Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1901-04-25
Copyright. 1897. by F. Tennysoa Nssiy.l

SONS little garrison was on the alert.
The women had all been moved to the
deep, dry cellar, Mrs. Hal moaning over
her baby, utterly unnerved, Jessie
silent, but white and tremulous; the
herdsman's wife, an Amazon, demand
ed the right to have gun and fight by
her husbands side; Lizette, the Indian
girl, faint and starved, asked nothing
but to be allowed to crouch at the door
of the room where Halbert lay, fevered
and unconscious, and Pappoose, scorn-
ing danger, fitted from her brothers
bedside to her fathers log-barricade at
the east porch. In dread anxiety the
hours dragged by, and at last Lannion
reached forth his hand and pulled the
shirtsleeve of his comrade Jake, half
doing at his side. In an instant the
latter was kneeling at his post. ''What
is it?' he queried, and Lannion, point
ing to The first faint, pallid CLEAN i'll
the eastern sky, whispered: "Time to
be up, man. It's coming"
For half an hour, except for the rush
ing of the Laramie, silence almost un-
earthly had brooded over the prairie,
and even the dogs seemed lulled to
sleep. But now, as the cold light crept
slowly over the distant range, and a
soft flush began to overspread the pal
lor of the dawn, far out over the valley
the yelp of coyote began again and
all men strained their ears and listened,
while strong hands grabbed the growl-
ing dogs and pinned them to earth, for,
beginning at the east, the cry was
taken up on every side. Folsom's
ranch seemed beleaguered by the
gaunt, half-famished wolves of the up
land prairies. Look to your sights,
now, men! Down into the cellar, Pap
poose!" exclaimed Folsom, kindling
with fierce excitement. "Tve been the
friend of all that tribe for 30 years,
but when they break faith with me
and mine that ends it! Look to your
sights and make every shot count" he
cautioned, as he made the rounds OF
the little shelters thrown up during
the past two days. 1--WE can stand off a
hundred of 'em if you only keep your
grit"
Perched as it was on a little rise, the
ranch stood forth conspicuous over the
valley. At the foot of the slope to the
south lay the corral and some of the
buildings, about 100 yards away, where
the shallow Laramie curled and Tapped
beneath their walls, and now the dogs
70 70 n
on that side. Folsom, rifle in hand,
was kneeling on the porch, listening
intently. Two of the hands were with
him. Jake and Lannion, experienced
and reliable, had been given independ-
ent posts on the other front, and just
as objects could be dimly recognized
along the flats, there burst upon the
ears of the little garrison a sudden
chorus of exultant yells. A tongue OF
flame leaped upward from beyond the
huts lately occupied by the ranchmen'
The half-used haystacks caught and
held one moment the fiery messenger,
and then in a broad glare that Redeemed
the food of the Laramie for miles and
lighted up the ranch like a sunburst
gave forth a huge column of blaze and
smoke that could be seen far over the
Black Hills of Wyoming, and all the
valley seemed TO spring to instant life.
On every side arose the stirring war
cry of the Sioux, the swift beat OF
pony hoofs, the ring of rifle, and brave
John Folsoms heart sank within him
as he realized that here was no mere
marauding party, but powerful band
organized for deliberate vengeance.
The bullets came whistling through
the morning air, biting fiercely into
the solid logs, scattering the thinking,
smashing pane after pane. Some of the
dogs came bowling and whining back
for shelter, though the mastiffs held
their ground, fiercely barking and
bounding about, despite the whistles
and calls from the besieged, who
sought to save them to the last, but not
once as yet had the ranch replied with
a shot. Down in the cellar women
chung together or clasped their vail
ing children and listened fearfully to
the clamor. In Halls room the fevered
sufferer awoke from his stupor, and,
demanding his rife, struggled to rise
from the bed, and there John Folsom
found Pappoose, pale and determined,
bending over her weakened brother
and holding him down almost as she
could have overpowered child. Lift
ing his son in his strong arms, he bore
him to the cellar and laid him upon a
couch of buffalo robes. "Watch him
here, my child,'' he said, as he clasped
her in his arms one moment. "But on
no account let anyone show above
ground now. There are more of them
than thought, yet there is hope for
US. Somebody is veMng them down the
Laramie
Bounding up the steps, the veteran
was almost back at his post upon the
porch when there came sound that
seemed to give the lie to his last
words and that froze the hope that
had risen in his breast-the sudden
rumble and thunder of at least 200
hoofs, the charging yell of an Indian
band, the sputter and baug of rifles
close at hand, and then rush of feet,
as, with faces agonized with fear,
three of the men came darting within.
SITS ~ up! There's . million In.