Waterbury Democrat., 1900-11-13
CHAPTER XXIII.


 Five days later the women and chill dren from Warriors Gap, most of them bereaved, all of them unneryed by the experiences of that awful day, arrived at Fort Frayne, escorted by a strong command of infantry and all that was left of the cavalry troop at the stock ade. A sad procession it was as it slow ly forded the Platte and ascended the winding road to the post, where sOr- rowing, sympathetic army women met and ministered to them. With them, too, came such of the wounded as could be moved, and at the head of the little squad of horse rode Lieut.. Dean, whom the post commander and several officers greeted almost effusively.
 Net almost the first question was: "Did you see any Indians?''
 Not one,'' answered Dean. "They seem to have drawn away from the Big Horn road entirely. Why do you ask?" he added. anHiously.
 There were signal fires out at Eagle Butte last night, ard I've just had a letter from old Folsom at the ranch on the Laramie. He begs us to send a guard at once, and l haven't q horseman. There's been the devil to pay at young Folsom's place."
 Dean's face went shade paler. "What's happened?" he asked.
 "A dozen of his best horses run off by Birdsall's gang, probably to re- place those they lost in the flood, and Hal himself was shot anI left for dead in the hills. He'd died but for an Ogallalla girl and couple of half E,0 h11 i1C .I0f lcra near the Peak. There are letters for you at the office.''
 There were two-one from Loomis, at Emory; one from Jessie, of all places in the world, at Folsom's ranch. This he read first.
 eve got here late night befor7 last, after such an exciting journey, Marshall dear," said she, and I can't begin to tell you all the strange things that have happened, for Mir. Folsom says the messenger must start for Fort Frayne in twenty minutes. That villain, Maj. Buregh, wl.o dared to speak i'll Of you, turned out to be bad as 1 ever said he was. They haven't caught him yet, but they've got Capt. NeWhaIl. MT. Folsom and MT. Iloring did that caught him in the back yard of our house, down by the gate, and in some way Mrs. Fletcher induced him to come there, for he had the key to the safe at the quar- tcruaster's depot, and was going to get tnc money MaJ BuTlclgn dared not take when he fled. I can't understand it at all, and Pappoose doesn't like to talk about i:. But MT Folsom was robbed of lots of n-cney by Maj. Burleigh. Mrs. Fletcher is mixed up in it in such queer way, can't explain now. She was nearly crazy when We came away, and Mir, Folsom was so good snd kind to her, left a nurse with i5r, and made her stay at the house, al- though she wanted to pack her things and go to the hotel or the jail, she didn't cars which; but he wouldn't let her.
 And right in the midst of it all Ned IanniOn, who came with news before, gal lcped in to tell how Halbert Folsom had been missing two days, and Mrs. Folsom was crazy with fear, so MT. Folsom left Lieut.. Loring to attend to all the mat terS about the robbery and started at once for the ranch, and Pappoose, of course, in sisted on going with him, and I would not be left behind. Ard here we are. Now I can see the hills where you had the fight and wore Elinor's picture, and it was right out there among them that Halbert was found. Horse thieves had off his best horses-the same gang of murderers that, they say, planned to trap you and that you outwitted. Oh! Marshall, was ever a girl so proud of her brother!-and they shot Hal and he was found and taken care of by some Indian people, tame ones, and one was q girl, 1iZette, who had fallen in love with him tour years ago. Wasn't is romantic? And she's gone again. but Hal is safe here, although Mrs. Folsom is more than half-crazy, and now old Mir. 1 Folsom is worried to death and says we must start back for home tomorrow. It's seventy-fivo miles, and don't want to go at all, only I'm so eager to see you, and l heard--at least MT. LoOuis told me you'd be back any day, and he has your troop till you come, and he's so fond of you Oh, here's Pappoose to say this must go at once."
 The colonel sat watching the young fellow as he read. Bad news, Dean?" he queried.
 Every kind of news, sir. It's all a whirl. The devil seems to have broken loose in Wyoming. Let mo skim through Loomis' notc.''
 "Dear Dean: In case the letter sent yes terday passes you on the way, I add a line to say that if ever I said a mean thing about Loring when we were in the corps, take it back. I thought him prig when we wore the gray. He rather held us under anyhow, being class ahead, you know, but the way he has banned out here and wiped up Wyoming with the only men I ever knew that tried to wrong you is simply wonderful. He's nabbcd three of the Birdsall gang and is away now after Burleigh. The news from Folsom's ranch is more reassuring. Hal was shot by horse | thieves who were running off stock, and was found and taken care of by friendly | Indians, but Mrs. Hal had an awful scare | and sent for the old man, who went, of | course-both young ladies going with him. | They were miles away before we knew sf it a the fort. tried to persuade old Peck l sniff that he ought to let me go with twenty | troopers to guard the ranch and scout the 1 Lara mic, and he threa tened to put in | arrest. Of all the double-dashed, pig-head- l ed old idiots he's the worst l don't want l people at the ranch to be scared, but if i the Sioux only would make some demon | str2tiou this way that would give chance, I'd try to earn little Of the rep | utation that you're winning, old boy, and | no man knows better how much you de- | serve it than
 Your friend and classmate, HANK L." tP. S.-Loring took ten of the troop into | the Black Hills to beat up Burleigh, but l he said if they struck Indian sign he Meant | to make for F'olsonn's ranch. Now, if we could only meet there.'
 The sun was we'll down at the west. The days march had been long and tedious, as only cavalry marches are when long wagon. trains have to be escorted. Dean had not yet fully recovered strength, but anxiety lent him energy.
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