The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-12-22

and. of course, Pappoose-so close at
hand in town, therc was gaining
ground at the post an impression that
the safety of the board OF officers sent
to choose the site of the new Big Horn
post had been in9periled by Deans
weakening at critical moment in
presence of band Of probably hostile
Sioux. Burleigh had plainly intimated
as much to his chief clerk and Col.
Stevens, and when Loring and Stone
came through day or two later and
questions were asked about that meet
ing, the aid-de-camp gave 1T as dis
tnctly to be understood that he had
practically assumed command, Deans
inexpcrience being manifest, and his
own prompt measures had extricated
the little detachment from most deli
cate and dangerous position. The en-
gineer, let it be said, did not hear this
statement, and the aid was very care
full not to make it in his presence. He
was comparative stranger, and as no
one presumed to question him he vol
unteered no information.
Planning to bivouacuntil dawn of the
next dayat Folsom's, Dean had then in
tended to reach Fort Emory in three
easy marches. He was anxious to
bring his horses in in bestpossible con-
dition, despite all their hard service;
yet now, barely two o'clock on this hot
June afternoon, came most unlocked
for, most importunate interruption
TO his plans. Springing to the gate at
thesergeant's summons, he first direct
ed his gaze to the distant peaks, recog-
nized instantly the nature of the smoke
puffs there rising, then turned for eX-
PLANTATION 10 the swift-riding courier,
whose horses heels were making the
dust fly from the sundried soil. One
ortwo ranch hands, with anxious faces,
came fastening over from the corral.
The darby cook rushed up from the
kitchen, rifle in hand. Plainly those
fellows were we'll used to wars alarms.
Mrs. Folsom. with staring eyes and
dreadful anxiety in her face, gazed
only at the hurrying courier, clinging
the while TO the pillar of the portico,
as though needing support. The smoke
back of the tearing rider were symp-
toms enough for Dean.
"Get in your herd, sergeant" he
shouted, at the top of his voice; and
over the rushing of the Laramie his
words reached the rousing bivouac,
ND e,lI1o IA
ing in air in signal to the distant
guards, and within few seconds every
horse was headed for home; and then,
to the sound of excited voices was add
ed the rousing thunder of scores of
bounding hoofs, as, all in dust-cloud
Of their own, the sixty chargers came
galloping in, ears erect, eyes ablaze,
nostrils wide, names and tails stream
ing in the blaze, guided by their eager
guards full tilt for camp. Out ran
their riders, brides in hand, to meet
and check them, every horse when
within a few yards of his master SEEM
ing to settle on his launches and plow
up the turf in the sudden effort to
check his speed, long months of service
on the plains and in the heart of Indian
land having taught them in times of
alarm or peril that the quicker they
reached the guiding hand and bore,
each, his soldier Oh his back, the
quicker would vanish the common foe.
Even before the painting steed of the
headlong courier came within hailing
distance of the ranch, half the horses
in the troop were caught and the bits
were rafting between their teeth;
then, as the messenger tore along the
gentle slope that led to the gateway,
his wearicd horse laboring painfully
at the rise, Mrs. Folsom recognized one
of her husbands herdsmen, o man who
had lived long years in Wyoming and
could be unnerved by no false alarm,
and her voice went up in a shrek of
fear as she read the tidings in his al
most CHASTITY face.
"Whcre is HALF" she screamed. "Oh,
what has happened?"
"He's safe" was the answering call,
as the rider waved renssuring hand,
but at the instant he bent low.
"Thank God, you're here, lieutenant"
he gasped. "Mount quick. Halls cor
rallied two miles out there under the
butte-Sioux!" And then they saw
that he was swooning, that the blood
was streaming down the left thigh and
leg, and before hand could help him,
he rolled senseless, doubled up i'll the
dust at his horses feet, and the weary
creature never even started.
Saddle up, men!" rang the order
across the stream. And then while
strong arms lifted and bore the wound
ed hcrdsman to the porch, Dean turned
to the waiting mistress. who, white
faced and tcrror-stricken. was wiring
ing her hands and moaning and run
ming wildly up and down The walk and
calling for some one to so and save
her husband. Dean almost bore her to
Il chair and babe her fear nothing. He
and his men would lose not moment
On the floor at her feet lay the little
card photograph. and Dean, hardly
thinking what he did, stopped, picked
it up and placed it in the pocket of his
hunting shirt. just as the trumpetcl
on his punging gray reached the gate
Deans big, handsome charger trottins
swiftly alongside. In an instant tn.
lieutenant was in saddle, in another
second Il trooper gallopcd up with hi:
belt and carbine. Already the me1
were leadnr into line across thu