Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-12-19
CHAPTER VIII.

CHAPTER VIII.
Obedient to his orders the Irish
sergeant, with little squad at his
heels, had kept straight on. few
minutes later, rounding the bluff at
the gallon, eyes flashing over the field
in front of them, the party went rae
ing out over the turf and came in
full view of the scene Of the fight.
Five hundred yards further down
stream was a deep bend in the Lar
annie Close to the waters edge two
horses lay stretched upon the ground,
stone dead. Out on the open prairie
lay an Indian pony still kicking in his
dying agony, and as the soldiers came
sweeping into view two men rose up
from behind the low bank of the
stream and swung their hats-Hal
Folsom and one Of his hands safe,
unwounded, yet with a look in their
gray faces that told of recent mortal
peril.
'We're all right! Go on after them.
They've run off a dozen Of my best
horses said Folsom, land I'm afraid
they cut off Jake"
"No! Jake reached the ranch all
right-leastwise somebody did," said
Shaughnessy. That's how we got the
news. They got somebody, or else
they were only blufing when they
1lere2"
cat least a dozen-too many for
you to tackle. Where's the rest of the
troop"
''Close at their heels. The ieuten-
ant led them right over the ridge.
Listen!"
Yes, far up in the foothills, faint
and clear, the sounds of the chase
could now be heard Deans men were
closing on the fleeing warriors, for
every little while the silence of the
range was broken by the crack Of
rifle or carbine. Shaughnessy's fell
lows began to fidget ard look eager
" thither, and he read their wish.
'Two of you stay with Mr.. Folsom"
he said, land the rest come with me.
There's nothing we can do here, is
there? Sure you're not hit?"
ssNo, 90 on! Give 'em hell and get
back my horses. I'd go with you, but
they've killed what horses they
couldn't drive. All safe at the ranch? p
Shaughnessy nodded as he spurred
away. "We'n be gettin' the lieuten-
ant brevet for this" said he, ''if
we can only close up with those black
guards" And these were the words
Folsom carried back with him, as,
mounting willing troopers horse, he
galloped homeward to reassure his
wife, thanking God for the opportune
coming Of the little command, yet
swearing with close-compressed lips
at the ill-starred work of the day.
Thus far he had striyen to keep from
her all knowledge Of the threats Of
the Ogallallas, although he knew she
must shave heard of them. He had
believed himself secure so far back
from the Platte. He had lone every
thing in his power to placate Red
Cloud and the chiefs-to convince his
former friends that he had never en-
ticed poor Lizette, as Baptiste had
called the child, from her home and
people. They held he should never
have left her, though she had ac-
cused him of no wrong. Burning Star,
in his jealous rage, hated him, be-
cause he believed that but for love
of the paleface Lizette would have lis
tened to his wooing, and Folsom's con-
science could not acquit him of having
seen her preference and of leading her
on. He could not speak Of her to his
wife without shame and remorse. He
had no idea what could have been her
fate, for the poor girl had disappeared
from the face of the earth. and now,
al last, this day had proved to him the
threats of her lover and her brothers
were not idle. He had had so narrow
3. squeak for his life, SO sharp and sud
den and hard a fight for it that, now
that the peril was over, his nerve be
gan to give way, his strong hands to
tremble. Armed with breechloaders,
he and his two friends had been able
to stand off the attacking party, kill
ing two ponies, and emptying, they
felt sure, two saddles; but little by lit
tie the indians were working around
their position, and would have crawIed
upon them within an hour CT two but
for Jake's daring ride for help and
the blessed coming Of the bluecoats in