Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-10-23

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he felled the old trader with one stunning blow
OTIS and kindling with which to do
his bidding, and cry of despair went
up from within the walls. Recklessly
now Lannion and his comrade opened
fire from the loopholes and shot down
two of the dancing furies without,
sending every other Indian to the
nearest cover. But the arrows that
came whistling speedily were fire
brands. The besiegers gained in force
with every moment. Poor old Fol-
som. slowly regaining senses as he
lay bound and helpless down by the
stream, whittier his captors had
borne him, heard the jeers and shouts
of triumph with which the Indians
within the corral were rapidly MAX
ing their fire darts, when suddenly
there rose on the morning air sound
that etilled all others, a sound to
which the Indians listened in super
stitious awe, a sound that stopped the
hands that sought to burn out the
besieged and paralyze just long
enough all inspiration of attack.
Some of the Indians, indeed, dropped
their arms, others sprang to the
ponies as though to take to fight. 1t
was the voice of Lizette, chanting
the death song of the Sioux.
| IN lo+a
the band was gathered for it's rush
upon the ranch. Jake, gallant fellow,
lay bleeding at his post. Hope of
every kind was well-nigh dead. The
silence without was only portent of
the storm so soon to burst. Pappoose,
grasping her brothers rifle, crouched
facing the narrow entrance to the
cellar. Jessie chung to the baby, for
Mrs. Hal, only dimly conscious, was
moaning by her husbands side, while
Lizette in silence was kneeling, watch
ing them with strange glitter in her
eyes. Suddenly she started, and with
hand to ear listened intently. Then
she sprang to an air port and
crouched there, quivering. Then again
the ground began to tremble under
the distant thunder of pony feet,
louder and louder every second. Again
came the rush of the Indian braves,
but with it no exultant yell, only cries
of warning, and as this sound swept
over and beyond their walls, there fol-
lowed another. the distant, deep
throated trooper cheer, the crack of
carbine, the rising thunder of the cav
airy gallop. and then the voice of Ned
Lannion rang jubilantly over the dull
clamor.
up! Up, everybody! Thank God,
it's Dean and the boys!"
Long years after, in the camps and
stockades and the growing towns of
the far west that almost marvellous
rescue was the theme of many an
hours talk. The number of men who
took part in it, the number of hardy
fellows who personally guided the
troops or else stood shoulder to Shout
DER with Ned Lannion at the last tri-
umphant moment, increased so rapid
ly with the growing moons that in
time the only wonder was that any
thing was left of the Sioux. Official
records, however, limited the number
of officers and men engaged to Sc
lect few, consisting entirely of Lieut..
Loring, United States engineers;
Lieut., Loomis, -th infantry; few
men from scattered troops, ''pickups"
at Frayne and Emory, with Lieut..
Marshall Dean and so rank and file
of company &C."
Loring, it will be remembered, had
| taken small detachment rom En-
DRY and gone into the hills in search OF
Burleigh. LOOMS, fretting at the tort,
was later electrified by most grudg-
ingly given order to march to the Lar
annie and render such aid as might be
required by the engineer officer of the
| department. Dean, with only Is men
| all told, had dashed from Frayne
straight for the ranch, and, marching
all night, had come in sight of the
valley just as it was lighted afar to
the westward by the glare of the burn
ing buildings. "We thought it was all
over" said he, as he lay there weak
and langmd, few days later, for The
wound reopened in the rush of the
| fight, "but we rode on to the Laramie,
| and there, God be thanked! fell in with
LOOMS here and &C. troop, heading for
the fire. No words can tell you our joy
when we found the ranch still stand,
ing and some 40 Sioux getting ready
| for the final dash. That running fight
| past the old home and down thevalley
where we stirred up Loring's be-
siegers and sent them whirling, too.
why, I'd give fortune, if I had tito
live it over agaip!".