The Princeton union., 1900-10-11
copyright. 1897. BY F. Tennyson Neeiy !


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
tened to his wooing, and Folsom's con-
science could not acquit him of having
seen her preference and of leading her
on. He could not speak of her to his
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
a squeak for his life, so sharp and sud-
den and hard 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 off 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 dy-
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
means?"
Not until another day was he to
know. Late on the evening of the at
tack, while he was seated with his
wife by Jakes bedside, half a dozen
troopers, two of them wounded and
all with worn-out horses, came drift
ing back to camp. Twice, said they,
had the fleeing Indians made a stand
to cover the slow retreat of one or two
evidently sorely stricken, but so close
ly were they pressed that at last they
had been forced to abandon one of
their number, who died, sending his
last vengeful shot through the lieu
tenants hunting shirt, yet only graz
ing the skin. Dean, with most of the
men, pushed on in pursuit, determined
never to desist so long as there was
light but those who returned could
not keep up.
Leaving the dead body of the young
brave where it lay among the rocks,
they slowly journeyed back to camp.
No further tidings came, and at day
break Folsom, with two ranchmen and
a trooper, rode out on the trail to round
up the horses the Indians had been
compelled to drop. Mrs. Hal clung
sobbing to him, unable to control her
fears, but he chided her gently and
bade her see that Jake lacked no care
or comfort. The brave fellow was sore
and feverish, but in no great danger
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. ut would only
make her more nervous" There Law
Chaska, Lizette's eldest brother, and
well Hal Folsom knew that death would
never go unavenged.
"1f ever time comes when can do
you good turn, lieutenant" said he
that afternoon as, worn-out 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
a 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
we'll covered by darkness the little
band had easily escaped their pursuers
and were now safe across the river and
well ahead of 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 mer
in the villages of the northern plains
The Platte, of course, would be pa
trolled by strong force Of cavalry TO,
some weeks to come, and no new foray
need be dreaded yet awhile. Rec
Clouds people would LAY low an6