Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-02-27
CHAPTER XXI.

CHAPTER XXI.
A week went by at Fort Emory, and
not a word came back from Dean The
furious storm that swept the hills and
swelled the rivers was the talk of every
army post within two hundred miles,
while in the gambling bells and saloons
of Laramie, Cheyenne and Gate City
men spoke of it in low tones and with
bated breath. If ever the bolts of
Heaven were launched to defeat foul
crime it was right there at Canyon
Springs, for the story was all over
Wyoming by this time how the worst
gang of cutthroats that ever invested
the wide west had galloped in strong
force to that wild, sequestered nook to
murder Dean and his whole party of
the hated ''blue bellies" if need be,
but at all hazards to get the precious
package in his charge. Fifty thousand
dollars in government greenbacks it
contained if Hank Birdsall, their chos-
en- leader, could be believed, and hith-
erto he had never led them astray. He
swore that he had the "straight tip"
and that every man who took an hon.
est part in the'fight, that was sure to
ensue. should have his square one
thousand dollars. Thirty to ten, sur
rounding the soldiers along the bluffs
on every side, they counted on easy
victory. But the warning thunder
had been enough for the young troop
leader, and prompted him to break
camp and get out of the gorge. They
were starting when Birdsall's scouts
peered over the bank and the outlaw
ordered instant pursuit, just in time to
meet the fury of the flood and to see
some of his fellows drowned like rats
in sewer.
But who betrayed the secret? What
officer or government employe re-
vealed the fact that Dean was going
with so much treasure ?-and what
could have been his object? Birdsall
had taken to the mountains and was
beyond pursuit. ''Shorty," one of his
men, rescued from drowning by the
mail carrier and escort coming down
from Frayne, confessed the plot, and
the general was now at Emory inyesti-
eating. Maj. Burleigh had taken to
his bed. Capt Newhall. was reported
gone to Denver. Old John Folsom lay
with bandaged head and blinded eyes
in darkened room, assiduously nursed
by Pappoose and Jessie, who in turn
were devotedly attended by Mrs.
Fletcher. Possessed of some strange
nervous excitement, this energetic
woman was tireless in her effort to be
of use. Minus ten of their very best,
SCI troop still camped at Emory, the
general holding it for public escort
duty, and, to his huge delight, young
LOOMS was assigned to command it
until Dean should return. There came
a day when the news arrived from
Frayne that the Laramie column ha6
crossed the Platte and marched on for
the Big Horn, and then John Folsom
began to mend and was allowed to sit,
up, and told the doctor he had need to
see Maj. Burleigh without delay, but
Burleigh could not leave his bed, said
the physician in attendance-a very
different practitioner from Folsom's
and the old man began to fret and
fume, and asked for writing materials.
He wrote Burleigh a note, and the doc
tor forbade his patients reading any,
thing. Maj. Burleigh, said he, was a
very sick man. and in a wretchedly
nervous condition. Serious conse-
quences were feared unless utter quiet
could be assured.
Then Folsom was pronounced well
enough to be taken out for drive, and
he and Pappoose had the back seat to-
gether, while Jessie, with Harry Loom
is to drive sat in front, and Jess was
shy and happy, for LOOMS had plainly
lost his heart to his comrades pretty
sister. Marshall had now been gone
nine days and could soon. be- expected
home, said everybody, for with big
force going up there the Indians would
scatter and >"the boys'' would have no
trouble coming back. And so this love:
ly summer afternoon everyone seemed
bright and joyous at the fort, listening
to the band and wondering, some Of
the party, at least. how much longer
it would be before they could hope to
hear from the absent, when there arose
sudden sounds of suppressed commo-
ton in the camp of "C'' troop. A cou-
rier was coming like mad on the road
from Frayne-a courier whose painting
horse refined up minute with heav1ng
tanks, in the midst of the thronging
men, and all the troop turned white
and still at the news the rider briefly
told-three companies at Warrior Gap
were mastered by the Sioux. 40 men
in all, including Sergt. Bruce and all
.'C'' troops men but Conroy and Gar.
ret, who had cut their way through
with Lieut.. Dean and were safe inside
the stockade, though painfully wound
ed. This appalling story the girls
heard with faces blanched with horror
Passionate, weeping came to Jessie re
let, but Pappoose shed never tear
The courier's dispat ches were takenil
to the colonel, and Folsom, trembling
with mingled weakness and excite.
ment, followed.
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