The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-05-03


neered over The hank and the outlaw
ordered instant pursuit. just Ia time 70
meet the fury of the flood and to see
some OF his fellows drowned ike rats
in sewer.
But who betrayed the secret2 What
officer or government employe re-
vealed the fact that Dean WAS going
with so much treasure 2--and what
could have been his object2 BirdsaH
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 invests
eating. Mai. Burleigh had taken to
his bed Capt, Newhall was reported
gone 10 Denver. Old John Folsom lay
with bandaged head and blinded eyes
in a 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,
.C'' 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 anauld return. There came
day when the news arrived from
Frayne that the Laramie column had
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. Burlelgh without delay, but
Burleigh could not leave his bed, said
the physician in attendance 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
very sick man, and in wretchedly
nervous condition. Serious conse-
quences were feared unless utter quiet
could be assured.
Then Folsom was pronounced we'll
enouSh to be taken out for drive, and
he and Pappoose had the back seat to-
rether, while Jessie, with Harry loom
Is to drive, sat In front, and Jess was
shy and happy. for Loomis 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-
~ 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
1t 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 a minute, with heavlng
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 massacred 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 stoclSade, though painfully wound
ed. This appalling story the girls
heard with faces blanched with horror,
Passionate weeping came to Jessie's re-
lief, but Pappoose shed never tear.
The courier's dispatches were taken In
to the colonel, and Folsom, trembling
with mingled weakness and excite
ment, followed.
1t was an impressive scene as the
old soldier read the sad details to the
rapidly growing group OF weeping
women, for that was Emory's garri-
son now, while the official reports
were hurried on to catch the general
on his way to Cheyenne. Some one
warned the band leader. and the
musicians marched away to quarters.
Some one bore the news TO town,
where the flags over the hotel and
the one newspaper Office were at
once lowered to half STAFF, although
that at Emory, true to official ETH
quette and tradition, remained until
further orders at the peak, despite
the fact that two of the annihilated
companies were from that very post.
Some one bore the news to Burleigh's
quarters at the depot, and, despite
assertions that the major could see
no one and must not be agstated or
disturbed, disturbed and agluated he
was beyond pesadyenture. Excitedly
the sick man sprang from his bed at
the tidings Of the massacre and be-
gan penning a letter. Then he SUM
moned young clerk from his Office
and told him he had determined to
get up at once, as row every energy
Of the government would doubtless be
put forth to bring the Sioux to terms.
1t was the young clerk who a few
weeks back had remarked to a fellow
employee how ratified" the old man
was getting. The MAJORS doctor was
not about The major began dictat-
ing letters to various officials as he
rapidly dressed, and what happened
can best be told in the clerks own
words. "For man too sick to see
anyone two hours BEFORE" said he,
"the major had wonderful recupera-
tive powers, but they didn't last. He
was in The midst OF o letter to the
chief quartermaster, and had got as
fur as to say The deplornble and
tragic fate Of Lieut. Dean points, Of
course, TO the loss Of the large sum
intrusted to him, when l looked up
and said why, Lieut.. Dean amt
dead. major; be got In all right and
he stared at me minute as II I
had stabbed him. His face turned
yellow-white and down he went like
L