The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1901-05-16
CHAPTER VIII.

hcNist huu lew
minutes later. rounding the blum nj
the gnllop. eyes flashing over the field
In front Of them, the party went rae
ing out over the turf and came In
full view of the scene of the fight.
Five hundred yards further down
stream was n. deep bend In the lar.
annie. Close the waters edge t,sh
horses lny st tchcd upon the ground,
stone dad. out on the open prairie
lay an indian pony still kicking in his
dying agony. and as the soldiers came
sweeping into view two men rose up
from behind the low bank OF the
stream anl swung their hats-IIai
Folsom and one OF his hands safe.
unwQpnded, yet with n look In their
gray faces that told Of recent mortal
peril.
"wc'rc all right! Go on after them.
They've run OFT dozen of my best
horses said Folsom, "and I'm afraid
they cut Oft oakc."
"No! Jake reached the ranch all
right--lcastwisc somebody did" said
Shaughnessy. "ThGts how we got the
news. They got somebody, or else
they were only blufIing when they
waved that scalp. How many were
tnerc?"
AT least n dozcn-too many for
You to tackle. Where's the rest OF the
troop?"
"Closc Mt their heels. The licuten.
ant led them right over the ridge.
Listen!"
Yes, far up In the foothills, faint
and clear, the sounds of the chase
could now be heard. Deans men were
closing on the fleeing warriors, for
every little while the silence OF the
range was broken by the crack of
rifle or carbine. Shnughnessy's fel.
lows began to fldget and look eager
ly thither, and he read their wish.
1.-Two of you stay with Mr.. Folsom"
he said, "and the rest come with me.
There's nothing we can do here, Is
there? Sure you're not hit?"
mo, go on! Give 'em hell and get
back my horses. I'd go with you. but
they've killed what horses they
couldn't drive. All safe at the ranch p
Shaughnessy nodded as he spurred
away. well be gettin' the lieuten-
ant a brevet for this" said he, III
we can only close up with those black
guards" And these were the words
Folsom carried back with him, us,
mounting willing troopers horse, he
galloped homcward to rcassure his
wife. thanking God for the opportune
coming Of the little command, yet
swearing with close-eompressed lips
at the ill-starrcd work of the day.
Thus far he had striven TO keep from
her all knowledge OF the threats OF
the Ogallallas, although he knew she
must have heard of them. He had
believed himself secure SO far back
from the Platte. lie had done every
thing In his power to placate Red
Cloud and the chiefs-to convince his
former friends that ne had never en-
ticed poor Lizette, as Baptiste had
called the child, from her home and
people. They held he should never
have left her, though she had ac-
cuscd him Of no wrong. Burning Star,
in his jealous rage, hated him, be-
cause he believed that but for love
Of the palcfacc Lizette would have lis
tened to his wooing, and Folso.n's con-
science could not acquit him of having
seen her preference and of leading her
ON. He could not speak of her to his
wife without shame and remorse. lie
had no idea what could have been her
fate, for the poor girl had disappeared
from the face of the earth. and now,
Mt last, this day had proved to him the
threats of her lover and her brothers
were not idle. lie had had SO narrow
a squeak for his life, SO sharp and sud
den and hard fight for II that, now
that the peril was over, his nerve be-
gan to give way his strong hands to
trcmblc. Armed with brccchloadcrs,
lie and his two friends had been able
to stand off the attacking party, kill
ing two ponies, and emptying, they
felt sure. two saddles; but little by lit
tie the Indians were working around
their position, and would have crawled
upon them within an hour or two but
for Jnke's daring ride for help and
the blessed coming of the bluccoats In
the nick OF time. Folsom swore he'd
never forget ihcii' services this day.
And as he cantercd homeward he
.coulds still hear the distant firing dy-
ing away In the mountains to the
nortlsA 'tiive 'em he'll, Dean!" he NUT.
tcSed hrough his set teeth. "They're
show x tght even when you've got 'em
inennsv'
Not unit nnpoiher day was he TO
know. LatSSfs.he evening OF the at
tack. while he was seated with his
wife by Jake's bedside, half u dozen
troopers, two of them wounded and
all with worn-out horses, came drift
ing back to camp. Twice, said they,
had the fleeing Indians made a stand
10 cover the slow retreat of one or two
evidently sorely stricken. but so close
iy were they pressed that at last they
had been forced to abandon one of
their number, who died, sending his
last vengeful shot through the lieu
tenants hunting shirt, yet only graz
ing the skin. Dean, with most OF the
lnen, pushed on In pursuit, determined
never to desist so long as there was
light but those who returned could
not keep up.
Leaving the dead body OF the young
brave where II lay among the rocks,
they slowly journeyed back TO camp.
No further tidings came, and ut day
break Folsom, with two ranchmen and
n trooper, rode out on the trail 10 round
up the horses the Indians had been
compelled to drop. Mrs. Hal clung
sobbing TO him, unable 10 control her
fears. but ne chided her gently and
bade her see that Jake lacked no care
or comfort. The brave fellow WINS sore