The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1901-01-11

officers, their faces set and rigid,
their eyes blazing GIN Gods name,
colonel" cried the foremost, "let mo
take my men and clear that ridge so
that our people can get back. One
charge will do 1t, sir"
But solemnly the commander up
lifted his hand. Listen" said he, "the
battle is receding, They are driving
our poor fellows southwark, away from
us. They are massed between them
and us. 1t would only be playing into
their hands, my boy. It's too late to
help. Our duty now is here"
But good God. sir! I can't stay
without raising a hand to help. I
beg-I implore!"
''Go back to your post at once, sir.
You may be needed any minute. Look
therel Now!"
And as he spoke the colonel pointed
to the southeast Over the scene be-
yond the divide to the south hung the
bank of pale-blue smoke. Out on the
slope lay the ghastly remains of the
young adiutant and his faithful com
rade, who, not ten minutes before, had
orders and met their soldier fate Out
to the southeast the ridge fell grad
ually away into the general level of the
rolling prairie, and there, full thou
sand yards distant, there suddenly
darted into view three horsemen.
troopers evidently, squirting madly
for home.
"They've cut their way through!
Thank Cod" almost screamed the
spectators NJ the parapet. But their
exultation died an instant later. Over
the ridge in swift pursuit camea dozen
painted. feathercd braves. their po-
MES racing at lightning speed, their
arrows and bullets whizzing along
the line of flight. The horse of the
foremost trooper was staggering, and
suddenly went plunging headlong,
sending his rider sprawling far out
on the turf. He was up in a second,
dire peril nerving him to desperate
effort. His comrades veered at his
cry for help and glanced back over
their shoulders One, unnerved at
sight of the dashing foemen in pur-
suit, clapped spurs again, and bending
low, rode madly on. The other, gal
liant fellow! refined about in wide,
sweeping circle, and turned back TO
meet his running comrade. They saw
him bend to lend a helping hand, saw
him bend still lower as three of the
Indians leaped from their ponies, and,
kneeling, loosed their rifles all at
once; saw him topple out of saddle,
and his stricken horse. with Tapping
rein. trot aimlessly about a moment.
before he, too, went laundering in
his tracks; saw the other soldier turn
to face his fate by his dying comrades
side, fighting to the last, overwhelmed
and borne down by the rush of red
warriors. Strong men turned aside
in agony, unable to look on and see
the rest-the brutal. pitiless clubbing
and stabbing, the fearful hacking OF
lance and knife--but others still, in
the fascination of horror, gazed help
lessly through the smoke drifting up
ward from the blazing loopholes, and
once a feeble cheer broke forth as one
shot took effect and yelling Indian
stretched out dead upon the sward
Then for brief moment all eyes cen
tered on the sole survivor who came
sweeping down the slope, straight for
the stockade. Almost il seemed as
though he might yet escape, despite
the fact that his horse, too. was lurch-
ing and stumbling, and his pursuers
were gaining rapidly, defiant of the
fire of the little fort. Reckless of or
der and discipline, dozen soldiers
nearest the gate rushed out upon the
open bench, shouting encouragement
and sending long-range. chance shots
But with every stride the fleeing steed
grew weaker, stumbled painfully and
slackencd speed, and soon they saw
him slowing down despite the frantic
jabbing Of the spurs and with drocp-
ing head and bleeding nostrils giving
up the fight. And then. at sound of
the triumphant wells and iecrs of his
pursuers, the poor wretch in saddle
threw one fearful glance behind him,
one despairing look toward the COM
rades and the refuge still a quarter of
a mile away and with shaking hand
he turned the brown revolver on his
then went tumbling earthward, a
corpse. There at least was one scalp
the Sioux could covet in vain, for, with
shouts of vengeance, the little squad
of infantry, deaf to all orders or the
clamor of the bugle recall. dashed out
over the level beach firing turiousIy as
they ran, and whether from the SUI
perstitious awe with which the In
dams view the suicide, or the dread
OF close combat with the gallant
band of blue-coats, the mounted war
riors turned and scurried across the
prairie, and were presently out of
range beyond the ridge again. Then
and not till they had reached and
lifted and borne the lifeess form of
the trooper did the little party con-
descend to answer the repeated sum
mons from the fort. Then at last they
slowly returned, unrebuked, for no
man had the heart to chide their dar-
ipO