Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-10-23

whom the post commander and several
officers greeted almost effusively.
Yet 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, anxiously.
There were signal fires out at
Eagle Butte last night, and I've just
had a letter from old Folsom at the
ranch on the Laramie. He begs us to
send guard at once, and l haven't
horseman. There's been the devil
to pay at young Folsom's place"
Deans face went a shade paler.
whats 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 and left for
dead in the hills. He'd died but for
an Ogallalla girl and couple of half
breeds who had a hunting-lodge out
near the Peak. There are letters for
you at the office"
There were two-one from LOOMS.
at Emory; one from Jessie, of all
places in the world, at Folsom's
ranch. This he read first.
1--WE got here late night before 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,
Tor Mr.. Folsom says the messenger must
start for Fort Frayne In twenty minutes.
That villain, Maj. Burleigh, who dared to
speak Ill of you, turned out to be as bad
as I ever said he was. They haven't caught
him yet. but they've got Capt Newhall.
Mr.. Folsom and Mr.. Loring 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-
termasteTs depot, and was going to get
the money Maj. Burleigh dared not take
when he fed. can't understand 1t at
all. and Pappoose doesn't like to talk about
1T. But Mr.. Folsom was robbed of lots of
money by Maj. Burleigh. Mrs. Fletcher
Is mixed up in 1t In such queer way,
can't explain now She was nearly crazy
when we came away. and Mr.. Folsom was
SO good and kind to her, left nurse with
her, 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 care
which; but he wouldn't let her.
And right in the midst of 1t all Ned
loped In to tell how Halbert Folsom had
been missing two days, and Mrs. Folsom
was crazy with fear, SO Mr.. Folsom left
Lieut.. Loring to attend to all the mat
tiers about the robbery and started at once
for the ranch. and Pappoose. of course. In
sisted on going with him, and would not
be left behind. And here we are. Now
can see the hills where you had the fight
and wore Eltnor's picture. and it was right
out there among them that Halbert was
found. Horse thieves had run off his best
horses-the same gang of murderers that,
they say, planned to trap you and that
you outwitted. Oh! Marshall was ever
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 girl. Lizette. who had fallen
in love with him four 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 Mr.
Folsom is worried to death, and says we
must start back for home tomorrow It's
seventy-flve miles, and we don't want to
go at all, only I'm so eager to see you, and
heard--at least Mr.. Loomis told me you'd
be back any day, and he has your troop
till you come. and he's so fond of you
On, 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
whirl. The devil seems to have
broken loose In Wyoming. Let mo
skim through Loomis' note"
Dear Dean: In case the letter sent yes
terday passes you on the way, add q line
to say that II ever I said a mean thing
about Loring when we were in the corps,
take 1t 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 PANIED out here
and wiped up Wyoming with the only men
l ever knew that tried to wrong you Is
simply wonderful. He's nabbed three of
the Birdsal gang and is away now after
Burleigh. The news from Folsom's ranch
IS more reassuring. Hal was shot by horse
thieves who We're 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 of
1t at the fort, 1 tried to persuade old Peck
sniff that he ought to let me go with twenty
troopers to guard the ranch and scout the
Laramie. and he threatened to put me in
arrest. OF all the double dashed, pig-head-
ed old idiots he's the worst. don't want
people at the ranch to be scared but If
lhe sioux only would make some demon
stration this way that would give me a
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 1t than
Your friend and classmate, HANK L."
p. STORING took ten of the troop into 4
the Black Hills to beat up Burleigh, but
he said If they struck Indian sign he meant
to make for Folsom's ranch. Now. If we
could only meet therei
The sun was well down at the
west. The days march had been long
and tedious, eas only cavalry marches
are when long wagon trains have to
be escorted. Dean had not yet fully
recovered strength, but anxiety lent
him energy.
If Mr.. Folsom says there is need
OF cavalry guard at the Laramie, it
is because he breads another Indian