The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-02-03
TWO SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE.

by Jove, that came unpleasantly
near Mr.. Payne exclaimed the senior
major of the cavalry battalion, dodg-
ing in calm and dignified manner the
unexpected rain of Sioux bullets.
Yes, sir, . answered little Mr.. Payne,
! familiarly known as Tommy"
They're getting in a few bulls eyes"
he said, Strengthening his youthful
! West Point figure in an uncompromis-
ing attitude of military exactness.
1t is all very we'll for an old Indian
fighter like Major Baker to dodge, but
the junior sub would never hear the
last Of it if he attempted such tactics.
Ping! pang! came the singing bullets,
cutting clean long burrows in the short,
crisp buffalo grass.
Young Kerry, the boy bugler of K
troop, stopped one of the wicked leaden
missiles; it struck against the boys
body with such a loud, sickening thud
that Tommy vaguely wondered why
everyone did not stop firing long enough
to see what that terrible noise was.
Dodge, Tommy, dodge" command
ed Major Baker, suddenly and sharply,
and almost unconsciouSly the young
ster followed his seniors example,
dropping swiftly on one knee and COM
ing rapidly to the conclusion that there
was no particular sense or courage in
making ones self a target for an I'M
seen foe.
THE red devfls!" muttered the major,
savagely, as he glanced at the young
bugler's silent form. And so the brief,
fierce, unequal struggle went on.
1t was the same old story; the injus-
tice and rapacfty of the lawless white
settlers had started the Indians on the
warpath. The small force of regulars
had been sent to bring back the In
dams to their reservation and restore
order-and had about succeeded, when,
with a queer, latent, savage love of
fighting, the Indians had opened a
treacherous, sudden fire from their
rifles. which they had concealed be-
meath their blankets, upon the unsus-
pecting soldiers sent to protect and de-
fend their interests.
major, there are two men who
aren't doing any lodging" murmured
young Payne reproachfully, as a slight
lull in the firing gave him chance to
look around and take a good, long
breath.
The majors eye followed young
Payne's significant gesture, as he
glanced over the curious little battle
field.
At the foot of the divide, where the
the tall, Slight figure of a Catholic
priest moved calmly to and fro, evil
IDENTIFY ministering as far as possible to
the wounded on both sides.
Orderly after orderly had been sent
to command him to retire, but with a
courteous thank you" the priest had
remained on the scene.
Away down the divide stood the
other man>who wasn't doing any dodg-
ing, as Tommy expressed it. He was a
tall. fair-haired, blue-eyed corporal,
mere boy in looks, in charge of the
Calling gun and a small firing party.
The small, shining, wicked-looking
gun did deadly work among the tepees;
the devils gun" the Indians had
named it. With cries of fierce, sullen
rage. every Sioux rifle was turned upon
the young corporal; with deadly effect
the bullets poured in; two of his men
fell; the other9 as they had been in
structed, sought refuge behind the sur
rounding rocks. For an instant he
stood there motionleas, then, as if the
two silent, blue-coated figures lying
beside him inspired him with a wild
desire for revenge, he loaded and fired
his gun again and again.
rs the man mad? groaned Major
Barker as he hurriedly commanded the
buglers to sound the retreat" The
corporal turned and waved his hand a.
a sign he lid heard and went on
calmly firing.
'Disobedience of orders!' fumed the
major, II viii put him under arrest
Suddenly, like veritable demons, rid
ing from the surrounding rocks and
ridges, from the half-ruined tepees,
Swarmed q host of yelling Sioux: firing
and yelling, they made straight for the
tall, conspicuous figure Of the corporal;
the rain of their bullets was like the
patter of hailstones on the hard, baked
prairie. For an instant he stood I'M
harmed. then suddenly he reeled and
nut his hand to his heart.
shout of maligdnt triumph burst
from those save threats. Almost in
stantly it was caught UP and merged
into a. mighty shout of admiration and
ancO11ra cement as a detachment of
cavalry swept into view and came tear
ing down the slope Of the opposite d.
vide. Yelling like mad they rode to the
rescue Of their eomrade; the range was
foo close for their carbines but their
long cavalry pistols did deadly work.
The fight was over, the Indians
knew it and instantly scattered to sesk
shelter on the wide prairie where only
an Indian could hide.
The priest stood gazing with sad, in
srr1lfabIe ewes on the ruin waT had
wrought in one short hour; the wailing
Of a baby from beneath a silent,
blanketed figure of a Sioux squaw
caught his ear; the squaw had fought
even more savagely than the men.
''Pauvre petite" murmured the
priest, softly, and STOPPING over the
mothers silent form, was about to lift