wien found,
WAS still distinct, and Maynard was
getting many IN hour CT valuable les
sons, for Bay had takoa moro than
liking to tho quiet, SID faced young
fellow aud bad no difficulty at ell in
deeply interesting hi:n in the work.
in tie regiment seemed to
kpoW By this time that hc had returned
b them wearing tho willow for Natlia-
lie Baird. There had been so,me days of
woeful, wordy battling at Russell. fof
tho fsud between Mrs. Grers and Nra
Turner bad involved others besides their
lords. and A.hcrtcn w.s glad Of the or
der that sent his whole command into
Tie mountains and foothills, nad f:s
sway from tho eaa,ls aad tungles that
seemed to have taken root at tho fort.
Turner'S grim, sad, sallow face grew
longer than ever. and even E,ore than
svsf did he seem to withdraw from the
society Of his fellows. He, too. was
thankful to get away FROM the post and
Into tho Geld.
Up to the timo the last Of tho fegi-
Dest marcbed from Russell no trace
bad been foupd Of the runaway burglars,
ut their duped 'accomplices. Michael
md Bridget. had bad their trial, bern
gospd guilty CT completely at least and
were "doing time" at Laramie. All
6oubt - 10 how the fire started was ct
~ end. Tho generally accepted theory
Was that when Mike threw away the
nstcb with which he lighted his cigar
II droppsd, sill glowing. in the dust
sSoss - tie basket in which Bridget
kspt hcs kiDdling. Tho herce draft
cracks and Crevices famed its
1ssb3s Glow into blaze ~ the precious
nai4 IN the premises. The blaze he'd