The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-09-15


who, despite the cold, carried revolv-
ers under their great-coats, jerked of
their mittens and fumbled with stiff
fingers for their weapons. They had
not been nerved up with excitement
like the Sioux. and before they could
bring their guns to bear the savage
was well out upon the prairie.
And when these men tried, with rife
or revolver, to shoot at the swiftly
moving, erratic mark presented by the
cunning Sioux and his rabbit-like pony
the cutting wind numbed their fingers
and filled their eyes with water, the
glistening snow obscured their front
sights, and they pelted q white waste
furiously with bullets.
The anger which ragged In them as
they saw that the Sioux had escaped
scot free was something frightful. Six
mules Of the splendid eight lay welter.
ing In blood; another was disabled, and
only one had come off without hurt
Half the counties of northern Iowa
had been secured to get together "Gor-
don's PRIDE" as this fine freight team
had been named, before the party left
Sioux City.
The blight Of their hopeful expedi-
tion, the frightful peril of their situa-
ton, were lost sight of in their desire
for revenge, which burned in the heart
of every man of them as they gaZed
upon the stricken, stiffening heap of
animals. All were for giving chase i'm
mediately. They believed they could
easily overtake the Sioux among the
drifts of the lower lands, where creeks
and snow filed ravines must cause
him to shift his course continually.
Boys" said Gordon, when some Of
them had hastily begun to strip for the
chase, boys, this is my particular af-
fair. You make camp and fit it for
fightin'. I'll either get that Sioux, or
he'll fetch his tribe back and get u.s."
Cy Gordon was their captain. He had
been a hay and wood contractor for
many years in the Sioux country, and
his word was law to this little band.
There was no need to argue that no
man could even have guessed at the
daring and disaster they had looked
upon. The performance had been too
appallingly simple and easy. 1t had
come as Unexpectedly as the flood of a
cloudburst or the bursting of gun.
While his men stood vengefully and
fiercely watching the flying Sioux Cor
don stripped himself of his superlative,
wrappings, stocked his pockets with
frozen bread and cartridges, slipped
on pair of snowshoes kept for an
emergency, tightened his belt and then
launched himself In pursuit.
Horse and rider were again no more
than a speck upon the vast snow field.
Gordon, with an express" rife under
his arm, took the long, swinging stride
of the accomplished snow-shoer. In an
hour the speck upon the snow had not
grown smaller.
At noon, by the sun, upon n broad
fat where tall grass held the snow,
Gordon came almost within bullet
range of the Sioux. An hour later,
among a tangle of driftwood vines,
there was an exchange of shots, and
the Sioux's pony dropped in its tracks.
The Indian lodged out of sight, and
Gordon pushed warily on with grin
of hate under his icicles.
He took up the Sioux's tracks, and
noted with satisfaction that the In
dams moccasined feet punched clear
through the light crust at every other
step. In just little while!
But he followed for an hour or more
among a seemingly interminable tangie
of gullies without catching glimpse
of the wary dodger. Then he emerged
into a wider valley, to find that the
artful rascal had escaped out Of his
range and out of sight upon a wind
swept stretch of river Ice.
Gordon ground his teeth and swept
over the smooth surface, sweating, de-
spite the sharp cold, from fierce exer-
ton. At turn of the river he saw
the Sioux; but there were others, more
than a score of them, mounted and ap-
preaching the runner. The mule-kill-
er's camp or town was close at hand.
Exhausted from his long run, Cor
don, In his own language, threw up the
sponge. He hastily sought the cover
of river drifts, and scooped himself a
kind of rife pit. Then, with n pile
of cartridges between his knees, and
slapping his hands to keep his fingers
ready for action, he waited, meaning
to do what execution he could before
the end.
There was considerable parley be-
tween the Sioux, and then only a sim
gle Indian advanced towards the white
man. This one came on afoot, within
gunshot, then stopped and shook his
blanket in token that he wanted to ap-
proach and talk.
Gordon laughed. The situation ap-
peared to him grimly humorous. He
motioned to the Indian to come on, and
kept him we'll covered with his rife.
A moment later, however, he lowered
his gun.
Whatever fate awaited Gordon he
knew that he stood in no danger OF a
treacherous stroke from the approach
ing Sioux. 1t was the chief, Red Cloud.
Gordon arose, and the chief came
rffward with a hand outstretched.
My young man has killed your
mules - was Red Clond,s greeting in