Waterbury Democrat., 1900-11-09

OUT pOOT lcllOWS SSCuluWdIo,AWd IFOm us. They are massed between them and us. It would only be playing into their hands, my boy. It's too late to help. Our duty now is here"
 But good God, sir! I can't stay without raising hand to help. beg[ impiore!" .i.- .. s..-l
 "Go back to your post at once, sir. You may be needed any minute. Look there! Now!"
 And as he spoke the colonel pointed to the southeast. Over the scene be- yond the divide to the south hung the bank of pale-blue smoke. Out on the slope lay the ghastly remains of the young adjutant and his faithful cou.- fade, who not ten minutes before ha6 galloped forth in obedience to their orders and met their soldier fate. Out to the southeast the ridge fell grad ually away into the general level of the rolling prairie, and there, full thou sand yards distant, there suddenly darted into view three horsemen, troopers evidently, spurring madly for home.
 They've cut their way through! Thank Goal" almost screamed the spectators at the parapet. But their sxultation died an instant later. Over the ridge in swift pursuit came dozen painted, feathered braves, their 1r,~ nies racing at lightning speed, their arrows and bullets whizzing along the line of flight. The horse of the foremost trooper was staggering, and suddr1ly went plunging headlong, sending his rider srramHns; far out on the turf. He WE ap in a second. dire peril nerving him to desperate effort. His comrades veered at his cry for help and glanced back over their shoulders. One, unnerved at sight of the dashing foemen in pur- suit. clapped spurs again, and bending low. rode madly on. The other, gal lant fellow! reined about in wide, sweeping circle, and turned back to meet his running comrade. They saw l him bend to lend helping hand, saw him bend still lower as three of the Indians leaped from their ponies; and, kneeling, loosed their rifles all at once; saw him topple out of saddle, and his stricken horse, with Tapping rein, trot aimlessly about a moment, before he, too, went houndering in his tracks; saw the other soldier turn to face his fate by his dying comrades side, fighting to the last, overwhelmed and borne down by the rush of red warriors. Strong men turned aside in agony, unable to look on and see the rest-the brutal, pitiless clubbing and stabbing, the fearful hacking of lance and lnife-but others still, in | the fascination of horror, gazed help ! lessly through the smoke drifting up- ward from the blazing loopholes, and once feeble cheer broke forth as one shot took effect and a yelling Indian stretched out dead upon the sward l Then for a brief moment all eyes cen tered on the sole survivor who came sweeping down the slope, straight for the s.ockade. Almost it seemed as though he might yet escape, despite the fact that his horse, too, was lurch- | ing and stumbling, and his pursuers were gaining rapidly, defiant of the fire of the little fort. Reckless of or der and discipline, dozen soldiers nearest the gate rushed out upon the open bench, shouting encouragement and sending long-range, chance shots. But with every stride the fleeing steed grew weaker, stumbled painfully and slaekened speed, and soon they saw him slowing down despite the frantic jabbing of the spurs, and with droop- ing head and bleeding nostrils giving up the fight. And then, at sound of the triumphant yells and jeers of his pursuers, the poor wretch in saddle threw one fearful glance behind him, one despairing look toward the com rades and the refuge still a quarter of a mile away and with shaking hand he turned the brown revolver on his | own temple and pulled trigger, and then went tumbling earthward, a corpse. There at least was one scalp the Sioux could covet in vain, for, with shouts of vengeance, the little squad of infantry, deaf to all orders or the clamor of the bugle recall, dashed out over the level beach firing furiously as they ran, and, whether from the su- | perstitious awe with which the h. dians view the suicide, or the dread | of close combat with the gallant band of blue-coats, the mounted war riors turned and scurried across the | prairie, and were presently out of range beyond the ridge again. Then and not till they had reached and lifted and borne the lifeless form of the trooper did the little party con- | descend to answer the repeated sum- mons from the fort. Then at last they slowly returned, unrebuked for no man had the heart to chide their dar- ing.
 Only once more was there further s.ght of the one-sided battle. Half mile or more beyond the bare divide there rose against the southern sky bold, oblong height or butte, studded with powders and stunted pine, and watchers at the fort became aware as the sun climbed higher that the smoke cloud, thinning gradually but percep-
 tibly, was slowly drifting thither. The fire, too, grew faint and scattering.
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