The Princeton union., 1900-10-04

nearest frontier posts; at Cheyenne,
Omaha and Gate City the anxiety was
great. When John Folsom said the In
dians meant a war of determination
people west of the Missouri said:
WITHDRAW those garrisons while
there is yet time, or else send five
thousand troops to help them But
people east of the Missouri said: who
the devil is John Folsom? What does
he know about it? Here's what the In
dian agent says, and that's enough, -
and people east of the Missouri being
vastly in the majority, neither were
the garrisons relieved nor the reen-
forcements sent. What was worse,
John Folsom's urgent advice that they
discontinue at once all work at War
rior Gap and send the troops and la
borers back to Reno was pooh-poohed.
| "The contracts have been let and
signed. The material is all on it's way.
We can't back out now,' said the Of
fcials. "Send runners to Red Cloud and
get him to talk. Promise him a lot of
presents. Yes, if he must have them,
tell him he shall have breech-loaders
and copper cartridges-to shoot buffa
10 with, of course. Promise him pretty
much anything to be good and keep his
hands off little longer till we get that
fort and the new agency buildings fin.
ished, and then let him do what he
likes"
Such were the instructions given the
commissionersand interpreters hurried
through Gate City and Frayne, and on
up to Reno just within the limit fixed
by Folsom. Red Cloud and his chiefs
came in accordingly, arrayed in pomp,
paint and fnery, shook hands grimly
with the representatives of the Great
Father, critically scanned the prof
fered gifts, disdainfully rejected the
n1uzzle-loading rifles and old dragoon
horse-pistols heaped before him. "Got
heap BETTER" was his comment, and
nothing but brand new breech-
leaders would serve his purpose.
Promise them and he'd see what could
be done to restrain his young men.
But they were "pretty mad" he said,
and couldn't be relied upon to keep
the peace unless sure of getting better
arms and ammunition to help them
break it next time. It was only tenn.
porizing. 1t was only encouraging the
veteran war chief in his visions of pow
er and control. The commissioners
came back beaming. "Everything salts.
factorily arranged. Red Cloud and his
Ipeople are only out for a big hunt. .
But officers whose wives and children
prayed fearfully at night within the
puny wooden stockades, and listened
trembling to the howls and tom-toms
of the dancing Indians around the
council fires in the neighboring valleys
wished to heaven they had left those
dear ones in safety at their eastern
homes-wished to heaven they coulc
send them thither now, but well knew
that it was too late. Only as single
spies, riding by night, hiding by day
were couriers able to get through
from the Big Horn to the Platte. o,
scouts and soldiers sent at different
times since the middle of May, sever
were missing, and never, excep'
through vague boastings of the In
dians, were heard of again.
1T is treacherous truce, I tell you,
said Folsom, with grave, anxious face
to the colonel commanding Fort EN-
ory. II have known Red Cloud 2
years. He's only waiting a few week
to see if the government will be foo
enough to send them breech-loaders
If it does, he'll be all the better abl
to fight little later on. If it doesn'
he will make it his casus belli."
1t was nearly 300 miles by the wind
ing mountain road from Gate City t
Warrior Gap. Over hill and dale an
mountain pass the road ran to Frayne
: thence, fording the North Platte, th
wagon trains, heavily guarded, had t
drag over miles of dreary desert, owe
shadeless slopes and divides to the dr.
wash of the Powder, and by road
!. deep in alkali dust and sage brush t
Cantonment Reno, where far, to til
west the grand range loomed ii
, against the sky-another long day
> march away to the nearest foothill.
to the nearest drinkable water. an