The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-07-19

peating carbine rose to his face. Both
wheelcrs dropped at the first shot,
killed by 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 ne-ved up with excitement.
like the Sioux, and before they could
bring their guns to bear, the savage
was well out upon the prairie.
And when these men tried, with
rifle or revolver, to shot at the swift
ly moving erratic mark presented by
the cunning Sioux and his rabbit-like
pony, the cutting wind numbed their
fingers and filed their eyes with wa
ter, the glistening snow obscured
their front sights, and they pelted q
white waste harmlessly with bull
let's.
The anger which ragged in them
when they knew the Sioux had es-
capped scot-free was something fright
full. Six mules of the splendid eight
lay welting in blood; another was dis
abled, and only one had come off
without hurt. Half the counties of
northwestern Iowa had been secured
to get together 'Gordon's Pride" as
this fine freight team had been named
before the party left Sioux City.
The blight of their hopeful expedi-
ton, the frightful peril of their sit
uation, were lost sight of in the alb
sorbing desire for revenge which
burned in every man of them as they
gazed upon the stricken, stiffening
heap of animals. All were for giving
chase Immediately. They believed they
could easily overtake the Sioux among
the drifts of the lower lands, where
creeks and snow-flled ravines must
cause him to shift his course contin-
ually.
"Boys," said Gordon, when some OF
them had hastily begun to strip fol
the chase, ''boys, this is my particu'
lar affair You make camp and fix II
for fightin'. I'll either get that Sioux
or he'll fetch his tribe back an get
u.s.
-Cyr Gordon was their captain. HI
had been a hay and wood contractor
for many years in the Sioux country
and his word was law to this little
band.
There was no need to argue that NJ
. man could have even guessed at th4
daring and disaster they had looked
) upon. The performance had bee1
too appallingly simple and easy. l
e had come as unexpectedly as the fioo'
of cloudburst or the bursting of
/ gun.
II While his men stood vengefull,.
4 watching the flying Sioux, Gordol
Y stripped himself of superfuous wrap
!. pings, stocked his pockets with froze,
t bread and cartridges, slipped on pal
o of snowshoes kept for emergency
i frightened his belt, and launched him
nj self in pursuit.
oil Horse and rider were again no NOR
d than speck upon the vast snow
y field. Gordon, with an express" riff
= under his arm, took the long, swing
e ing stride of the accomplished snow
n shoer. In an hour the speck upon tn
q snow had not grown smaller.
e., At high noon, by the sun, upon
r broad fiat where tall grass held til
d snow, Gordon came almost within bu
b let range of the Sioux. An hour late
% among a tangle of drifted ravine
there was an exchange of shots, an
le the Sioux's pony dropped in its track
n The Indian lodged out of sight, ar
le Gordon pushed warily on with gri
d, of hate under his icicles.
v He took up the Sioux tracks, al
,e noted with satisfaction that the L
Id dams moccasined feet punch'
2. through the light crust at every 9th
" step. In just little while!
But he followed for an hour or mo
.g among seemingly interminable ia
j. gle of gullies without catching
il glimpse of the wary dodger. Then
as emerged into a wider valley, to fiji
e. that the artful rascal had escaped o
is of range and out of sight upon win
r swept stretch of river ice.
ne Gordon ground his teeth and swe
IN over the smooth surface, sweatin
despite the sharp cold, from fierce {
he ertion. At turn of the river he 81
the Sioux; but there were others, mo
n, than a score of them, mounted and
Mt preaching the runner. The mule-ki
er's camp or town was close at hand.
m Exhausted from his long run, Gt
re- don, in his own language, "threw
rs the sponge" He hastily sought t
nd cover of river drifts and scooped hi
ds self kind of rifle pit. Then. with
ift pile of cartridges between his kne
er and slapping his hands to keep
lis fingers ready for action, he waite
ch meaning to do what execution he COT
no before the end.
Thara xuoc rnn sid y ahle Marley ame,