Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-07-15

dodging and ducking for all the word a \
though the buIsess were whistling c.o- /
about their ears. an they were scared o.
them. Then-good Goa, was II possib.r7
Rays men were running-yes. rurrAnz (
for their horses and then Blake's, too
broke and rushed for the river bed. and
then, yelling like hen5s. all fury ard ex.
ultation. down swept score after score u
mounted warriors from the Opposite
slopes, and we couldn't believe our eyes
Billy Ray, whom we had sworn by FOR
years, was heading his mob In a via
stampede for the bluffs. and Biake's men
were scrambiing like mad into saddle and
seurrying away to the rear. What On
earth could 1t mean?s
Instantly. along the front and the Cd.
posite foot hills. the Indians dashed thei,
ponies in pursuit. Away went tina,
streaming standard far to the right. and
we knew Stabber was urging on the chase.
Then Gregg's line. and Wayne's, wers
zen to be falling back. but steadily, and
still our captain gave no sign to rise
Keep down; keep down. he said as
some nervous fellows turned and looked
appealingly. n then, all of a sudden.
we odd hands saw the game, for now
the running right had reached the bluff.
and began to climb. The yelling Sioux
had reached the stream. and were splash.
ing through, Stabber waving the guidon
in their very midst. And now the ground
to our right was clear of friends and COM
rades. and farther to the right, five hun
bred yards away, swarming with painted
savages intent only in driving Blake and
~. - 49, 49, ,t.1n $500 -L-
joyous mount and up from the sxaIe
at our backs came young Hunter and the
h~orse-holders with our grays snorting,s
pdunging ard kicking. God. how the
memory of it thrills me yet!
Mount. lively lsds!'' we heard our cap
tain cry. Then as we sprang INTO sad
die, never waiting to form ranks, never
stopping to count fours-"Ride for the
guidon!'' he yelled. Follow me. Come
on"
on it was, in a whirl of dust, in a tor
rent of cheers. in a wild. headlong. dss-
perate dash that knew no thought of peril
or defeat or death-only the glorious pos
sability of getting that %guidon. Well had
Ray and Blake d~issembled, Well had they
drawn them on, for more than half the
FIVE hundred yards were crossed in our
laundering rush before even the wariest
on the inner flank got wind of our coming
ard then it was too late to save Stabber.
Straight through their scattering cloud
our leaders tore their way. Cap sitting
low in saddle, his eyes and teeth gleam-
ing like a woif's; big Jim Caffrey. our
second sergeant, close at his stirrup, and
little Hunter yelling and squirting close
on t'other side. 1t was all done in a
minute. We BOWED en- over like ten pins
when we hit 'em square, and sent them
whirling and whoopiEg down the valley,
we firing ard hacking and Aammering at
their heels. But in the midst of 1t all We
saw Cap" ard Caffrey closing in on old
Stabber, saw him Keeling and swaying, the
boys right and left, pumping lead into
every Indian that care look back. and all
of a sudden the silken folds went sway
ing and sweeping and waving over our
heads, and a cheer went up you could
hear back at Cloud Peak. Ray and Blake
were charging to our right, Gregg and
Wayne were volleying across the valley
to our LETT, and we'd won the field, and
won again the guidon of the Grays!