Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1900-06-14
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: GOp An Episode Of Invasion Z
& By franklin ". Calkins.
Observation-Disclosures
lFrom the Youths Companion. by Per.
mission

lF'rom the Youths Companion. by Per-
mission.}
THE new Ell Dorado was in sight.
Gordon's party of IL tired frcn-
tlersmen had mounted the high divide
which separates the sources of the
Running Water from those of the Chey-
enne. For five weeks the, men had
shoveled drifts, buffeted hEzzards and
Kept a constant vigil among the in
terminable sand hills. By means, too,
OF stable canvas, shovels, axes, iron
picket pins and a modicum of dry feed,
they had kept in good condition the
splendid eight-mule team which drew
their big freighter.
In fact "Gordon's outfit" was model
one in every respect, and probably no
similar body of men ever faced our
snow-bound, trackless plains, better
equipped for the adventure. And now
the muffied marchers cheered as Gap"
Gordon halted them, and pointed to a
blurred and inky upheaval upon the
far rim of a limitless waste of white
The famous Black Hills, veritable
wonderland, unseen hitherto by any
party of whites save the men of Gus
ter's expedition, lay before them.
Two more days and the gold seekers
would gain the shelter of those pine
covered hills, where their merry axes
would eat chips until shelter, COM
fort and safety from attack were Sc
cured. Out of the bitter cold, after
weeks of toll and danger, into warmth
and safety-no wonder. they were glad!
AS yet they had seen no sign of the
hostile Sioux, but their frosty cheers,
thin and piping, had hardly been borne
away by the cutting wind when a
moving black speck appeared on the
western horizon.
The speck drew nearer and resolved
itself into solitary horseman. Could
it be that single Sioux would approach
a party of their strength? They
watched the rider without anxiety.
They were so near the goal now that
10 war party of sufficient strength to
become menace was likely to be gath
cred. They were equipped with an
arsenal of modern guns, with $4,000
rounds of ammunition. and had! boosted
they were good to stand off 800 Sioux
Nearer and nearer drew the horse
man, his pony coming on in rabbit like
jumps to clear the drifts. Speculation
ceased. It was an Indian-probably a
hunter strayed far from his village,
half-starved and coming to beg for
food. Well, the poor wretch should
have frozen bread and meat, as much
as he could eat-they could not stop
to give him better fare.
1t was as cold as Greenland. The
bundled driver upon the great wagon
slapped his single line, and yelled at the
Flooding mules. Eleven buffalo-coated,
fur-encased men with feet clad in snow
packs marched at the tail of the
freighter. In such weather their cold
shooting irons" were left in the wag-
on, nor did they deem it necessary now
to get them out.
They were prepared for a begging,
Indian, but the apparition which final
ly rode in upon the monotony of their
long march seemed to them a figure as
farcical as savage. AS the Sioux horse
man confronted them he lowered his
blanket, uncovering his solemn, bar
barian face, and, stretching out one
long arm, pointed them back upon
their trail. "-.
"Go!" he said, and he repeated the
command with fierce insistence.
The big freight wagon ratified on,
but the footmen halted for moment
to laugh. Ill
The Indian stretched his lean arm
and shouted, "Go!" still more savage
ly. It was immenselyfunny. Gordon's
men jeered the solitary autocrat, and
laughed until their icicled boards
pulled. They babe him get into drift
and cool off; asked him if his mother
knew he was out, and whether his
feet were sore, and if it hurt him much
to talk, and if he hadn't a brother who
could chin-chin washtado?
His sole answer to their jeering, as he
rode alongside, was go! go! go!" re-
peated with savage emphasis and a
flourish of his arm to southwark
The footmen were plodding dozen
rods in the rear of their freight
wagon, and still laughing frostily at
this queer specimen of ':Injun," when
the savage spurred his pony forward.
A few quick leaps carried him up to
the toiling eight-mule team. Hisblanket
dropped around his hips, and re-
peating carbine rose to his face. Both
wheelers dropped at the first shot,
killed by a single ounce slug. A
rapid fusillade of shots was distrib-
uted among the struggling mules,
and then the Sioux was off, shaking
his gun and yelling defiance, his pony
going in zigzag leaps and like the
wind.
Men ran tumbling over each other to
get into the wagon and at their guns.
The teamster and two or three 9th
ers who, despite the cold, carried re-
volvers under their greatcoats, jerked
their mittens and fumbled with stiff
fingers for their weapons. They had
not been nerved up with excitement,
like the Sioux, and before they could