The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-04-19

in saddle, we're filing ava. up the game
trail that threaded TIE windings Of the
ravine, the two lead hcrses with them
while a few yards behind the young
officer and his eomrade, halfway down
the reverse slope. two others. afoot
handled the reins of their own horses
and those of the lieutenant and men
still held at the edge. 1t was an excit.
ing moment. Bruce had only hun.
bred yards to run before he could get
under cover, and there was no chance
of their hitting him at that range, yet
puff of smoke rose from the knoll
and bullet, nearly spent. came tum.
bling and singing up the turf, and the
dashing warriors, yelling wildly, APP
plauded the shot. Bruce took matters
cooliy. Leaping behind the shelter Of
the ledge, he reached for his carbine,
and in moment more, as the pursuing
Indians came lashing within long
range, four seasoned cavalry carbines,
each with keen eve at the sight and
a steady finger at the trip, were leveled
on the coming foe. Deans young heart
beat hard, il must be owned for hith-
erto the Indians had been fighting in
retreat or on the defensive, while now
they came as though confident of sue.
cess; but there was soldier exultation
and something like savage joy mingling
with the thrill of excitement.
There's more behind those beggars,
sir" growled Conroy, veteran at In.
dian work, but they'll sheer off when
they get within 300 yards" On they
came, shields and lances dangling,
ponies on the keen jump, feathers and
pennons streaming on the wind. But,
just as Conroy said, no sooner was
Bruce safely under cover and they feft
themselves drawing within dangerous
range than, fan-like. they opened out
to right and left, and, yelling still like
fiends, veered in wide circle from their
line of attack, and ducking over their
ponies shoulders, clinging with one
leg to the upright part of the eantle,
they seemed to invite the fire of their
white foe-and got it. A daring fellow
in the lead came streaking slantwise
across the front, as though aiming to
pick up the comrade lurking in the
dip of the prairie-like slope, and Con-
roy's carbine was the first to bark, fol-
lowed almost instantly by Deans. The
scurrying pony threw up his wall-eyed
head and dashed with his feathered tail,
evidently hit, but not checked, for I'M
der the whip he rushed gamely on I'M
til another bullet, whistling within a
foot of his neck, warned the red rider
that he was far too close for safety,
for with hating gait the pony turned
and labored off the field, and presently
was seen to be staggering. "Score one
for our side" laughed the Irishman,
in glee. 'Now's your time, sergeant"
But Bruce, reloading, was gazing
sternly AT the distant knoll. The other
warriors. riding right and left, were
now chasing crosswise over the billowy
slopes, keeping up fire Of taunt and
chaff and shrill war cries, but never
again venturing within 800 yards
never wasting a shot.
II thought So" suddenly cried the
sergeant. They're signaling from the
knoll. They never wouldIhaye attacked
with so few, unless there were dozens
more within sight. Now's our time.
lieutenant. We can mount and ride
like hell to the TIMBER beg your par
don, sir" he broke off, suddenly. Il
didn't mean TO say what the lieutenant
should do"
''No apologies" laughed Dean. his
eyes swapping with the vim of the fight.
Glad you see the truth of what l said.
Come on. Mount quickly, men"
Two minutes more and the entire |
party of hluecoats were squirting swift |
ly northward up the winding gorge,
The pack horses numbering alongside. |
Eagerly Dean and Bruce in the lead |
looked right and left for a game trail |
eading up the slope. for well they
knew that the moment their reinforce.
nents came the warriors would dash
nto the ravine and. finding their an
tagonists fled. would pursue along the
banks. 1t would never do to be caught
N such trap A gallop of quarter
Of mile and. off to the right, branch
ravine opened out to higher ground,
ind into this the leaders dove and,
checking speed, rode at the trot until
he ascent grew steep. Five minutes
more and they were well up toward
he head of the gulch and presently
iound themselves nearly on level with
he hillsides about them. Here, too,
we're scattered pine trees and few
Grub oak The timber, then, was close
1t hand. Signaling halt to the climb
ng column, Dean and Bruce, spring
ng from saddle, scrambledupt the bank
Q their right and peered cautiously
back down over the tumbling waves Of
he foothills, and what they saw was
nough to blanch the cheek of even
'eteran Indian fighters.
Far over to the east, beyond an in
ervening ridge and under the dun
loud of dust, the earth was black for
niles with herds of running buffalo.
ar down to the southeast, here. there
nd everywhere over the land the
lopes were dotted with little knots OF
NOLAN brages-they could be nothing
lse--aIl riding like mad. coming
traight toward them. Machpealota
had launched his whole force
n the trail of the luclxless troopers.
ITO BE Continued
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