Willmar tribune., 1900-12-19
CHAPTER VIII.

Five hundred yards further down
stream was q deep bend in the Lar.
annie. Close to the waters edge two
horses lay stretched upon the ground,
stone dead. Out on the open prairie
lay an Indian pony still kicking in his
dying agony, and as the soldiers came
sweeping into view two men rose up
from behind the low bank of the
stream and swung their hats-Hal
Folsom and one of his hands safe,
unwounded, yet with look in their
gray faces that told of recent mortal
peril. ~. t-.-. ,.,~.....s s >
''We're all right! Go on after them.
They've run off dozen of my best
horses said Folsom, "and I'm afraid
they cut off lake" -. T.. /.
"No! Jake reached the ranch all
right-leastwise somebody did, said
,ShAughnessy. That's howsws.got the
news. They got somebody, or else
they were only blufing when they
waved that scalp. How many were
tlere?" :. ! +:
"At least a dozen-too many for
you to tackle. Where's the rest of the
troop?"
j "Close at their heels: The lieuten-
ant led them right over the. ridge.
Listep!" i
Yes, far up in the foothills, faint
and clear, the sounds of the chase
could now be heard. Deans men were
closing on the fleeing warriors, for
every little while the silence of the
range was broken by the crack of
rife. or carbine. Shaughnessy's fell
lows began to fdget and look eager
ly thither, and he read their wish.
1.-TWO of you stay with Mr.. Folsom,
he said, ''and the rest come with me.
There's nothing we can do here, is
there? Sure you're not hit?''
mo, go on! Give 'em hell and get
back my horses. I'd go with you, but
they've killed what horses they
couldn't drive. All safe at the ranch?'
Shaughnessy nodded as he spurred
away. "We'll be gettin' the ieuten-
ant a brevet for this,'' said he, ''if
we can only close up with those black
guards" And these were the words
Folsom carried back with him. as,
mounting willing troopers horse, he
gal1oped homeward to reassure hiA
wife, thanking God for the opportune
coming of the little command, yet
swearing with close-compressed lips
at the ill-starred work of the day.
Thus far he had striven to keep fromf
her all knowledge of the threats of
the Ogallallas, although he knew she
must have heard of them. He had
believed himself secure so far back
from the Platte. He had done every
thing in his power to placate Red
Cloud and the chiefs-to convince his
former friends that he had never en-
ticed poor Lizette, as Baptiste had
called the child, from her home and
people. They held he should never
have left her, though she had &C..
cused him of no wrong. Burning Star,
in his jealous rage, hated him, be-
cause he believed that but for love
of the paleface Lizette would have lis
tened to his wooing, and Folsom's con-
science could not acquita him Of having
seen her preference and Of leading her
on. He could not speak of her to hi:
wife without shame and remorse. he
had no idea what could have been her
fate, for the poor girl had disappeared
from the face of the earth. and now,
at last, this day had proved to him the
threats of her lover and her brothers
were not idle. He had had so narrow
q squeak for his life, so sharp and sud-
den and hard a fight for it that, now
that the peril was over, his nerve be-
gan to give way. his strong hands to
tremble. Armed with breechloaders,
he and his two friends had been able
to stand OF the attacking party, kill
ing two ponies, and emptying, they
felt sure, two saddles; but little by lit
tie the Indians were working around
their position, and would have crawled
upon them within an hour or two but
for Jake's daring ride for help and
the blessed coming Of the bluecoats in
the nick of time. Folsom swore he'd
never forget their services this day.
And as he cantered homeward he
could still hear the distant. firing sdy-
ing away in the mountains to the
north. ''Give 'em hell. Dean!" he NUT
tered through his set teeth. They're
showing fight even when you've got 'em
on the run. wonder what that
smeans?' 81 7. /. 7.
Not until another day was he to
know. Late on the evening Of the at
tack, willie he was seated with his
wife by. Jake's bedside, half a dozen
troopers, two LOT them wounded and
all with worn-put horses, came drift
ing back to camp. Twice, said they,
had the fleeing Indians rmade a stand
to cover the slew retreat Of one or two
evidently sore1y stricken, but SO close
IL were they pressed that at last they
had been forced to abandon one Of
their number, q who died, sending his
last vengeful shot through the lieu.
tenants hunting shirt, vet only graz
ing the skin. Dean, with most of the
men, pushed on il pursuit., determined
never to desist SO long as there was
light but those who returned could
not keep MP. s.= IS .5.=s .'l5.s
Leaving the dead body Of the young
brave where II lay among the rocks,
they slowly journeyed back to camp.
No fur her tidings came, and at day.
break Folsom, wit two ranchmen and
d trooper, rode out on the trail 70 round
mp the horses the Indians had been
compelled to- drop. Mrs. Hal chung.
ssobbiug to him, unable to control her