Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-05-11
CHAPTER xii

awake and thrilling There had been
dreadful doings on the Big Horn, and
John Folsom's prophecy had come true.
Entcing one detachment after another
from the stockade at Warrior Gap by
show of scattered bands of braves, that
head devil of the Ogallalas, Red Cloud.
had gradually surrounded three COM
panies with ten times their force OF
lighting men and slaughtered every sol
dier of the lot.
There had been excitement at Gate
City during brief visit of the general
and his aid inspecting the affairs of
Major Burleigh. who confined to his
bed BY nervous prostratlon and forbid
den by the doctor to see anybody, bad
nevertheless sent his keys and books and
bank account, and, to the mystification
of the chief, more money was found in
the big office safe at the depot quarter
masters than was necessary to cover his
accountability.
The general and his inspector wers
fairly puzzled. They personally ques-
toned the bank cashier and the quarter
masters clerks. They ransacked that
safe and poured over the books, both
there and at the bank. The only queer
thing discovered was that large sum
of money-$5, 900 or so-had been with
drawn from the bank in cash one day
and within the week replaced.
Then the general had to turn back to
Cheyenne and hasten thence to the forts
along the Platte to expedite the sending
Of his soldiers to the relief of the be
leaguered posts along the Big Horn, the
tidings of the massacre reaching Gate
City and plunging Fort Emory in
mourning only few hours after his de-
parture.
Then came still another excitement
at Gate City. Major Burleigh had sud
denly become endowed with new youth
and energy. He who was declared by
his physicians to he in critical condi-
tion, one demanding the utmost quiet,
be who could not even see the depart
ment commander and of whom the doc.
tor had said it might be weeks before
he was again fit for duty, had sprung
from his bed, dictated certain letters,
wired important news to the chief quar-
termaster at Omaha, demanded of the
railway authorities an engine and ca
boose to bear him over the newly com.
pleted mountain division to Cheyenne,
had taken every cent from his private
safe, had entered his office at an early
hour, satchel and safe key in hand, was
confounded by the sight Of two clerks
there smoking forbidden pipes and,
turning, without word had fled. One
OF these was the young man who so re-
Gently had written to confidant in
Omaha telling of Burleigh's queer do
ings and his own desire to get from un-
der
1t transpired later that Burleigh went
back to the bank, presented check for
the balance to his credit and demanded
currency, but the cashier had become
alarmed by the Investigations made by
the general and had temporized, said he
must consult the president and asked
the major to call two hours later,
whereat Burleigh had taken alarm. He
was looking CHASTITY, said the cashier
1t was apparent to every one that men,
tally, bodily or both, the lately debonair
and successful man of the world had
lost his grip.
And before even the swift running
engine could have landed the fugitive
in Cheyenne the truth was known. The
package purporting to contain $40, 900
in currency for the payment of the work
men at Warrior Gap sealed in Bur
lelgh's office and sent at incredible risk
by the hands of young cavalry officer
with only ten troopers through the In
dian lines, borne intact to the command
ing officer of the new post, though its
gallant guardians had run the gantlet
at the cost of the blood of more than
half their number, was found when
opened to hold nothing but waste paper
Then indeed was explained Burleigh's
insistence. Then indeed was apparent
why he had not pressed his charges
against the officer who had publicly
horsewhipped him. Then indeed was
explained why good old John Folsom
had withdrawn SO large sum in cash
from the bank and how Burleigh was
enabled to replace what he himself had
taken. Then did it begin to dawn OH
people where Hank BirdsalI, ''the Pi-
rate Of the Plains, as he had been
alliteratively described, had got the
straight tip which enabled him to
instantly enlist the services of so many
outlawed men in desperate game
Gradually as the whole scheme be-
came evident and the truth leaked out
Gate City woke up to pitch of pious
fury against its late popular and prom
inent "boomer' and citizen. Gradually
it dawned upon them that, in jealous
hatred of the young soldier whom Fol
SONS lovely daughter seemed to favor
he had first sought to undermine him,
then to ruin and finally to make way
with, even while at the same time
covering the tracks of his own crimi-
nality.
1t was Elinor Folsom's lover, Lieu
tenant Dean, who horsewhipped him
for good and sufficient reasons. It was
Elinor's father WHO bribed him with
charges against the boy It was Bur
leigh who almost Immediately after
this tremendous episode had secured the
sending of Lieutenant Dean on a mis-
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