Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1901-04-12
CHAPTER VIII.

CHAPTER VIII.
Obedient to his orders the Irish
sergeant, with little squad at his
heels, had kept straight on. few
minutes later, rounding the bluff at
the gallop, 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 a deep bend in the Lar
annie. Close to the waters edge two
horses lay stretched upon the ground,
stone dead. 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 and swung their hats-Hal
Folsom and one of his hands safe,
unwounded, yet with look in their
gray faces that told of recent mortal
peril.
"We're all right! Go on after them.
They've run off dozen of my best
horses" said Folsom, "and I'm afraid
they cut off lake"
"No! Jake reached the ranch all
right-leastwise somebody did," said
Shaughnessy. "That's how we got the
news. They got somebody, or else
they were only bluffing when they
waved that scalp. How many were
lhere?"
"At qeast dozen-too many for
you to tackle. Where's the rest of the
troop"
"Close at their heels. The lieuten-
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. Shaughnessy's fell
hows began to fidget and look eager
~ 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 q
Shaughnessy nodded as he spurred
away. "Wem be gettin' the ieuten-
ant brevet for this" said he, ''if
we can only close up with those black
guards And these were the words
Folsom carried back with him. as,
saounting u willing troopers horse, he
galloped homeward to reassure his
wife, thanking God for the opportune
coming of the little command, yet
~
at the ill-starred work of the day
Thus far he had striven to keep from
her all knowledge of the threats OF
the Ogallailas. although he knew she
must have heard of them. He had
believed himself secure so far back
from the Platte. He had done every
thing in his power to placate Red
Cloud and the chiefs-to convince his
former friends that he had never en-
ticed poor Lizette, as Baptiste haG
called the child, from her home an6
people. They held he should never
have left her, though she had &C
cused him of no wrong. Burning Star
in his jealous rage. hated him, be
cause he believed that but for love
of the paleface Lizette would have lis
tened to his wooing, and Folsom's con
science could not acquit him of having
seen her preference and of leading hel
on. He could not speak of her to hi
wife without shame and remorse. III,
had no idea what could have been hcl
fate, for the poor girl had disappesrc.
from the face of the earth, and now
at last. this day had proved to him thu
threats of her lover and her brother
were not idle. He had had so marrow
a squeak for his life, so sharp and sud
den and hard fight for it that, nov
that the peril was over, his nerve be
gan to give way. his strong hands t
fremble. Armed with breechloaders
he md his two friends had been abb
to stand off the attacking party, kill
ing two ponies, and emptying, the.
felt sure, two saddles; but little by lit
tie the Indians were working aroun,
their position, and would have crawle
upon them within an hour or two bu
for Jake's daring ride for help an
the bleassd coming of the blueeoats 1