Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-09-11
WARRIOR GAP.
(Continued from page 81

compelled to drop. Mrs. Hal chung
sobbing to him, unable to control her
fears, but he chided her gently and
babe her see that Jake lacked no care
or comfort. The brave fellow was sore
and feverish, but in no great danger
now. Five miles out in the foothills
they came upon the horses wandering
placidly back to the valley, but Folsom
kept on. Four miles further he and a
single ranchman with him came upon
three troopers limping along afoot,
their horses killed in the running fight
and one of these, grateful for long
pull at Folsom's flask, turned back and
showed them the body of the fallen
brave. One look was enough for Hal
and the comrade with him. Don't
let my wife know-who it was" he had
muttered to his friend. 1T would only
make her more nervous" There lay
Chasla, Lizette's eldest brother, and
well Hal Folsom knew that death would
never go unavenged.
IF ever a time comes when can do
you good turn, lieutenant" said he
that afternoon as, WORKOUT with long
hours of pursuit and scout, the. troop
was encountered slowly marching back
to the Laramie, I'll do it if it costs
me the whole ranch" But Dean smiled
and said they wouldn't have missed
that chance even for the ranch. What
blessed piece of luck it was that the
commanding officer at Frayne had bid
den him take that route instead of the
direct road to Gate City! He had sent
men riding in to both posts on the
Platte, with penciled lines telling of
the Indian raid and it's results. Once
well covered by darkness the little
band had easily escaped their pursuers,
! and were now safe across the river and
well ahead Ct all possibility of success
full pursuit. But if anything were
needed to prove the real temper of the
Sioux the authorities had it. Now was
the time to grapple that Ogallalla tribe
and bring it to terms before it could
be reinforced by half the young men
in the villages of the northern plains.
The Platte, of course, would be pa
trolled by strong force of cavalry for
$500 weeks to come and no new foray
be dreaded yet awhile. Red
IS people would clay low" and
,.t,@eh the effect of this exploit before
attempting another. If the White
Father got mad" and ordered heap
soldiers" there to punish them, then
they must disavow all participation in
the affair, even though one of their
| best young braves was prominent in
the outrage, and had paid for the lux
| ury with his life-even though Burning
Star was trying to hide the fresh scar
of n rifle bullet along his upper arm.
| Together Dean and Folsom rode back
to the ranch, and another night was
j spent there before the troop was suffi-
GENTLY rested to push on to Emory.
Rene mber this, lieutenant" said
| Folsom again. as he pressed his hand at
! parting, there's nothing too good for
you and &C. troop at my home. If ever
youneed friend you'll find one here"
And the time was coming when Mar
4 shall Dean would need all that he could
! muster.
Two days later-still march away
from Emory-a courier overlook him
/ with letter frozen his late post com
mander: "Your vigorous pursuit and
prompt, soldierly action have added to
the fine record already made and merit
hearty commentator" The cordial
words brought sunshine to his heart.
How proud Jess would be. and mother!
He had not had word from either for
over week. The latter, though far
from strong, was content at home in
the loving care of his sister, and in the
hope that he would soon obtain the
leave of absence so long anticipated
and, after Jess's brief visit to Pap
posses new home, would come to
gladden. the eyes of kith and kin, but
mothers most of all, bringing Jessie
with him. Little hope of leave of alb
sence was there now, and less was he
the man to ask it with such troubles
looming up all along the line of from
tier posts to the north. But at least
there would be the joy of seeing Jess in
few days and showing her his troop
her and Pappoose. How wonderfully
that little schoolgirl must have grown
and developed! How beautiful a girl
she must now be if that photograph
was no t1atterer! BY the way, where
was that photo? What had he done
with it? For the first time in four
days he remembered his picking it uE
when Mrs. Hal Folsom collapsed at
sight of Jake's swooning. Down in the
depths of the side pocket of his heavy
blue flannel hunting shirt he found it
crumpled bit, and all its lower left
hand corner bent and blackened and
crushed. Chaska's last shot that tore
it's way so close below the young sol
dier's bounding heart, just nipping and
soaring the skin, had left its worst
mark on that dainty carte de visite
In that same pocket, too, was another
packet-a letter which had been picked
/ up on the floor of the hut at Reno after
Burleigh left--one for which the major
had searched in vain, for it was under
meath lot of newspapers. "You take
i that after him." said the cantonmen1
commander, as Dean followed with the
| 1,,ao ar