The Iola register., 1900-10-26

sergeant. "By twos again. Incline TO
the right. Damn the Sioux, | sayl
Have we got to circle five miles around
their hunting ground for fear of hurt
ing their feelings? Come on, Jimmy"
he added so the driver of the leading
wagon. Jimmy responded with Wig
orous language at the expense of his
leading mules. The quartermaster and
engineer silently scrambled in; the
ambulance started with jerk and
away went the party off to the right
of the trail, the wagons jolting
bit now over the uneven clumps OF
bunch grass.
But once well up at the summit OF
the low divide the command reined in
for look at the great Indian caval-
cade swarming in the northeastward
valley, and covering its grassy surface
still good mile away. Out from
among the diugy mass came galloping
half n dozen young braves. followed
by as many squaws. The former soon
spread out over the billowy surface,
some following the direction of the
chase, some bounding on southwest
ward as though confident of finding
what they sought the moment they
reached the nearest ridge; some rid
ing straight to the point where lay
the carcasses of the earliest victims
of the hunt. Here in full view of the
soldiery. but vouchsafng them nc
glance nor greeting whatever, two
Young warriors reined in their lively
ponies and disdainfully turned their
backs upon the spectators on the di-
vide, while the squaws, with shrili
laugh and chatter, rolled from their
saddles and began the drudgery of
their lot-sltinuing and cutting up the
buffaloes slaughtered by their lords.
Don't YOU see" sneered Burleigh,
''it's nothing bu' n village out for
hunt-nothirg in Coils world to get
stampeded about. We've had all this
show of warlikc preparations for moth
ing" But re turned away again as
he caught the steady look in the en-
eineer's blue eyes, aud shouted to his
more appreciative friend, the aid-de-
camp: well, pardner, haven't we
fooled away enough time here, or have
we got to await the pleasure of people
that never saw Indians before?"
Dean flushed crimson at the taunt.
! He we'll knew for whom il was meant.
He was indignant enough by this time
to speak for himself, but the aid-de-
camp saved him the trouble.
"I requested Mr.. Dean to halt few
moments, Burleigh. 1t is necessary
should know what band this is, and
how many are out"
"Well, be quick about It," snapped
the quartermaster. 81 want TO get &c
Reno before midnight, and at this
rate we won't make it in n week"
\ sergeant who could speak littlC
Sioux came riding back to the camp
q grin on his sun-blstered face. We'll
sergeant, what'd he say?" asked th'
staff officer.
HE said would I plaze go to hell
sor," was the prompt response
won't he tell who they are?'
"Ie won't, sorr. He says we know
widout askin', which is thrue, sorr
1 They're Ogallallas to man, barrir
the squaws and pappooses, wild oul
Red Cloud himself"
How'd you find out If they wouldn'
tallI?" asked the staff officer, impa
tiently.
"'Twas the bucks wouldn't talk-eS
cept in swear wurruds. l wasted n
: time on them, sorr. I gave the frs
squaw the last hardtack in me saddle
bags and tould her was it Machpcalot,
! -, and la vi
, Box Karesha--that's ould Folsom-no
: six hour ago, an Folsom's gone bac
to the cantonment'
"Then the quicker we skip the BET
ter" were the aid-de-camp's words
: "Get us to Reno fast as you can, Dear
} Strike for the road again as soon a
we're well beyond their buffalo No
for i'll There's something behind n
this bogus hunt business, and Folsoi
knows what ii Is"
And every mile of the way, unit
thick darkness settled down over III
prairie, there was something benin
the trooper cavalcade-several som'
,, things-wary red men. young an
wiry, who never Jet themselves /
|
wave of prairie to look to it that 4
|, man went back from that column
carry the news of their presence TO IL
Il, little battalion left in charge Of IL
new post at Warrior Gap.
. II was the dark of the moon, or, I
: the Indians say, "the nights the moe
! is sleeping in his lodge" and by te
. p. m. the skies were overcast. On
:, here and there q twinkling star w
;, visible, and only where some troop,
struck a light for his pipe could
!, hand be seen in front of the face. II
ambulance mules that had kept the
=. steady jog during the late afternoc
. and the long cleaning that follow
y. still seemed able to maintain the ga.
and even the big, numbering wagon
the rear came briskly on under the II
:, of its triple span, but in the inten
;, darkness the guides at the head of h